Noisy hot start
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6th Gear
Joined: May 2018
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From: Scotland
Noisy hot start
When I’m out on a run and the engines hot, and I stop to refuel, when I go to start the engine again I sometimes get a clanking, crunching noise from the primary area. It doesn’t always happen, just sometimes. It’s ok from cold. 1994 FXSTC, 35,000 miles. What should I check, is this a symptom of something nasty coming my way? Tia.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: May 2017
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From: NorCal
Whatever the issue you may think it is, you will need to pull the primary cover. So start gathering what you need. Fluid and a new gasket set. You probably have the oval inspection window in the center and that will need to be removed since the 12 o'clock and the 3 o'clock bolts hold the main cover too. Use a cardboard template and put the screws in the template in their respective places as you remove them so they go back in the holes they came out of.
It may be the chain, the tensioner, the starter or the gears, or ? Whatever it is you will need to look. If you don't have a manual, get one. Also wouldn't hurt to look at some videos.
It may be the chain, the tensioner, the starter or the gears, or ? Whatever it is you will need to look. If you don't have a manual, get one. Also wouldn't hurt to look at some videos.
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Joined: Mar 2010
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From: Honah Lee
Your battery is low on cranking amps. A lot get that way since we keep the battery too long and a maintenance charger helps do that.
It doesn't prolong battery life, just enables you to start it at home. Once out, short stops and multiple starts lowers it's cranking amps. Then a brief hot shutdown evaporates that last charge of vapor and you hit it with the weak battery and engine kicks one way or another and bangs the compensator.
Tin men love it by blaming compensators and starter sprag clutches when there nothing wrong with them.
Replace the battery, or check the connections. Be sure when cranking battery is not dropping below 9.7 volts
It doesn't prolong battery life, just enables you to start it at home. Once out, short stops and multiple starts lowers it's cranking amps. Then a brief hot shutdown evaporates that last charge of vapor and you hit it with the weak battery and engine kicks one way or another and bangs the compensator.
Tin men love it by blaming compensators and starter sprag clutches when there nothing wrong with them.
Replace the battery, or check the connections. Be sure when cranking battery is not dropping below 9.7 volts
Last edited by Jackie Paper; Sep 7, 2024 at 12:55 PM.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: May 2017
Posts: 5,915
Likes: 5,929
From: NorCal
Your battery is low on cranking amps. A lot get that way since we keep the battery too long and a maintenance charger helps do that.
It doesn't prolong battery life, just enables you to start it at home. Once out, short stops and multiple starts lowers it's cranking amps. Then a brief hot shutdown evaporates that last charge of vapor and you hit it with the weak battery and engine kicks one way or another and bangs the compensator.
Tin men love it by blaming compensators and starter sprag clutches when there nothing wrong with them.
Replace the battery, or check the connections. Be sure when cranking battery is not dropping below 9.7 volts
It doesn't prolong battery life, just enables you to start it at home. Once out, short stops and multiple starts lowers it's cranking amps. Then a brief hot shutdown evaporates that last charge of vapor and you hit it with the weak battery and engine kicks one way or another and bangs the compensator.
Tin men love it by blaming compensators and starter sprag clutches when there nothing wrong with them.
Replace the battery, or check the connections. Be sure when cranking battery is not dropping below 9.7 volts
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 38,537
Likes: 6,411
From: Honah Lee
Had my 04 since 06. That's 18 years of batteries. I replaced the original around 2009. It was doing just that. It popped the temperature oil dipstick out twice and blew smoke out of the open SE filter. It banged the compensator terribly. Someone said just what I just said in post 3 and I had the battery checked.
When I learned most heavy CCA checkers at Autoparts stores don't do a good job on these small gel matt batteries. Why I said check that cranking voltage. A sprag clutch rarely wears out. Compensator fingers get rough and drive you crazy at idle on how they sound with Harley's idle but that doesn't cause a bang.
What I said was from experience that you check and correct first. Then fall for the tin man BS or pull and look. And looking involves pulling compensator. If he does what I said, there is a good chance it's going to fix it. If there is an internal mechanical issue, it does it all the time. If the compensator was actually weak, it would bang shifting.
A starter sprag clutch drives with rollers up a ramp. It can't slip. If you hold starter motor in too long, with the gas motor running, the gas motor outruns the starter and the the sprag clutch works like a 10 speed bycycle hub and the clutch free wheels with the drive pins on the bottom of the ramp.
The crunch is a weak battery dropping so low, the solenoid magnet drops out retracting the starter gear and that crunch is the end of the gear hitting the ring gear on the clutch hub.
All from a weak battery probably
Last edited by Jackie Paper; Sep 7, 2024 at 02:11 PM.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: May 2017
Posts: 5,915
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From: NorCal
"It popped the temperature oil dip stick out twice and blew smoke out of the open SE filter. Banged the compensator terrable"
You're saying that's from the battery being weak?
You're saying that's from the battery being weak?
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Seasoned HDF Member
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From: Honah Lee
I am tired of trying to justify what to check first. I have learned my lesson on jumping ahead in the order of what to check.
It's a carburetor, so least we know it's not a leaky fuel injector.
Another hint, if your using another area to do your text, after you paste it, select it, hit the A icon for color to change the white to black. What I did to your text I quoted here.
Last edited by Jackie Paper; Sep 7, 2024 at 03:30 PM.
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: May 2017
Posts: 5,915
Likes: 5,929
From: NorCal
It hit that vaporizer mixture and the weak battery let the motor kick backwards. When it did that it doesn't start.
I am tired of trying to justify what to check first. However if a battery didn't fix it, I would check the starter solenoid contacts next. I have learned my lesson on jumping ahead in the order of what to check.
It's a carburetor, so least we know it's not a leaky fuel injector.
Another hint, if your using another area to do your text, after you past it, select it, hit the A icon for color to change the white to black. What I did to your text I quoted here.
I am tired of trying to justify what to check first. However if a battery didn't fix it, I would check the starter solenoid contacts next. I have learned my lesson on jumping ahead in the order of what to check.
It's a carburetor, so least we know it's not a leaky fuel injector.
Another hint, if your using another area to do your text, after you past it, select it, hit the A icon for color to change the white to black. What I did to your text I quoted here.
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