Fuel injected Sportster owners beware!!!
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Stage IV
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
From: Denver
Fuel injected Sportster owners beware!!!
I have been on HD forums for a while now. I purchased my first HD in June of 2007. A brand new Nightster that with 7 miles on the clock. Rode it for a year then added pipes, intake and download. Here is the recent problem......I have had the bike in to Mile High Harley 6 times with an oil consumption problem....to the tune of 2 quarts synthetic SE oil every 600 miles. This started just after the 3000 mile service and around the same time I did the upgrades. Today HD Warranty Dept stated they would not cover the fried piston rings, cylinders and pistons, because I am running Vance and Hines pipes, SE intake with the appropriate HD stage one download. They say that the download is not sufficient enough for that free flow of an intake and pipes. I have called all 8 Harley dealerships in Denver Metro and no one has ever heard of that.
So beware all you Sportster owners....spend the extra money to get the SE race tuner, it will save you 2000-2500 in the long run.
Update, while writing this I just got a call from Mile High Harley stating Harleys Customer Service Dept just called them and said fix the bike, but did require me to purchase the SE Race Tuner, which I think is fair and very stand up of Harley Davidson. Guess I learned a very valuable lesson in the long run!
So beware all you Sportster owners....spend the extra money to get the SE race tuner, it will save you 2000-2500 in the long run.
Update, while writing this I just got a call from Mile High Harley stating Harleys Customer Service Dept just called them and said fix the bike, but did require me to purchase the SE Race Tuner, which I think is fair and very stand up of Harley Davidson. Guess I learned a very valuable lesson in the long run!
Road Captain
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 566
Likes: 7
From: Seattle, WA
That would make sense to me as the download seems to be designed for use with the HD or SE I/II slip-ons rather than a true set of replacement pipes like the V&H parts.
Definitely a stand-up job by HD to fix the bike, and requiring the SERT sounds fair as that should prevent the issue from recurring.
Definitely a stand-up job by HD to fix the bike, and requiring the SERT sounds fair as that should prevent the issue from recurring.
Tourer
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 464
Likes: 5
From: NC
jhen - glad they're gong to fix the bike but I have a couple of questions. Did the dealer install the pipes, air cleaner, and do the remap? If so, why wouldn't they tell you that a SERT is required in order to not void the warranty? Also, like most dealers, mine carries the V&H pipes in stock so why would they sell a part that damages the bike and voids the warranty? Also, I would think there are thousands of bikes out there running this set up (me included) so are all these bike in danger of big time failures?
Road Master
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,063
Likes: 1
From: Alabama Gulf Coast
The question I have is, who did the download? If Mile High did the download and you had the same set up as far as pipes, AC then. It would seem they were the ones who screwed everything up. That's why when the dealer kept telling me to let them do the reflash/download for my Rinehart slipons and SEAC set up. I declined because other dealers were telling me HD didn't even offer a reflash for my setup for 09, just their HD pipes and AC. I'd think the same thing went for your bike also. Bottom line, they were going to loose in a battle with you over this because dealer service screwed up. Oh, I installed the PC V myself.
Last edited by Deepsouth251; Feb 10, 2009 at 05:08 PM.
Road Master
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 923
Likes: 3
From: Southern Oregon
To the original poster. I have a little info that might be helpful to you.
I think it's the oil, the HD syn oil seems to have an issue with using oil. This problem is discussed in great detail on some of the v-rod forums. Almost everyone says to NOT use HD synthetic oil.
And I agree 100%. When I rode my v-rod to sturgis, about 1500 miles from where I live in Oregon, I chaged the oil from the regular HD oil to HD syn. I had to stop every 500 miles and add a quart of oil.
When I got to Sturgis and talked to the HD dealer, I was told to change back to regular old dino oil (Regular HD oil).
I did and never burned another drop.
I also started looking online and found hundred of posts that say the same thing. People that run synthetic seem to like Amsoil. Even the guy at the Amsoil booth at Sturgis knew about the HD synthetic oil burning problem.
I bet if you just changed back to regular HD oil, your burning problem would go away, just like mine did and hundreds of other people who have posted on forums.
Do a google search and you will find many topics about this on other forums.
