2004 Heritage with 20k miles has recently started to dieon me. Usually only happens once per trip to town. after a halfhour it will misfire, die, resume if I'm at speed. Have also had it die completely. Coast to the side of the road and it starts right up. No more problems typically until the next ride. Last week the shop did a 20k service and replaced a check valve in the tank they say had a hole in it. No improvement. 10 miles later after trailer home, died again. Any tips? Thanks much. Bob

 

Check and clean your battery connections including the ground. You might want to have the coil and voltage regulator checked. Kinda doesn't sound like a fuel problem to me but if it is a carburated bike, I would go through the carb. You could have a build up of varnish or possibly some trash in the bowl. If it's fuel injected, never mind.

 

I wonder if the shop checked/replaced your fuel filter. At 20k milesthey should have replaced it (I guess).

Does the engine feel like it is starving (for fuel), or does it feel like it is simply cutting-out (bad electrical). 20k miles is past the time for a real careful check on all electrical connections and ground points.

Stay in touch.

 

There's also a plastic hose inside the fuel tank that will get small pinholes in it after awhile. Same thing happened to me when I was down about 2 gallons...it sucks in just enough air that the bike coughs or dies momentarily then gets more fuel and keeps going. I think I had around 25-30,000 miles on it when it happened, once it was replaced no more problems.

 

Im thinkin fuel filter here too.

Sounds fuel related.

MikeM

 

Thanks for the great suggestions. It's injected, should have said that. Started happening a about 10 minutes after fueling this summer and has plagued me ever since. I'm suspecting fuel filter too. Shop did NOT replace it at 20k AND they were inside the tank to replace the check valve (unrelated in my opinion). We'll have words this week;it's going back to the shop Thursday. Also the pinhole fuel line suggestion is so typical of the symptoms. Thanks for that. I did take it out to beat on it yesterday. On two different adventrues, started missing about 2 miles out Then picks up ok, but usually dies about 30 seconds later. I can start it right up and no more problems (for a while but I head for homeI'll let you all know by the weekend what happens.

 

Went to the shop last week. Between the tech and me it drove 40 miles without a problem. Hate that. The check valve they replaced did include the plastic line that did have a hole in it. Good suggestion. Poor judgement, didn't replace fuel filter. Normally a 50K item but when it comes in with a a fule problem, duh. I left it for a few days for them to drive. Time to call and seee what's happening.

 

Glad to hear your update, ashame that it is something not easy for them to find. Surprised to hear that HD lets the fuel filter go 50k miles. Fingers are crossed that it will be fixed soon for you!

My shop manuals are FINALLY coming this week, I ordered all three for my '08. I'll follow your story along and see if I can trace the troubleshooting flowcharts with any similar symptoms. I am trying to learn as much as possible from folks reporting their problems/solutions.

 

FINALLY HOME. For anyone following this thread, sorry for the long silence but I just got the bike back today (11/20). They didn't have a fuel filter and had to order it. Then I had to work. They replaced the filter which included another plastic hose. Shop drove it for an hour and it was fine. I paid for it, drove it around Salem for a while. Trailered it home and drove it some more. No problem. I think the problem was a combination of holes in the plastic line like one of you suggeted and a fuel filter.The problem started within a half hour of refueling this summer. So I'll drive it and carry my cell phone for the next thousand miles. Then I'm planning a 5000 mile trip to Ariaona next summer. Idid a 6500 mile trip to Michigan last summer (2006) and never considered the possibility of failure. Many thanks for the suggestions. They all help. If you want to be in touch directly, it's bobnan@teleport.com. Thanks again and sunny rides forall ofyou.

 

Bobo, you're new it looks like so you may have missed my article about fuel filters, hoses, etc. After being inside my 05 heritage, I would tend to doubt the theory about the holes in the hose unless anyone has personally witnessed them. I replaced mine with the one in the kit and let me tell you they are like iron as far as getting them on or off the pump/filter. They are more of an armored nylon plastic but they appear that they could endure hundreds of thousands of miles before wearing through. My bike at 37,000 miles was showing serious signs of plugged filter. Can only imagine how many bikes will go through this process as they get more miles on them and the dealers are telling people that you don't need to change the filters. Mine said they had not sold any filters in the last 5 years so you likely don't have to change them even tho the book says 20 or 25,000 miles. Anyway, we all live and learn. Isn't it great to be learning on a Harley???? Have a great day! M.S.