Ok guys I have recently bought a 2000 road king efi this is my first Harley I have bought a clymer book but not finding the answers I need. This is a known problem and the previous owner chased it for awhile but eventually gave up and just rode the bike so here is the problem….. every time I take the bike out the engine light comes on and stays on for a while but the bike runs fine then the light goes back out or is off by the time I get back home. The crankshaft sensor has been changed by Harley but did not make a difference Harley also told him to change the old power commander because it looked like it had some water damage…..I didn’t see that and I am an electronics tech by trade. So I guess what I am asking is if anyone has had a power commander 3 go bad and start throwing engine lights randomly?

 

If light comes ON and then turns OFF after starting or a little later then it is a historical code.
Light will go away (fully clear) after a certain number of operational cycles if the error does not come back.
Cycles were something like 30 or 50 runs.
You can read codes and determine code.
You can also clear code by disconnecting all wires to negative battery terminal.
Changing parts without reading code is a waste of money.
On some bikes ANY improper start can trigger the check engine light.
For example: a missed start, a fart at start-up, a weak battery, a loose battery terminal, a fuel line that is connecting poorly to tank, garbage in tank or the first start after a sleepy winter.
It reads like you have a big bore kit & screaming eagle cams.
If timing is slightly off or battery is not perfect then a bad start can easily trigger code.

 

For starters, the Clymer manual makes a great doorstop. Get a Harley Factory manual. Check for historical codes, they can really help pinpoint where you need to look. We had a bike in the shop with a PC installed, that had went bad. Didn't really throw much in codes, but the bike would barely run. Disconnected it, and it ran just fine. But still no codes. I have no idea why that worked that way, just that it did..

 

I agree to both above answers.

 

So I guess my next question is with all the motor work done to this bike what would be expected if I disconnect the power commander? Too rich..too lean? Right now with the controller in place it is running very rich ( black dry plugs ) been messing with the controller and leaning it out to see if it will make a difference

 

I am new on here but i will share what happened to me, same exact story. I pulled my hair out and i remember when i bought it i changed plugs, i pulled the plugs and they were not gapped correctly, i re-gapped them and cleared the codes and no check light anymore...

 

Your EFI runs in "open Loop" which means it has no O2 sensor feedback, for real time adjustments. You EFI map is fixed and set up per the engine parameters. When you change those engine parameters to increase airflow, and don't adjust the map, you will be lean..

With a big bore kit, which usually also includes cams, the map not only increases AFR (air fuel ratio) for the increased airflow, but the timing tables are also changed for the displacement/cam combo...

I am not a fan of piggyback tuners, and they are known to go bad after a time... especially if they have water damage.

If you were Stage I, air cleaner & exhaust, you could just disconnect a piggy back tuner. The tune between Stage I and OEM is close enough, that the bike will still run OK, and be safe enough for a test ride to see how it runs, and determine if the piggyback tuner has gone bad..

To remove the piggyback Tuner on a big bore kit, there should be a much bigger difference between the Big Bore tune and the OEM tune. The bike, most likely, will not run well without it, due to the timing and AFR changes needed for a big bore kit. Running a big bore kit bike, on the OEM tune, could cause damage...

Your plugs could be telling you that you are running rich, along with other possibilities... Unless you have experience with tuning, I would not be leaning it out too much via the tuner.

Try to find a good independent shop and have them do a proper diagnosis of the issue, to start with reading the codes.....

Good luck and keep us posted on your progress...

PS- I believe the 2001 Touring bikes still had the MM EFI system. That could be a big part of your problem all by itself. That was a fair EFI system in its day, but is now hard to find parts for, and even harder to find someone competent to work on it. I suggested finding a good independent shop, and I'll add, one that understands the MM EFI system. I doubt you will find a dealer who still understands, or is even willing to work, on MM EFI Systems...

 

Check engine light should throw a code? Did you check what the computer says?

 

What is the code?? If the CEL comes on, a fault code is logged. You need to tell us what the codes are.

 

Are there any issues with how it runs?