Starting the EFI Harley Davidson motorcycle
The Schlong Man
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 3,772
Likes: 4
From: Nantucket
Seems to me that once the bike is done priming the fuel system you then immediately being to lose fuel pressure. Starting the bike while late in the priming phase gives the highest fuel pressure and hence a quicker start. I dunno. My bike may not start quicker but I certainly have much fewer bad starts when I start while the bike is priming.
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 7,773
Likes: 7
From: Central Oklahoma
I know this for a fact . I have seen it said here. I have done it myself. If you push the stater button as soon as you turn the ignition on it will start quicker than if you wait for all the "idiot" lights to go out. Which does not make sense to me. It seems if all the lights are out and everything is programmed to go it would start quicker than when all the lights (indicaters) are still on. Would someone less ignorant than I please explain this phenomenon. Thanks. OLD 96.
Road Master
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 821
Likes: 1
From: In the wind
My nieghbor has an 07 and starts it right away. He was having an issue with the starter kinda "skipping" when he waited on the light. Now it NEVER "skips" He thinks the small amount of drain on the battery waiting although it is VERY minimal it must be enough to drag the starter down.
Tourer
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 332
Likes: 0
From: Smithfield, NC
sounds like lots of speculation on all of our parts. I was told by the salesman to wait. I haven't seen a problem in doing this. The bike always starts right up. I wish someone who really knew would chime in and let us know. I did notice the time I had the bike in the shop that the tech just started it right up. Who knows.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 8,852
Likes: 2,494
From: Decatur, Alabama
I have a 98 Road King (EFI) and all you need to wait for is the fuel pump to get up to pressure before hitting the start button. That is way before the idiot lights go out. You should be able to hear it when you turn on the ignition.
Tourer
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 301
Likes: 0
As stated above. Definitely the case with my PCIII. Believe someone on this forum said it wasn't the case with the PCV. So, Old 96, do you have a Power Commander???
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 11,615
Likes: 50
From: Baton Rouge, LA
This is covered in the SERT manual. Somebody posted it on here before. The theory behind the difference in starting immediatly and waiting for the light goes out is that there is one pulse of fuel that goes into the motor as soon as the ignition switch is turned on. Especially if the motor is hot, that fuel will vaporize or dissapate before the light goes out.
BTW, how do find gas that will run in that bike without detonation?! I didn't know it was possible to run SE255's and 10.5 CR in the same bike on pump gas.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 20,616
Likes: 4,440
From: anacoco, la
and because i have a pciii, i get that hard start feature, so what i do is turn the ignition on, let the computer cycle through its checks, then hit the run button, wait 1-2 secs for the fuel system to prime, then hit the start button. fires right up, been doing it this way for 3 years now and no issues.
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with PCV - ya will turn over few times if i wait till engine light goes out....
Starts quickly if i start right after i switch to run from Off.
no problems or differance starting without PCV if i wait or fire up quickly.
Starts quickly if i start right after i switch to run from Off.
no problems or differance starting without PCV if i wait or fire up quickly.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 2,156
Likes: 1
From: Pittsburgh, PA
My bike starts immediately when i hit start, whether I wait for the light to go out or not. So I figure, if the experts (MOCO) say to wait for the light to go off why not wait? I'm pretty sure they know what they are talking about and have a reason for it.