This is a bit of an extension to a post I made the other day on my bike's problem. I put it in the Engine section but thinking there might be more info from people here.
Bike is EFI 2002 TC 88, all stock, 24-25k miles. Bad misfiring issues.

https://www.hdforums.com/forum/twin-...-coil-bad.html

So, more troubleshooting, and I have a question. Code check shows dO1CLr through d10Clr. According to my troubleshooting manual, those are Speedometer Trouble Codes, and the "Clr" means they are Cleared. But and the very last code I have a "PPU" - I cannot find what that code means. Anyone ?

I have ohmed the coil and it looks good and readings in spec. Checked the plug leads and found the rear one to be out of spec. Made two new leads. The bike fires instantly now, but still has a misfire and chuff in the intake. Pulled the Crank Position Sensor; it's clean.
So I have no misfire codes to lead me to a problem area, and I'm not sure where to turn next. I hate to just start replacing things, as I always like to find the smoking gun and what to fix or replace.
Whatever the problem is, it came on slowly over time and got way worse and turned into, lucky to get home - So something failed, I just can't find what it is...

I lean to electrical by the feel, but now not sure if it might be fuel related. Plugs look perfect, and it did seem to help with the new plug leads. Still a bad coil ? Crank Sensor?
Seems like a misfire code should have been logged.

I'm stumped.

 

Have you checked the stator and regulator?
The link below might help with the PPU question.


https://www.cvoharley.com/smf/index.php?topic=96701.0

 

Cool - Thank you !
That solved the question I had from the comment in the post you referenced to. One less thing to worry about.
The R&R and stator seem to be working fine. Battery is charging and staying charged. So - Next on the list ? .... damn I hate it when my bike is broken. Love helping others when theirs are broken but not liking being on the other end of the stick.
I am going to get a new battery tomorrow because I have not liked this one since getting it.

This here is what straightened the PPU out for me.

"PPUs are not an error code. That's the speedometer signals Pulse Per Units used calibrating speed displayed on the speedo, cancelling turn signals and bit else. The number will vary by speedometer part number.

I've only ever seen that display after error codes displayed. The instrument's diagnostic sequence would first throw any codes then finish with the PPU number. That PPU number itself isn't an error code it's just part of the instruments diagnostic output so far as I have ever known."

 

Reference the codes on your 2002 Softail...

Per the 2002 HD Softail Electrical Diagnosis Manual;

You are correct that you have no speedometer codes. BFREE is correct about the pulses for unit number at the end.




There is another diagnostic procedure for Engine trouble codes, which will be displayed by the "Check Engine Light".










There are also codes for the TSM/TSSM...
















I hope some of this info helps.

 

Mr. H, Nice to see you chime in.
I have the same manual. I have no codes. Diagnostically, the bike thinks it's fine. Running = It's not. The new plug wires I made seemed to help, but there is still a definite misfire going on.
I am wondering if it could be as simple as a bad spark plug. Doubtful, but I will get a set tomorrow while I'm out getting a new battery. I'm really stumped on this.
Those two things don't fix it up, I guess I will have to throw a couple of parts at it. Coil and CPK sensor are my thoughts.
I hate EFI bikes, especially old ones...

 

Ooops, when you didn't know the pulse per unit number, I figured you didn't have the manual... My bad.



Do you have inline spark testers? If you have two cponnect them both. If you have one, test the plugs one at a time. Go for a ride and when it acts up, look down to see if the tester is firing. Probably best done at dusk, or night. This test could confirm or disprove the electrical issue theory...


Coming on slowly over time, and with no codes, it COULD be fuel related...

How many miles/years since fuel filter change?

Still the OEM fuel regulator?

Also, 2001-2006 EFI Twin Cams had issues with the OEM plastic fuel regulator housing developing a crack, and leaking. It was a big enough problem, that Trask designed, developed, and produced a billet fuel regulator housing to replace the plastic ones that crack. For that investment, Trask must have had info, or a strong belief, that a lot of housings were cracking...

Do you have a fuel pressure gauge? That could help to test the tank internal components of the fuel delivery system.

Also, don't forget to look inside the tank to make sure you don't have a peeling tank liner causing fuel delivery issues.... I had that issue on my 2001.

Anyway, I'd be checking those things before throwing parts at the issue...

Good luck with your diagnosis and keep us posted...

