battery/starter issues with high compression
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Road Captain
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 593
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From: Baton Rouge, LA
battery/starter issues with high compression
I'm hoping I can get some help and will try to give a quick brief overview. 03 FXDL 103 10.5:1 with stock starter and compression releases. Last winter when it got cold I started having issues starting in cold weather. I swapped to a HD high tq starter. That helped for a while but as it got colder that too didn't work. Installed new battery, rotor, and stator but by then had warmed up so wasn't sure of issue. Now as it begins to cool off the issue is starting to happen again. My wrench suggested I go to a stronger battery. Herein lies my problem. He told me to switch to an Odyssey or Big Bore. CCA is confusing especially with these types of batteries. Odyssey 545 has 545 PHCA, 185 CCA, 300 HCA, and 240 MCA??? Can somebody break this down for me?
Follow my logic a second. I had a similar issue with another bike and was able to simply get a battery with more CCA from the same manufacturer. My starting issues were gone. It isn't quite as simple with the Harley so I welcome any help on comparing apples and apples with these new batteries. I just want to get the strongest battery possible to really spin this thing over in cold weather. I ride every day and it isn't fun to come out at 3am to a bike that barely turns over.
Follow my logic a second. I had a similar issue with another bike and was able to simply get a battery with more CCA from the same manufacturer. My starting issues were gone. It isn't quite as simple with the Harley so I welcome any help on comparing apples and apples with these new batteries. I just want to get the strongest battery possible to really spin this thing over in cold weather. I ride every day and it isn't fun to come out at 3am to a bike that barely turns over.
185CCA? (Cold Cranking Amps) Cold? In Baton Rouge!??
Buy a battery that has a 270CCA or better yet one with a 310CCA rating. 18Ah (amp-hour). Keeping a battery on a Battery Tender Jr. is a good practice.
Buy a battery that has a 270CCA or better yet one with a 310CCA rating. 18Ah (amp-hour). Keeping a battery on a Battery Tender Jr. is a good practice.
I was thinking the same thing, seems like it would crank like stock or easier with comp releases.
Road Master
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 1,106
Likes: 4
From: Saginaw, MI
Try some new battery cables old ones can have small constant power draw, new ones also have a draw, but less of one than old. My friend has a 10.5:1, 124ci compression releases battery tender, 4 or 5 different batteries, and after 2 years of messing around with all sorts of things...new cables did the trick.
Club Member
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 4,192
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From: Knoxville, Tn
Starter Trouble
I would also try to figure out if it is the cables...Are the compression releases electric or manual ? If they are electric, they may not be working. I have a HC engine and manual releases,and am running a almost 6 year old battery with no problems. If the bike is in the garage it's on the battery tender.
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Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2009
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From: NC
Try some new battery cables old ones can have small constant power draw, new ones also have a draw, but less of one than old. My friend has a 10.5:1, 124ci compression releases battery tender, 4 or 5 different batteries, and after 2 years of messing around with all sorts of things...new cables did the trick.
What type of compression releases are you running? Auto decomps on the cams?
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Thread Starter
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Road Captain
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 593
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From: Baton Rouge, LA
better late than never
I figured I'd update in case this helps anybody. My setup at that time was stock starter, HD OEM battery, and compression releases. I have since switched to a Compu-fire starter and 10/84 starter gear set. Granted I have yet to deal with cold weather but right now hot or cold it starts as soon as I hit the starter button. It will start without hitting the compression releases but I still use them out of habit.
