Hot starting issues.
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6th Gear
Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 12
Likes: 9
From: Walden, NY
Hot starting issues.
I have an 08 Road King classic. So about two weeks ago, I noticed some play in the primary chain when letting off throttle and then reeengaing. About a week later while stopping for gas, I went to restart hot and noticed a in unusual sound and then a loud clunk coming from the primary. I tried again and it started up but still hard.
When I went to start again the next day, cold, no issues. Stopped for a quick pit stop and tried to hot start and then the noise and a loud clunk and took another try to start.
I am am thinking that is is the compensator. The bike has 13k on it. Other tell me it could be the Starter, the Battery, or the clutch, but that doesn't make sense to me since it only happens when hot starting. The clutch does take some time to engage... more towards the end of the cable, but that doesn't seem like it wold cause the issue, but I don't want to spend $409 on a new SE compensator (which apparenty comes with a new rotor) only to find out it is something else.
Does anyone one else have a clue what this mighy be?
When I went to start again the next day, cold, no issues. Stopped for a quick pit stop and tried to hot start and then the noise and a loud clunk and took another try to start.
I am am thinking that is is the compensator. The bike has 13k on it. Other tell me it could be the Starter, the Battery, or the clutch, but that doesn't make sense to me since it only happens when hot starting. The clutch does take some time to engage... more towards the end of the cable, but that doesn't seem like it wold cause the issue, but I don't want to spend $409 on a new SE compensator (which apparenty comes with a new rotor) only to find out it is something else.
Does anyone one else have a clue what this mighy be?
Tourer
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 472
Likes: 59
From: farmington ny
Most likely it is your comp.If your capable you might want to pull the cover and take a look.with only 13,000 on the bike, it may only be a loose compensator bolt/nut.A simple fix well worth checking out before it comes apart and causes major damage.
Tourer
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 444
Likes: 6
From: Baa Haaba, Maine
Might be the starter clutch and a weak battery. That's sounds exactly what mine was doing, wasn't the comp. If it's hot, and your battery is weak, it can't spin the starter fast enough to engage the starter clutch.
YMMV, but worth checking.
YMMV, but worth checking.
Thread Starter
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6th Gear
Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 12
Likes: 9
From: Walden, NY
Additionally
Something else I just noticed today is when I am riding it, I hear a jingling sound from underneath.
I did try starting it without waiting for the Fuel pump to prime and it doesn't hard start the last 3 times I hot started.
I did try starting it without waiting for the Fuel pump to prime and it doesn't hard start the last 3 times I hot started.
Road Master
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 963
Likes: 145
From: Displaced hillbilly
My 08 had very similar issues as you're describing, originally replaced the compensator with the same model but it eventually failed again. Recently put in the Baker compensator and their chain adjuster and suddenly no more hard starting issues. I had several people tell me it was the battery or starter, but like you described it never was an issue while cold.
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6th Gear
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From: Walden, NY
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Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 2,476
Likes: 193
From: Las Vegas, NV
There are a number of threads on this going around right now. My 2009 had the exact same problem, it would kick back and clunk when trying to start when hot. I thought it was a weak battery so I replaced the battery and it was starting fine but as the battery started to weaken over a year or maybe two years the symptoms would return. The starter clutch is the culprit. Get a new starter clutch put in and everything will be fine.
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 4,816
Likes: 1,320
From: Good roads, cold beer
when you do find a solution, please do post it. Could be useful to someone down the road reading this forum. Thanks.
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