Ive been having something weird go on for a while now. Every once and a while when I go to start my heritage it will seem to turn over half a revolution, clank then "stick". Then nothing. The starter wont continue to turn the engine. I release the starter button, The fuel pump will cycle again, and it will fire up but idle either really high like 1400 rpm or really low and rough. Then on the flip side of this, sometimes I will go to start it and it immediately will "BANG" and fire up. The bang is much much louder that when it starts normally.

So the clank and stick thing I was scared I had a valve problem. It has 23,000 miles. How often should a twin cam have the push rods checked?

The explosion (of awesomeness) upon start I assume is just unburnt fuel in the chamber perhaps a timing issue or something.

The strange idle ranges have me a bit puzzled since its a fuel injected bike.

anyone else have this type of thing going on? bike seems to run fine otherwise. this happens randomly in hot or cold starting.

 

Mine was doing those things when the battery was dying. With a new batt. All is ok.

 

Hard to say without knowing some more history on the bike. I'm pretty sure spark plugs should have been changed out at 20K,and it does sound like a battery issue with starting, but once started it should purr like a lion. Sounds like something is dirty, or maybe a sensor is bad. but like I said, hard to tell without some history (year, cc, any pipes/fuel mgmt).

 

2011 96" with 33" Samson fishtails,SERT pro with a dyno tune, Se air cleaner. I guess ill start with a new battery. I dislike my local dealer very much so I resist taking it there at all costs.

 

you can get the same battery, and i mean the same battery as in production numbers an all, with a grey case (not black with the harley logo) for 90$ at napa,

 

Mine occasionally doesn't start first crank but always on second. My guess has been that cylinder position affects combustion so the first crank moves it into better position. You can really notice it if kickstarting a bike.

 

My Fatboy was doing exactly the same thing. A new battery fixed it right up