Just died!
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Tourer
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 404
Likes: 122
From: Iron River, MI
Just died!
A nice day here in da nort wuds. Road over to Northwoods HD to grab a couple filters. Not 10 minutes from the shop it just died. Running about 60, like it had run out of fuel. Checked to make sure I hadn’t bumped cutoff, nope, still on. Gauge shows, slightly more than 1/2 tank, confirmed visually. It would crank, but not start. Checked for codes, none, all modules. Called HD, they’re too short staffed to send help! 7 miles from their front door! They did offer to call a tow truck, thanks!
While waiting for the tow, just out of frustration I try it again, and it lights right up. Rode it back to the shop. Not much help, can’t fix what ain’t broke. Rode it 75 miles home, OK. But this bike is not giving me a warm and fuzzy feeling! It’s an ‘07 Ultra. Stranded me twice now in 12,000 miles I’ve owned it. (38,000 total miles) Oh, for the simplicity of a gravity fed carb!
So far I’ve checked battery connections, tight, corrosion free, grounds I could see, the same. Nothing has been apart in the last two years save for oil and filter changes. Stock except pipes. Can’t see coil plug, but if it’s in it’s locked, but? Next to check ECM connection, main fuse but doubt that’s a problem, when it died all electrical components were still operational. Fuel pump? There was too much highway noise where it died to tell if it was priming. Fuel cap is venting. Fuel filter was changed out less than 3,000 miles ago. Nothing but ethanol free premium fuel to date.
Bank angle sensor? If the electrical diagnostics is right, starter is disabled until sensor is reset. Engine did crank right after it died, just wouldn’t start. So I’m discounting that?
ideas welcome!
While waiting for the tow, just out of frustration I try it again, and it lights right up. Rode it back to the shop. Not much help, can’t fix what ain’t broke. Rode it 75 miles home, OK. But this bike is not giving me a warm and fuzzy feeling! It’s an ‘07 Ultra. Stranded me twice now in 12,000 miles I’ve owned it. (38,000 total miles) Oh, for the simplicity of a gravity fed carb!
So far I’ve checked battery connections, tight, corrosion free, grounds I could see, the same. Nothing has been apart in the last two years save for oil and filter changes. Stock except pipes. Can’t see coil plug, but if it’s in it’s locked, but? Next to check ECM connection, main fuse but doubt that’s a problem, when it died all electrical components were still operational. Fuel pump? There was too much highway noise where it died to tell if it was priming. Fuel cap is venting. Fuel filter was changed out less than 3,000 miles ago. Nothing but ethanol free premium fuel to date.
Bank angle sensor? If the electrical diagnostics is right, starter is disabled until sensor is reset. Engine did crank right after it died, just wouldn’t start. So I’m discounting that?
ideas welcome!
Last edited by Ezridr60; Jul 17, 2018 at 08:27 PM. Reason: Filter/fuel note/ mileage/bank ang sense
Club Member
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 5,875
Likes: 3,853
From: Cape Cod
Check for pin holes in pressure line INSIDE the tank..........it rubs against a support and a hole develops......lowering fuel pressure........gets too big bike wont run.
The time to change the fuel filter is 25k miles according to manual........hose should be changed out and re routed then too.......you got the miles out of it......bet thats the problem.
The time to change the fuel filter is 25k miles according to manual........hose should be changed out and re routed then too.......you got the miles out of it......bet thats the problem.
Last edited by MURPHCC1; Jul 17, 2018 at 06:29 PM.
Thread Starter
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Tourer
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 404
Likes: 122
From: Iron River, MI
sorry forgot to include total miles. And not to argue your point, but doesnt the fact it ran another 100 or so miles, no problem, debunk the hole in the fuel line theory? Or is there something Im missing? Not totally impossible!😬
Club Member
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 5,875
Likes: 3,853
From: Cape Cod
mine had the bad start issue.......would run fine as long as the tank was more than half full......dont know why.....but it did........use a flash light and with less than half a tank turn on ignition but dont start it......with the flashlight look inside tank.......and listen.......does it look like there is fuel being sprayed everywhere? thats the hole in the line.
Would run fine........just wouldn't start very well........and from what I've read on here......there are some pretty strange occurrences from that pinhole leak.
Would run fine........just wouldn't start very well........and from what I've read on here......there are some pretty strange occurrences from that pinhole leak.
Thread Starter
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Tourer
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 404
Likes: 122
From: Iron River, MI
Check for pin holes in pressure line INSIDE the tank..........it rubs against a support and a hole develops......lowering fuel pressure........gets too big bike wont run.
The time to change the fuel filter is 25k miles according to manual........hose should be changed out and re routed then too.......you got the miles out of it......bet thats the problem.
The time to change the fuel filter is 25k miles according to manual........hose should be changed out and re routed then too.......you got the miles out of it......bet thats the problem.
Club Member
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 5,875
Likes: 3,853
From: Cape Cod
No it wont prime back up when pressure drops......If they replaced the filter they replaced the hose as if I remember correctly, it comes with the filter.........your tank would have to be about half full for you to see any kind of spray if it was that.......but.....with the replaced filter......it just may be something else..........
Road Master
Joined: May 2015
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From: sf bay area ca
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Tourer
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 404
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From: Iron River, MI
At this point Im ready to try replacing it. The only thing is there were no codes thrown, and the electrical diagnostic manual shows 4 possible codes for a failed system relay. Today I pulled the batwing, seat, side covers, console, looking for any sign of chafing on exposed wiring, possible rodent damage over the winter, corrosion, loose connections, nada. Checked fuel tank to see if a possible pinhole in fuel delivery line might be the culprit, but its too full to see anything awry there. So for $15 its worth a shot. Im going to ride it locally, see what happens.
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Thread Starter
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Tourer
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 404
Likes: 122
From: Iron River, MI
Absent codes, after inspecting exposed wiring, fuse blocks, fuses for corrosion, battery connections, grounds, fuel tank venting, I changed out the system relay, and the crank position sensor. The system relay provides power to injectors, fuel pump, and coil, and without a signal from the CKP the ECM wont close the system relay. Im at a loss to explain the absence of any diagnostic codes. Though the electrical manual states a failed CKP wont throw a code unless the engine is cranked in excess of 5 seconds, absent CKP signal. I dont think I approached that limit when I tried to restart after it quit. I stopped short of that not wanting to run the battery down. Soooo, ride it locally, run the fuel down to check for a leaking fuel delivery line. I dont have a lot of confidence I fixed anything.
Grasping as straws here, Im thinking thru what I may have done that day differently. The only thing comes to mind, when I stopped for lunch I turned ignition to fork lock. I never do that, not even over winter storage. Last time it was in fork lock had to be more than two years ago, I had removed the switch.
Intermittents are a bitch and a half.
Grasping as straws here, Im thinking thru what I may have done that day differently. The only thing comes to mind, when I stopped for lunch I turned ignition to fork lock. I never do that, not even over winter storage. Last time it was in fork lock had to be more than two years ago, I had removed the switch.
Intermittents are a bitch and a half.
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Joined: Dec 2005
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From: poway
I had HD change the filter less than 3,000 miles ago. Hope they would have rerouted the lines. Just went out and listened, pump primes and shuts off. If there were holes in the line, pressure side of the pump, wouldnt the pump come back on as the pressure fell? This pump stays off for the minute or so I listened. Im not sure if this is a valid check or not to determine presence of pinholes in fuel delivery line.. Tank is too full to determine visually at this point.
