Starting the EFI Harley Davidson motorcycle
 

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.

Never been in that much of a hurry, I see no difference. It starts fast as long as I don't touch the throttle.

I always wait for the lights to go out. I believe there is some priming going on; like the fuel pump sending up some gas. I also want to make sure I don't f up the starter in some way. Thought whenever I take my bike to the local Harley shop for maintenace, they "all" do as you describe. Makes me cringe when I see them do that, especially to my bike as the sales person always told me to wait.

It does not make a difference if you wait for the lights to go out or not. They are only lit for the bulb test feature, the same as all the lights on your cage comming on when you start it. Only reason I can think of that it might start faster is that then the switch is turned the pump will run for several seconds to prime the fuel system. As it takes a second or two for fuel pressure to come up the bike will obviously start easier when full pressure is achieved.

Re'

when i got my pcv and installled it, the guys at fuelmoto told me, don't even wait for the yellow light to go out, just turn on the ign and push the starter button.. it works just fine.

I do not have my shop manual in front of me here at work, but if I remember, that hum is the system pressuring and checking the fuel injectors and monitoring the rest of the system. I don't have a problem waiting for that to occur, a whole 3 or 4 seconds. Yeah, the bike will start right up fine, but the guys at the shops don't have to ride the bike away and have the computer start freaking out because some code check did not finish. Now if I needed to move in a hurry, of course I know it will fire right up so I could pull forward. These are not carburated bikes, and if the manual says to let the idiot light go out before starting to avoid potential problems, I can live with that.

I'm sure someone will chime in soon with the correct technical answer.

The diagnostic check that is being done when you first turn the ignition switch on will finish with or without the bike running. It will not hurt the bike in any way shape or form to start it before the yellow light goes out.

You are not building up more fuel pressure to wait. I was having hard start problems with my higher compression 103" build. I found out that the problem I had was the cranking fuel table wasn't just right on my tune. Hitting the starter immediatly was the best way to start it without adjusting the cranking fuel table.

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.

Dennis

I agree with RE there is no difference between a Delphi EFI on your Harley or one on your GM cager. You don't wait 3-4 seconds with the ign on before starting your car so why on yuor Harley.

This has been debated several times before and before that...I normally turn the ignition and run button on prior to getting in the saddle so by the time I'm seated the light is off anyway and I go ahead and fire it up. Otherwise it does not make one bit difference. + I never noticed my scoot starting any differently before or after the engine light goes out. This is all Urban Legend...Debate solved!

I disagree RoadRanger, my 07 FLHTC definetly starts quicker if I don't wait for the idiot lights. If I wait the starter runs a few more seconds to start the scoot. IMHO this is LESS wear and tear on the bike than waiting for the idiot light.