Vapor lock?
Had the same problem last fall (not THE VAPOR LOCKING girlfriend like banjoplayer actually that wouldn't be a problem I guess LOL). Close to the end of the season so I thought I would fix it over winter. Was so sure it was my starter clutch that I bought one (All *****). Also bought a new battery since the original was about 6 years old.
Spring and wanted to ride installed the new battery and never had the problem since.
So I have a spare starter clutch. I swear the bike turns over twice as fast with the new Big Crank battery from Battery Mart.
Spring and wanted to ride installed the new battery and never had the problem since.
So I have a spare starter clutch. I swear the bike turns over twice as fast with the new Big Crank battery from Battery Mart.
Last edited by Rico Rose; May 21, 2015 at 05:57 PM.
Thread Starter
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Intermediate
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 43
Likes: 0
From: Catawissa, Pa
Found the problem
Turns out its a faulty compensator. Couldn't get my head around the reasoning till I spoke to the service rep who had to ask one of the owners for the explanation.
Seems the factory compensator doesn't get enough oil on it to provide proper lubrication and the spring gets weak thus causing the thing to be moving while starting the engine hot thereby confusing the ecm due to the crank position sensor not picking up an accurate reading.
They are installing a new SE compensator which comes with these "fins" or oil deflectors to direct primary oil onto the compensator keeping it from getting dry and overheated as well as this new unit having a heavier spring. Lots of other owners on various forums have had this exact problem and this was the fix.
Pisses me off I have to drop around $600 on a $22k bike with only 32k miles on it. HD should do a recall on this but we all know how that goes
Seems the factory compensator doesn't get enough oil on it to provide proper lubrication and the spring gets weak thus causing the thing to be moving while starting the engine hot thereby confusing the ecm due to the crank position sensor not picking up an accurate reading.
They are installing a new SE compensator which comes with these "fins" or oil deflectors to direct primary oil onto the compensator keeping it from getting dry and overheated as well as this new unit having a heavier spring. Lots of other owners on various forums have had this exact problem and this was the fix.
Pisses me off I have to drop around $600 on a $22k bike with only 32k miles on it. HD should do a recall on this but we all know how that goes
Cruiser
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 204
Likes: 4
From: Fort Worth, TX
I very seriously doubt that the compensator has any bearing on a hot start slow crank issue. The ECM has no way of knowing where the crank is in relation to the compensator. The dealer is throwing parts at the bike and pulling money out of your pocket. I would recommend very methodically testing each cable and connection in the starter system. It's either a cable, a battery, a solenoid, or some combination.
If you are getting a loud bang on startup it's the compensator, a slow crank is not the compensator.
If you are getting a loud bang on startup it's the compensator, a slow crank is not the compensator.
Road Master
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 943
Likes: 41
Just had the exact same issue with 10 Ultra not wanting to turn over when hot. Battery voltage tested good and even passed a load test. Battery 4 years old and always on tender. Just for the hell of it I removed the battery and replaced with the one from my other bike. Instant cure. Hot starts no longer a problem with new battery. Bad cell maybe?
This is my third battery in 5 years. Original battery failed under 6 months and replaced under warranty. Second battery lasted 4 years.
This is my third battery in 5 years. Original battery failed under 6 months and replaced under warranty. Second battery lasted 4 years.
Thread Starter
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Intermediate
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 43
Likes: 0
From: Catawissa, Pa
Lots of other similar forum members had this exact issue and this was the fix. I actually trust my dealer as one of the owners is an NHRA drag bike racer who places very high on the rankings all around the country. All the work on his bike is done in house. I'm pretty sure he knows what he's doing. Guess we'll see.....
Road Warrior
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 1,889
Likes: 104
From: Mississippi
Thanks for the quick replies but no, it's not the battery. It's only a yr old and I use a tender all winter. Also the bike sleeps in the climate controlled basement not out in the cold. Has to be something else and the 09's no longer have a compensator in the primary. They use rubber bushings in the rear pulley hub.
Any more ideas?
Any more ideas?
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 3,074
Likes: 12
From:
Just had the exact same issue with 10 Ultra not wanting to turn over when hot. Battery voltage tested good and even passed a load test. Battery 4 years old and always on tender. Just for the hell of it I removed the battery and replaced with the one from my other bike. Instant cure. Hot starts no longer a problem with new battery. Bad cell maybe?
This is my third battery in 5 years. Original battery failed under 6 months and replaced under warranty. Second battery lasted 4 years.
This is my third battery in 5 years. Original battery failed under 6 months and replaced under warranty. Second battery lasted 4 years.
Finally replaced the battery and hot start problem went away
Road Master
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 932
Likes: 14
From: CENTRAL IL
just a thought , bike did better after the battery was removed tested ok, and reinstralled, thinking that maybe all the battery cable terminals, both ends should be cleaned and tightened.
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Joined: Jan 2012
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From: Oklahoma
My 08 Road King does the same every 2 years, that is the first hint the battery is tired. I have a cheap digital VOM that responds with no inertia. If it drops to 9.6 volts or lower when I hit the starter the battery is on the way out no matter how good it looks on a tester. As luck would have it, the newest battery was installed on the same date 2 years after the previous one. Starter pulls right through the first compression stroke now. The 'bikes with compression releases don't seem to be as hard on their batteries and are not as sensitive to mild aging. While I have no idea where else to put it, the current touring bikes have the batteries right behind the rear jug AND the exhaust pipe runs right past the battery also. I believe the batteries get "baked" to death. The OP did not say what battery he had and some don't claim the full 400 CCA that we are used to. Any deterioration of a 300 CCA battery might yield these symptoms in 1 year or less.
A suggestion for tightening battery cables and I hope I can make this clear. Just before the bolts become snug, the cable ends can be pushed and rotated counter clockwise, against the direction to tighten the bolt and hold them in that position. Then I tighten the bolt and the natural tendency of the cables to find their own position (sit where they would if the bolts had not been tightened) will be in the direction to tighten the bolts even more. If this is not done, the cable ends will move with the direction of the tightening bolt and then try to spring back causing the bolt to loosen over time. Since using this technique I have never had a loose battery cable.
A suggestion for tightening battery cables and I hope I can make this clear. Just before the bolts become snug, the cable ends can be pushed and rotated counter clockwise, against the direction to tighten the bolt and hold them in that position. Then I tighten the bolt and the natural tendency of the cables to find their own position (sit where they would if the bolts had not been tightened) will be in the direction to tighten the bolts even more. If this is not done, the cable ends will move with the direction of the tightening bolt and then try to spring back causing the bolt to loosen over time. Since using this technique I have never had a loose battery cable.
Last edited by btsom; Jul 8, 2015 at 04:22 PM.
Thread Starter
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Intermediate
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 43
Likes: 0
From: Catawissa, Pa
Not a loose or dirty terminal problem, starter clutch, bendix or anything else. The compensator spring is weak and tired. Seems as the primary chain is turning the crank to start the engine, due to the weakened compensator spring the crank position sensor is picking up a false reading preventing the bike from starting. Like an old vacuum advanced car engine if you advanced the timing too far it would start ok cold but not hot. Same principal. Like I said.....we'll see. I will be one pissed customer if I spend this money and it doesn't fix it!