speedometer ?
Cruiser
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 249
Likes: 0
From: Northern Illinois
RE: speedometer ?
Just be careful. My father in law had the exact same problem and replaced the regulator with TEMPORARY positive results. Later he found the headlight bulb was actually melting and had been causing excessive voltage drain which in turn damaged the regulator. Just to be safe, check all the bulbs and the connections to them. He has a 2001 Softail Standard and was having problems with the speedo and tach crapping out on an intermittent basis. He is lucky the bulb did not start a fire, the glass was actually melted like butter BUT was still working and NOT shorting any fuses.
6th Gear
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
From: Minnesota
RE: speedometer ?
OK so this is the first time I'm posting to this site. I want to thank you for taking the time to add your experience as I too was dealing with the speedometer issue and D08 code. I traced wiring, tested circuitry, checked out the cost of a new speedometer, replaced the speed sensor (to no avail) and finally found your post about the voltage regulator. I replaced mine on my 2000 FLSTF Fatboy today. Everything works like a charm but the best part is this also fixed a nagging problem I've had with the carburetor. Periodically, my Fatboy would sputter, kind of a single choke or cough. I took it to the dealer twice and both times they re-jetted the carburetor which seemed to help a bit but I always got "that happens with carbs sometimes" type of comments. What I now believe is that periodically an electrical overcharge would cause the electronic ignition to skip a beat. Nothing too serious unless of course you were starting out into a slow speed turn. Talk about a heart stopper. I'm in Minnesota trying to get as many riding days as possible until winter sets in. Thanks again for the excellent post. It saved the rest of my riding season.
Road Master
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 1,125
Likes: 22
From: Phoenix, AZ
What lottery numbers should I pick?
Just got a 2003 Hugger with less than 8k miles on it.
d08 shows up on the speedometer.
When cold, just starting up, the odometer flashes. When starting to ride the speedo needle does not sit still. Once warm the system functions as normal. Occasionally while holding a constant throttle the odometer goes blank & the speedo needle can't figure out where it wants to be.
Time to read the electric diagnostic manual (RTFM).
1. Check the speedo. Checks okay. Replace the speedo with a spare. Fault is still there.
2. Check the wiring, even do the verry stupid wiggle test. Fault is still there. Just don't bother doing the wiggle test, it is stupid to think it can find what a multimeter can't.
3. Check the speed sensor. Checks okay. Replace the speed sensor with a spare. Fault is still there. This takes forever & is a pain to take off the stock exhaust to do it.
The speed sensor had lots of gunk on it.
4. Change the transmission fluid. Fluid looks and smells fine, hardly 2k miles on it. Fault is still there. If the fluid smells bad it is a sign the stator has shorted and burned the oil.
5. Check the charging system, rotor & stator. Checks okay. Fault is still there. Remember the oil was good.
6. Check the VOLTAGE REGULATOR. Checks OKAY! Replace the voltage regulator with a spare. FAULT HAS NOT HAPPENED FOR 100 MILES!
Even though the voltage regulator checks okay now, when it is installed it fails intermittently.
After reading the posts here I also checked my headlight. It was fine.
The engine idle has improved, most notibly when at parade speedin in commuting traffic.
d08 shows up on the speedometer.
When cold, just starting up, the odometer flashes. When starting to ride the speedo needle does not sit still. Once warm the system functions as normal. Occasionally while holding a constant throttle the odometer goes blank & the speedo needle can't figure out where it wants to be.
Time to read the electric diagnostic manual (RTFM).
1. Check the speedo. Checks okay. Replace the speedo with a spare. Fault is still there.
2. Check the wiring, even do the verry stupid wiggle test. Fault is still there. Just don't bother doing the wiggle test, it is stupid to think it can find what a multimeter can't.
3. Check the speed sensor. Checks okay. Replace the speed sensor with a spare. Fault is still there. This takes forever & is a pain to take off the stock exhaust to do it.
The speed sensor had lots of gunk on it.
4. Change the transmission fluid. Fluid looks and smells fine, hardly 2k miles on it. Fault is still there. If the fluid smells bad it is a sign the stator has shorted and burned the oil.
5. Check the charging system, rotor & stator. Checks okay. Fault is still there. Remember the oil was good.
6. Check the VOLTAGE REGULATOR. Checks OKAY! Replace the voltage regulator with a spare. FAULT HAS NOT HAPPENED FOR 100 MILES!
Even though the voltage regulator checks okay now, when it is installed it fails intermittently.
After reading the posts here I also checked my headlight. It was fine.
The engine idle has improved, most notibly when at parade speedin in commuting traffic.
Last edited by Stefan; May 24, 2012 at 11:38 AM. Reason: idle improvement
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