I think it's the oil, the HD syn oil seems to have an issue with using oil. This problem is discussed in great detail on some of the v-rod forums. Almost everyone says to NOT use HD synthetic oil.
And I agree 100%. When I rode my v-rod to sturgis, about 1500 miles from where I live in Oregon, I chaged the oil from the regular HD oil to HD syn. I had to stop every 500 miles and add a quart of oil.
When I got to Sturgis and talked to the HD dealer, I was told to change back to regular old dino oil (Regular HD oil).
I did and never burned another drop.
I also started looking online and found hundred of posts that say the same thing. People that run synthetic seem to like Amsoil. Even the guy at the Amsoil booth at Sturgis knew about the HD synthetic oil burning problem.
I bet if you just changed back to regular HD oil, your burning problem would go away, just like mine did and hundreds of other people who have posted on forums.
Do a google search and you will find many topics about this on other forums.
Last edited by frankjake; Feb 10, 2009 at 06:38 PM.
I think I'd find another dealer ! I wouldn't even let them repair my bike ! There are a TON of people running that same pipe/air cleaner/dawn load set up with NO problems. For a dealer to tell you they wont warrant the repair work, after THEY installed the down load is crap ! Man, that just bugs the crap out of me. I just hate to hear stories like this from dealers. Good luck man.
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Road Master
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 1,195
Likes: 2
From: Denver, Colorado
I have been on HD forums for a while now. I purchased my first HD in June of 2007. A brand new Nightster that with 7 miles on the clock. Rode it for a year then added pipes, intake and download. Here is the recent problem......I have had the bike in to Mile High Harley 6 times with an oil consumption problem....to the tune of 2 quarts synthetic SE oil every 600 miles. This started just after the 3000 mile service and around the same time I did the upgrades. Today HD Warranty Dept stated they would not cover the fried piston rings, cylinders and pistons, because I am running Vance and Hines pipes, SE intake with the appropriate HD stage one download. They say that the download is not sufficient enough for that free flow of an intake and pipes. I have called all 8 Harley dealerships in Denver Metro and no one has ever heard of that.
So beware all you Sportster owners....spend the extra money to get the SE race tuner, it will save you 2000-2500 in the long run.
Update, while writing this I just got a call from Mile High Harley stating Harleys Customer Service Dept just called them and said fix the bike, but did require me to purchase the SE Race Tuner, which I think is fair and very stand up of Harley Davidson. Guess I learned a very valuable lesson in the long run!
So beware all you Sportster owners....spend the extra money to get the SE race tuner, it will save you 2000-2500 in the long run.
Update, while writing this I just got a call from Mile High Harley stating Harleys Customer Service Dept just called them and said fix the bike, but did require me to purchase the SE Race Tuner, which I think is fair and very stand up of Harley Davidson. Guess I learned a very valuable lesson in the long run!
At altitude, I wouldn't go with a pre-canned map ever. Get it tuned for real.
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Road Master
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 1,195
Likes: 2
From: Denver, Colorado
I think I'd find another dealer ! I wouldn't even let them repair my bike ! There are a TON of people running that same pipe/air cleaner/dawn load set up with NO problems. For a dealer to tell you they wont warrant the repair work, after THEY installed the down load is crap ! Man, that just bugs the crap out of me. I just hate to hear stories like this from dealers. Good luck man.
And up here, given my experience with my sporty and a canned download, I wouldn't use ANY kind of tune that didn't involve an actual dyno - we're at 5000+ feet and only have 91 octane gas.
Advanced
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 75
Likes: 0
From: Dallas area
interesting post. i just picked up my 07 1200C from the dealership. it began leaking oil from the rear rocker cover a week ago. the tech replaced the rocker box gasket, rocker cover gasket, rocker inner chrome, rocker cover top c...
he told me when i picked it up that he replaced everything above the head and looked really hard to see if he could have gotten that replaced under warranty, too.
i switched to the syn oil last summer before riding to the 105 (figured one oil). looks as though i may need to go back to regular?
he told me when i picked it up that he replaced everything above the head and looked really hard to see if he could have gotten that replaced under warranty, too.
i switched to the syn oil last summer before riding to the 105 (figured one oil). looks as though i may need to go back to regular?