Difficult to Start 2000 Ultra
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Joined: Apr 2022
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From: Virginia
Difficult to Start 2000 Ultra
Hi all, I have a 2000 ultra I inherited from my dad. Love the bike but it is very difficult to start. Sometimes it takes several minutes of engine turning before it finally runs without the starter. It has 65K miles on it. Also, on deceleration it pops out of the throttle body.
I was thinking about possible causes and timing chains and tensioners came to mind. My Ducati has kevlar timing belts that need to be replaced every 20K or so. Do timing chains on twin cam normally last forever or do they stretch as well? If they stretch and need replacement, then is 65k miles sound about time or do they normally last longer.
I found several videos online regarding the timing chain tensioners grinding down and needing replacement. What symptoms would a worn tensioner cause (i.e., difficult to start and popping from the throttle body/intake)?
Any other thoughts or ideas would be appreciated. FYI - I already adjusted the throttle body position springs. Once the bike turns over it idles perfect and runs pretty good. The bike did not run when I got it so I have no point of reference to judge whether it has lost any power.
Thanks in advance, Bob
I was thinking about possible causes and timing chains and tensioners came to mind. My Ducati has kevlar timing belts that need to be replaced every 20K or so. Do timing chains on twin cam normally last forever or do they stretch as well? If they stretch and need replacement, then is 65k miles sound about time or do they normally last longer.
I found several videos online regarding the timing chain tensioners grinding down and needing replacement. What symptoms would a worn tensioner cause (i.e., difficult to start and popping from the throttle body/intake)?
Any other thoughts or ideas would be appreciated. FYI - I already adjusted the throttle body position springs. Once the bike turns over it idles perfect and runs pretty good. The bike did not run when I got it so I have no point of reference to judge whether it has lost any power.
Thanks in advance, Bob
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Joined: Apr 2022
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From: Virginia
Work Performed
(1) Replaced the engine temperature sensor;
(2) Replaced the throttle-body gaskets (where the throttle body meets the heads);
(3) Adjusted the idle screws;
(4) Replaced the fuel pressure regulator; and
(5) Replaced the fuel supply lines in the tank (the old ones were so bad it looked like a sprinkler system inside the tank when the pump turned on).
After I did all this, I finally got proper fuel pressure and air/fuel ratio and the bike ran pretty good. That was January 2021. Now it takes 10-15 minutes of turning the motor before it kicks over.
I did a few other things (i.e., rocker box gaskets, new rear tire and brake rotor, blue thread locker on a few bolts to stop oil leaks) but nothing that would affect the bike's ability to run.
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Joined: Apr 2022
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From: Virginia
Forgot about the stored codes. That is interesting because the check engine light frequently comes on and stays on while riding but the bike has no codes. At least, when I do the turn bike on while holding the trip reset button, all I get is "Clr". The bike has a power commander III on it. I was assuming that the check engine light was due to the power commander sucking juice out of the system and causing the bike to run at a lower voltage than expected. But for whatever reason, it does not provide me a code.
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It still reads like it is fuel related.
Fresh fuel?
I would take another look inside the fuel tank.
A loose piece of tank liner can make a difference.
If somebody used a lot of fuel stabilizer then it could make starting difficult.
Not difficult for fuel pump screen to be blocked.
Did you review the fuel injectors and clean them?
Fresh fuel?
I would take another look inside the fuel tank.
A loose piece of tank liner can make a difference.
If somebody used a lot of fuel stabilizer then it could make starting difficult.
Not difficult for fuel pump screen to be blocked.
Did you review the fuel injectors and clean them?
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Thread Starter
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Joined: Apr 2022
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From: Virginia
Fuel Injectors
I did not pull the fuel injectors because when I put a fuel pressure gauge on the fuel lines, I was getting 43 1/2 psi while the bike was running, which is what the manual says I should get. Maybe that has changed since I worked on the bike January 2021 I will check the pressure again. Thanks.
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It sounds fuel related, but it wouldn't hurt to check for spark to be sure.....
Piggyback tuning devices can fail over time.... have you tried to remove the PowerCommander III to see if the problem goes away....?
You say you adjusted the idle screws.... I have very little experience with the Magneti-Marelli EFI system, but know it's more complicated than adjusting a carb... Are you well versed, or at least familiar, with how to adjust the MM EFI...?
Piggyback tuning devices can fail over time.... have you tried to remove the PowerCommander III to see if the problem goes away....?
You say you adjusted the idle screws.... I have very little experience with the Magneti-Marelli EFI system, but know it's more complicated than adjusting a carb... Are you well versed, or at least familiar, with how to adjust the MM EFI...?
Last edited by hattitude; Feb 7, 2023 at 09:43 AM.
