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My copy paste for touring model of that time..EVO 1-COMMON...Two fuel hoses under tank leak after 10 years. Harley $$$$$$$, Goodridge HDFL005 under $160 USA dollars or LESS total for BOTH if you check google .
The Goodridge lines are less than half the price of the Harley parts and are of good quality.
2-COMMON..speedometer LCD (odometer screen bleed). requires replacement when unable to read miles ridden. NOT PLUG AND PLAY LIKE NEWER ONES. You can get a sub-harness wire assembly from J & P cycle catalog for road king models and then use a 1999 speedometer plug and play speedometer.
Easy changeover with no splicing of wires required. Old speedometer is a different manufacturer from the newer ones.
Note that mileage is stored in speedometer itself not in ECM.Some folks send old speedometer out to specialty shops in order to change-out the LCD.
3-COMMON..Cam position sensor...very difficult starting, lots of cranking but does not catch. A lot of cranking and no start then you wait a second and a quick tap to start button and it starts with very little cranking…look for visible goo (beige) leak under timer cone (right foot) at black wire exit from bottom of cone…You will have plenty of warning…dozens and dozens of difficult starts.
4-CRANK position sensor by oil filter (RARE) but if you use a power commander the signal must be 100%..This is very rare.
5-(MEDIUM COMMON)Tank liner releases at middle section near fuel pump..blocks flow of fuel..loss of power, slow down and piece moves from fuel inlet so bike is OK but then becomes trapped again so cycle repeats.. FREE REPAIR..open gas tank access lid, drain fuel and clean piece out..I would carry the little bit required to remove screw..The book says you need to replace the one time use screws but if you are careful and replace in the same location it will be re-usable at least one time..
6- VERY COMMON...ENGINE TEMPERATURE SENSOR...very common, general rough riding as bike bucks from cold to hot rapidly..$100 part…As an emergency by-pass just disconnect the idle control behind air filter when bike is off/at rest..You will need to hold throttle.
7- Bikes that are pressure washed or in snow conditions with salt roads or people that added a power commander and destroyed the rubber boot at ECM..GROUNDING PIN ON ECM becomes corroded and requires cleaning.
8-The little chrome cover cap thing with the allen bolt on the starter end will get loose one time and you will chase the rattle a long time until you figure out that under the cover is two 0.15 cent nuts and one is lost.
***-The shift linkage ends SUCK on all harleys and you need to change those yesterday to heim joints look on ebay if on a budget for: Heim Joint Rod End 5/16" with bolts for Harley Davidson as they should be about $10-$15 delivered for both. ****VERY IMPORTANT...THE CRANK POSITION SENSOR USES AN INSERT TWIST AND LOCK CONNECTION. MAKE 100% sure it is tight, zip tied and secure and then tie it one more time.. Located at throttle side of frame behind the PAINTED plastic side cover by seat (remove cover) and hidden by the triangle portion of frame..connector is black and about 2 or 3 inches long and the thickness of a fat pencil.
That thing had me scratching my head for a long time trying to chase an intermittant cut-off over bumps. Side of the road frustration thing..Many shops are unable to identify the simple problem while others waste your money by replacing it when it was only loose.
THE PARTS ARE READILY AVAILABLE for this bike with the exception of the gas tank from either the dealer or aftermarket.
I would imagine you have the service book or will get the service book for this bike from Harley for 99483-98 . Finally get the book read chapter 9. You can review check engine codes with no tools by following a simple sequence.
I would review the fuel lines. If you do NOT have the goodridge lines HDFL005 then I would consider carrying some in your saddle bag. Rarely does a dealer stock the Harley ones.
Additional notes:
Consider using regular Dyno oil as the synthetics are too good at locating leaks.
Check the allen bolt at the transmission shift lever. The shift lever that attaches to the transmission spline/shaft. People forget to check that allen/hex bolt and then the splines on the lever get chewed.
Shaft is harder than lever so the lever will strip. Major labor to remove the outer primary, inner primary, and clutch hub just to replace the lever on that year of bike just because someone did not inspect that allen/hex bolt.
The throttle PULL cable might eventually give-up the throttle cable end ball. My cable had a few strands broken off at the little ball inside throttle clamp. It eventually snapped while on a road trip. Required switching return for pull cable in a parking lot. I would review and consider changing Throttle, Brake and Clutch cable if they are original.
There is a bracket 65619-98 called something like exhaust bracket tab located right at top of starter. Supports rear cylinder exhaust pipe right at starter. It sometimes breaks after 20 years right at the “L”..right at the clamp . Most people fail to look at it until further more costly problems develop instead of addressing the under $10 USA dollar part and saving future headaches and cost..
That bike era does not due well with rear swingarm lowering blocks. Check for and consider removal of rear lowering blocks if someone used them. They increase probability of rear swing arm crack since they alter shock angle. Blocks change in shock position at bottom and that appears to stress swingarm in my opinion.
Thanks Im, most of this is already done on the throttle body side. New cables and gaskets, did not detect any leaks at the intake.
new fuel line o rings on order, will have to get the ones for injectors.
Will check fuel tank liner when I get into it, hopefully it's good.
The machine is in fantastic condition for its age, 45k on the clock. I am the 3rd owner, the guy I bought it off of owned it since 99. All work done previous to me was at an hd dealer. He took very good care of it, but there are many original parts that I have been slowly working through
New goodridge fuel lines and orings on order.
have factory service manual of course.
That bike does look to be in fantastic condition.
Please make sure to review the detailed list.
Many people have fallen into the head scratching and kicking dirt when something really simple like the CRANK POSITION SENSOR connector was loose and bike just shut down.
Documented after #8 in list provided.
Unusual that clutch went with 45,000 miles but maybe it just stuck together from not being ridden.
I replaced the fuel pump and fuel filter in my 98 RKC when the engine blew up just because it was in a million pieces and I thought I'd hit the tank stuff too. When I was in there, I noticed there was a ton of rubbery brown rubbery crap in the fuel crossover tube. I spent quite a while digging and yanking that junk out. I have no idea what it was or what it was doing in there. You might take a look in your tank for the same stuff and don't forget to replace the filter.
As far as the rest of the FI system, you can inspect the electrical connections that are noted above and take a look under the nose cone for brown goo seeping out. Other than that, nothing else needs to be done so back away from that carb and enjoy the wonders of fuel injection.
Thanks for the heads up Carl. This one will stay FI, the softy is carbed. If for no other reason than I think it is interesting, the 1st gen fi for harley that is.
is the quantum a good part im having some sputtering issues with my 98 road king classic.. new to me lol. im going to look in the tank and i figure if im going to have it open might as replace the filter and pump and all while im in. i did the same thing as you, kind of, i got the bike made a 5 hour trip in one direction. had idling issues on the way home coded for eng temp sensor so when i went to replace that i did new bars and front wheel. but im still having issues giving it throttle and having it sputter. as i had the tank off and upside down a bunch i thinking i got something stirred up.
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