can I use 103 head on 88 ci motor need help
2008 Road Glide Running Rough
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Stage IV
Joined: Dec 2016
Posts: 4
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From: Jacksonville, IL
2008 Road Glide Running Rough
My 2008 Road Glide almost seems like it's out of time. Sometimes it starts slow like the battery is almost dead or the cylinders have hydrauliced. It's like it jumped out of time. It has 50k on it and is totally stock. I use to turn corners in 2nd or 3rd just fine but now I have to go to 2nd or 1st or it lugs. I put in a new fuel filter, new plugs, new air filter and fuel injector cleaner. I'm at a loss here and would like to fix it myself if I could. Is anyone else 
experiencing this kind of problem? Today when I filled it up with gas it didn't want to start. It finally did.
experiencing this kind of problem? Today when I filled it up with gas it didn't want to start. It finally did.
Supporter
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 15,788
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From: along the shore of Mishigami
I've seen other engines run real rough, bad idle, bucking etc. turned out to be the crank position sensor. That sensor picks up a gap on the teeth of the fly wheel and triggers the ignition system. Maybe somebody here knows the resistance value of a good sensor compared to a bad one.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 17,149
Likes: 6,173
From: SE Michigan
My 2008 Road Glide almost seems like it's out of time. Sometimes it starts slow like the battery is almost dead or the cylinders have hydrauliced. It's like it jumped out of time. It has 50k on it and is totally stock. I use to turn corners in 2nd or 3rd just fine but now I have to go to 2nd or 1st or it lugs. I put in a new fuel filter, new plugs, new air filter and fuel injector cleaner. I'm at a loss here and would like to fix it myself if I could. Is anyone else experiencing this kind of problem? Today when I filled it up with gas it didn't want to start. It finally did.
experiencing this kind of problem? Today when I filled it up with gas it didn't want to start. It finally did.I never turn corners in 3rd, strange that you do, that would definitely be lugging.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 2,630
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From: Mountain West, Big Sky Country
i would start with the easy stuff first.
if it starts, does it idle smoothly. if so, it seems it has fuel and air. a roadglide has a volt meter. does it indicate a charge above 13.5. most road glide gauges hover at 14 or above
if its not charging, its battery first. have your current one load tested. how old is it? do you keep it on a tender?
if the battery tests good then you need to go further.
if battery test bad, replace it and see if it fixes the problem. if this fixes the issue then your good.
if not, the 08 model year if first year for tbw. do you have another electrical issue such as a stator or voltage regulator issue.
have you recently done any work like changing bars that would impact tbw?
road glides are very sensitive to electrical issues. most issues ive had with my roadglides has been electrical and primarily battery related. i always run harley batteries yes i know others exist i use the factory battery.
if it starts, does it idle smoothly. if so, it seems it has fuel and air. a roadglide has a volt meter. does it indicate a charge above 13.5. most road glide gauges hover at 14 or above
if its not charging, its battery first. have your current one load tested. how old is it? do you keep it on a tender?
if the battery tests good then you need to go further.
if battery test bad, replace it and see if it fixes the problem. if this fixes the issue then your good.
if not, the 08 model year if first year for tbw. do you have another electrical issue such as a stator or voltage regulator issue.
have you recently done any work like changing bars that would impact tbw?
road glides are very sensitive to electrical issues. most issues ive had with my roadglides has been electrical and primarily battery related. i always run harley batteries yes i know others exist i use the factory battery.
Last edited by bigskyroadglide; Dec 26, 2016 at 11:36 PM.
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Stage IV
Joined: Dec 2016
Posts: 4
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From: Jacksonville, IL
Hydraulic is when gas leaks into the cylinders. It gives you the same sound as a dead battery because the pistons are trying to a large amount of gas. It can cause severe damage to a motor such as bend piston rods or valves. Usually comes from a leaky petcock so I'm not sure on the fuel injection. When I turn corners in 3rd gear it's usually with some speed involved. Such as coming to a corner at 55 mph and turning left. At a regular city street corner I could do it in 2nd.
As far as the battery comment....I have been extremely suspicious there. My original battery lasted 7 years. I replaced it, not because it was giving me trouble, because it was starting to scare me. 7 years is a good amount of time to get off a battery. I replaced it with an after market battery. Shame on me. That battery is not even a year old. I hadn't ridden the bike in about 3 weeks so I put it on the battery tender. The green light came on in about 10 minutes. But I truly think this trouble started when I replaced that battery.
As far as the battery comment....I have been extremely suspicious there. My original battery lasted 7 years. I replaced it, not because it was giving me trouble, because it was starting to scare me. 7 years is a good amount of time to get off a battery. I replaced it with an after market battery. Shame on me. That battery is not even a year old. I hadn't ridden the bike in about 3 weeks so I put it on the battery tender. The green light came on in about 10 minutes. But I truly think this trouble started when I replaced that battery.
Stage I
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From: compton
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Road Warrior
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 1,274
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From: Now Western TN
Check the connector going to the throttle body. If that gets corroded you may start to get a rough running engine. I know it can cause all types of weird running conditions. Pull it off, clean it up with some connector cleaner, add some dielectric grease and put it back on .
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Tourer
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 264
Likes: 10
From: NC
Also you can check you intake gaskets o rings where they meet the heads. My 08 sg had a leak there and it ran awful. Easy to check just spray them with some brake cleaner or throttle body cleaner while it's at idle. Mine would shut the engine down. Some will cause the engine to Rev a little. Worth a try.also check to see it you have any dtc codes and if so post them for more information.
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Joined: Dec 2007
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battery then connections at both ends of the wires. 08 had a service bulletin for starter bolts.for your bikes age i would remove it clean the mating surface then torque to the new specs, sounds 2 me like 2 separate problems,is the slow cranking mostly when hot? does it grind the ring gear every now and then? if yeas starter clutch. as far as rough running could be one of many sensors.