 

No I do not have the spark plug checker you described.
I did the entire fuel system back a couple of years ago but as I said - I cheaped out and since the Press. Reg. looked fine, and I was not having any issues - I did not replace that one part.
I stripped the liner at that time also. Its all clean and parts low mileage.
It just feels like electrical, but I know sometimes that can be very hard to differentiate between the two. I ruled out fuel also because when I run it hard or hit the throttle heavy, it takes off clean and fast. So it seems to me, if there is a fuel pressure issue, it would be the opposite and starve when heavy throttle was applied. But damn, I am at a loss at this point.

It fires instantly now with the new plug wires I made yesterday. The plugs [ HD ] look perfect and only have around 1000 miles on them. Not black, or any sign of fuel not getting burned. It has had this little odd misfire once in a great while for a long time. But when it turned to all the time on me Friday - Something failed.
My initial thought was Coil, but it checks fine with the Ohms checks, but the one plug wire did not so I made the new set. . So I thought I was on to something - Nope, better, but not fixed = Coil still???
CPK looks fine, not the slightest debris. Still bad ?? Crap, I don't know.

I guess what it boils down to is that I am looking for some symptoms of what it is that is bad, and I am not finding anything. No codes, no broken parts, no smoking gun.
I will try the new battery, the new plugs and see what that does.
Next ?? Maybe pull all the fuel system out and start over - I don't know...

 

That's a puzzle to be sure....

But regardless of the tech involved, it all boils down to spark, fuel, compression. Try to find a tool or a process you can use, to isolate and test each of those one at a time....

Keep us posted....

 

Just for some more data.
The way it is now, I can fire it up, and it fires instantly. Then, sitting at idle, it will Chuff in the intake. I can't tell if it's in hte exhaust also or not sitting at ilde. Rev it, and it revs nice and hard, then sitting at idle again, poof, clear up, then poof again.
When riding it Friday, like I said, I kept the revs up, and it was better and easier to try and get home. Rev it out, and it felt good and pretty normal and no loss of power. Doesn't that sound like an electrical item breaking down and not fuel-related? I'm asking because that is what I have in my head. Sure seems like if it was fuel-related, I would have had a loss of power, especially when getting on it and under load. If there was a press reg. issue wouldn't it be loss of power, especially under higher demand? I'm just stumped.
I feel some electrical part has been failing for quite a while, and it finally gave it up. The plug wires sure seemed to help at least sitting there in my shop = Maybe because there was too much resistance in the rear plug wire and a weak coil was causing a deteriorated spark to the rear plug ? Damn, I don;t know....

Oh, to answer - No I do not have fittings to tap the fuel system unfortunately.
Also - I was thinking maybe the MAP or air intake sensors? I know the IAC is working and clean. Bad ? hell, I don't know...

I do not know what the symptoms are for a fuel press regulator problem, a Crank Position Sensor, or even a coil failing - I have never in any of my bikes had any of those items fail. I know from Triumph Coils and CPS fail regularly, but I have been lucky. CPS's from what I have read usually when hot the bikes dies, not jsut run bad, Cools and then ok until they get hot again. I was 1 hr into my ride in Custer Park when the bike started acting up, then it just got worse and worse. But even yesterday cold it was chuffing in the shop. So it is not something that cooled and is ok until hot again.... That symptom goes for coils too I believe, except not the complete engine dying, more of just a running very bad type of scenario. That is why I was leaning toward the Coil as the issue. Slowly deteriorate and finally gone?
I know I'm rambling....Sorry. I am a fixer and really out of my zone when stumped like this.

 

I was having what seemed like a quick misfire for a couple years. Always happened at about 28mph when it happened. No Tach.Never any codes. Then it started happening at times at 38mph also. No codes. No clues everything tested fine. Last year it started at times around 48mph. Just occasional quick misfires. Last year I could get about a mile from home and the bike would start coughing and die. It would start back up and I would take it home and check everything. Never any codes and all checked out fine but battery always tested on the low side of being ok when I got the bike home. I have a lithium battery and nobody could properly load test it. The bike would fire up no problem. I kept trying to ride but always the same results about a mile from home. Finally one day it died and would not start. I pushed it home and in the garage. I left it sit over night and it started right up. I was at my wits end and had the dealer pick it up. They called and suggested replacing voltage regulator, stator and rotor. I told the tech that they tested fine. Bike is a 2005 Heritage with 82,000 miles. The guy told me that they had an older tech that suggested that he thought through experience, the problem would be resolved. Told him go ahead and the problem is gone. Bike is running great. Good Luck chasing this problem. Keep us informed.