starting issue.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 3,156
Likes: 41
From: So Cal
If it wont turn over or is hesitant it will probably be battery or starter. battery just load test it, simple way is watch the voltage when you hit the starter button. batteries can easily have plenty of volts sitting but put a load on it and it drops to <12. If the battery check out look to the starter next. The bike was running with the previous owner so it should not have anything to do with your build. SE203 cams are a mild street legal , epa compliant cam they wont boost compression to make the need for a more powerful starter than stock.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 14,228
Likes: 11,351
From: San Diego, CA
I have been having issues with the bike starting, especially cold starts. The previous owner told me you have to adjust the idle along with the enrichers. So that brings up a couple questions I am not adjusting the idle enough which is causing it to not want to turn over, with what I am assuming is the SE203 cam and the 95 big bore is it possible to compression to high for the stock starter? Or is it the 20yr old starter is finally giving out and needs replaced? Any input would be much appreciated.
1) You should NOT need to mess with the enricher and idle setting to start it cold...... You have a dirty, worn, and/or a very poorly adjusted carb.... Time to clean, rebuild, and tune the carb... with low rpm issues, pay special attention to the needle jet/holder & pilot jet, and of course the starter valve & spring of the enricher. Also, don't forget to check the carb to manifold seals....
I have an '01 Springer I bought a little over a year ago, with only 9.8K miles. It sat a lot. It was a hard starter and just wouldn't run right. I totally stipped the CV40 carb to it's bare body... I cleaned it really well, to include a sonic cleaning of the body, jets, covers... just about all the hard parts. I put it back together with new gaskets, diaphragms, o-rings, new float valve & set the float. I also did a complete tune (mixture screw, idle, etc). Now, totally cold and just pulling the enricher out, it will start by the 3 rotation... Cool engine with a little enricher, or running temp without any enricher, it starts on the first rotation... if it were a kick start bike, it would start first kick!
2) I suspect you have a battery, connection, cable, and/o ground problem. The OEM starter can spin over that Big Bore Kit just fine
I also have an '03 Heritage with an SE big bore kit: 95", SE203 cams, & 10.5 pistons.... it cranks over just fine with the 16 yr old OEM starter... Just a week ago, it was starting to crank slowly at first. I thought it may be battery time, then I found the battery ground wire to frame was loose. All good again...
Good luck with the repair....
Last edited by hattitude; Sep 15, 2019 at 08:05 PM.
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Road Master
Joined: Feb 2019
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From: The Shit Show
For your information, while you are trouble shooting the problem...
1) You should NOT need to mess with the enricher and idle setting to start it cold...... You have a dirty, worn, and/or a very poorly adjusted carb.... Time to clean, rebuild, and tune the carb... with low rpm issues, pay special attention to the needle jet/holder & pilot jet, and of course the starter valve & spring of the enricher. Also, don't forget to check the carb to manifold seals....
Good luck with the repair....
1) You should NOT need to mess with the enricher and idle setting to start it cold...... You have a dirty, worn, and/or a very poorly adjusted carb.... Time to clean, rebuild, and tune the carb... with low rpm issues, pay special attention to the needle jet/holder & pilot jet, and of course the starter valve & spring of the enricher. Also, don't forget to check the carb to manifold seals....
Good luck with the repair....
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 14,228
Likes: 11,351
From: San Diego, CA
Im not sure why I hadn’t considered a dirty carb earlier. Especially since the bike does have a tendency to stutter while riding but clears if I give it more throttle. The thought did cross my mind earlier today. I’ll see if one of the local dealer can pull it off and clean it since I have no experience pulling one apart. As for the enricher and idle I had asked on here and a few people had suggested it’s normal for Mikuni carbs to need idle adjustments on cold starts? I figured once I get the carb cleaned if the problem persists I’ll look into the starter as the battery tested good earlier today.
My bad, I missed the part about the Mikuni, I was talking about a Keihin CV40... I never had a Mikuni on a Harley, but I know they make a good carb. I still find it hard to believe that a clean, well tuned carb would need constant idle adjustments to start....
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Road Master
Joined: Feb 2019
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From: The Shit Show
It's entirely possible you are correct. Once I get it cleaned and have a shop take a look at it I'll see if the problem persists.
Banned
Joined: Jul 2009
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From: Straight Jacket Memories and Sedative Highs
Stock Harley battery in 2000, 12.7.
Road Warrior
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 1,570
Likes: 45
engine it jumps to 14.2 or so volts. This is on my 2000 carbed
fatty.
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Road Master
Joined: Feb 2019
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From: The Shit Show
Even though you are testing a 12-volt battery, you should know that a battery that is truly 12.0 volts is a boat anchor. The following table shows how battery voltage corresponds with state of charge at 80 degrees F:
VoltageState of Charge/What to do
12.73 or better 100 percent. Go ride.
12.62 90 percent. Charge it, then go ride.
12.50 80 percent. Charge it, then go ride.
12.32 70 percent. Charge it, then go ride.
12.20 60 percent. Charge it, then go ride.
12.06 50 percent. Charge it, then go ride.
11.90 40 percent. Try charging it, but it might be toast.
11.75 30 percent. Try charging it, but it might be toast.
11.58 20 percent. Battery has converted to doorstop.
11.31 10 percent. Battery has morphed into boat anchor.
10.50 No meaningful charge. Check to see if battery has been replaced with rock.
https://www.revzilla.com/common-trea...rcycle-battery
VoltageState of Charge/What to do
12.73 or better 100 percent. Go ride.
12.62 90 percent. Charge it, then go ride.
12.50 80 percent. Charge it, then go ride.
12.32 70 percent. Charge it, then go ride.
12.20 60 percent. Charge it, then go ride.
12.06 50 percent. Charge it, then go ride.
11.90 40 percent. Try charging it, but it might be toast.
11.75 30 percent. Try charging it, but it might be toast.
11.58 20 percent. Battery has converted to doorstop.
11.31 10 percent. Battery has morphed into boat anchor.
10.50 No meaningful charge. Check to see if battery has been replaced with rock.
https://www.revzilla.com/common-trea...rcycle-battery
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From: Straight Jacket Memories and Sedative Highs
Manual will say 12.7 100% 12.6 some other percent, 12.5, ECT.
Not sure I agree anything under 12.7 needs a charge. But it is telling you something. I am doing experiment. Was 12.4, t years old. Put it on charger, hour later back to 12.4. 2 weeks later 12.3. Going to be around 4 or 5 weeks by the time bike is done.
Normally I will charge a battery so I don't stress, but I might not. I Was having that hot starts. So you might say bad battery. But it's been doing it 2-3 years. And only 5 years old. So put new starter clutch in. Curious to see what happens. I believe it will start. See if bad hot starts go away.
You may get 13v on battery as soon as You turn off. I am using a good fluke too.
Not sure I agree anything under 12.7 needs a charge. But it is telling you something. I am doing experiment. Was 12.4, t years old. Put it on charger, hour later back to 12.4. 2 weeks later 12.3. Going to be around 4 or 5 weeks by the time bike is done.
Normally I will charge a battery so I don't stress, but I might not. I Was having that hot starts. So you might say bad battery. But it's been doing it 2-3 years. And only 5 years old. So put new starter clutch in. Curious to see what happens. I believe it will start. See if bad hot starts go away.
You may get 13v on battery as soon as You turn off. I am using a good fluke too.
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