"Start up" frustrations
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Road Warrior
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 1,355
Likes: 32
From: Houston, Texas
"Start up" frustrations
Can a SERT go "bad"?
A couple months ago I started having problems with the bike (2005 Ultra with 61k miles) on start-up. It would turn over but not catch or start. Replaced battery, stater, bunches of sensors, cables, and even reset the bike to factory stat's and re-loaded the SERT, then dyno'd the bike. Dealer is virtually at a total loss of what to do (is there really a point where HD tech's can't figure out problem?).
When trying to start the bike, if I give it some throttle, it starts up -- but sounds like a carb'd engine when it lopes to get going and then as it warms it comes up to idle RPMs. The fact that I have to give it throttle would seem to me that there is some gas / air mixture setting problem. (There's my mechanical genius showing through...)
So the most recent "solution" the dealer can GUESS about is to sell me the new HD software or another add-on fuel pack to replace the SERT. Really?
Any thoughts or suggestions on this would be great!
A couple months ago I started having problems with the bike (2005 Ultra with 61k miles) on start-up. It would turn over but not catch or start. Replaced battery, stater, bunches of sensors, cables, and even reset the bike to factory stat's and re-loaded the SERT, then dyno'd the bike. Dealer is virtually at a total loss of what to do (is there really a point where HD tech's can't figure out problem?).
When trying to start the bike, if I give it some throttle, it starts up -- but sounds like a carb'd engine when it lopes to get going and then as it warms it comes up to idle RPMs. The fact that I have to give it throttle would seem to me that there is some gas / air mixture setting problem. (There's my mechanical genius showing through...)
So the most recent "solution" the dealer can GUESS about is to sell me the new HD software or another add-on fuel pack to replace the SERT. Really?
Any thoughts or suggestions on this would be great!
Road Master
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 804
Likes: 237
From: TN
Had a sert on a vrod, can't remember all the details of the mapping. Do you get any black smoke when the bike starts? Is this a cold start or hot start? Cracking the throttle to let more air in seems to indicate a rich start condition. Take a look at the cranking fuel tables, you may need to lean them up. Another thought, have you noticed any power loss? A quick compression check would rule out a mechanical issue. I wouldn't let the dealer sell you new software, if you can load a new map to the bike, I would say the sert is working.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 2,543
Likes: 19
From: Ashland Ohio
A SERT tune cannot go 'bad'. That would be the whole ECU going bad, OK?
I would look elsewhere mechanical. My very first thought would be the IAC inside of the throttle body. I would clean that out. If all gummed up, the injectors would be firing very very rich, at cold start up, but not enough air is reaching the engine to give the mixture a good balance.
Then it could be other things... maybe the MAP sensor is going bad? Or the crank sensor?
What was the very last thing you did to the bike before this started happening?
I would look elsewhere mechanical. My very first thought would be the IAC inside of the throttle body. I would clean that out. If all gummed up, the injectors would be firing very very rich, at cold start up, but not enough air is reaching the engine to give the mixture a good balance.
Then it could be other things... maybe the MAP sensor is going bad? Or the crank sensor?
What was the very last thing you did to the bike before this started happening?
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Road Warrior
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 1,355
Likes: 32
From: Houston, Texas
Thanks guys. Yeah, the IAC was cleaned and all sorts of things done by dealership to try and diagnose the problem.
No black smoke. Yes, it smells somewhat rich on start up when I crank the throttle and it starts. But this doesn't happen all the time (cranking without starting). And it is usually on cold starts.
Appreciate the feedback. The hunt for a solution continues.
No black smoke. Yes, it smells somewhat rich on start up when I crank the throttle and it starts. But this doesn't happen all the time (cranking without starting). And it is usually on cold starts.
Appreciate the feedback. The hunt for a solution continues.
Cruiser
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 121
Likes: 0
From: michigan
Not to hi-jack the thread but I have a 07 street glide that is a real bear to get started when cold, It has been this way since I bought it, I think this was the main reason the dude was selling it... you have to crank the snot out of it before it will fire up, what I have found is that if you push start it, ( i live on top of a hill with a concrete driveway ) it fires rite up on the first revolution. It has a 103 engine with a race tuner, I have not hooked it up the the laptop and checked the download but I am going to this weekend. It has the same symptoms as yours, rich smell, feather the throttle and it will start, it's becoming a real PITA.
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