Originally Posted by skratch

the original post did not reference an extended start time, he was talking about grinding when starting. this is not a problem with the pciii. if you have a pciii, do not wait for the check engine light to go out before starting. otherwise, you will have to wait for the unit to go through its diagnostic check again and it will seem like a hard start.

if you read the manual, it does not say to wait for the cel to go out. it merely mentions that it will go out after x number of seconds.

my procedure to start: flip the ignition switch on, wait a few seconds for the speedo diagnostics (ever had a speedo read 30 mph when you know you're dong over 80?) then i hit the run switch, give it 1 second to pressurize the fuel system (this is the same time that the power is initially being routed to the pciii) then hit the start button. fires up first time every time.

if someone tries to tell you that the manual says you have to wait for the cel to go out before starting, ask them to show it to you. it won't.

Originally Posted by rochkes

I went through this a couple of years ago with my 103" build and sert. There are many possibilities or combinations that could be causing this. My local dealer, the ones who did the build said it was the starter clutch and replaced it. That didn't help much. Later on they upgraded the starter after it fried. The heavy duty starter helped quite a bit, but still wasn't just right.

I took the bike to a different tuner. He said the start up timing was way off. He adjusted the start up timing and that helped dramatically, but still was having trouble with hot starts once in awhile.

Then I read on this forum to try to start the bike as soon as I turn the ignition switch on (don't wait for the engine light to go out). That works 100% of the time. I have not had a hard start in the last 12,000 miles after switching to this starting method.

I called the tuner that adjusted the timing and asked him how this was possible. He said that it wouldn't hurt the bike at all to start it without waiting for the light. He says the same diagnostic series will run and finish whether the bike is running or waiting for me to start it. He explained to me that the start up fuel table was a bit lean. He said I could bring it back to him and he would correct that table, or I could just keep starting it the way I am.

He says that the fuel is injected into the motor as soon as the ignition is hot. If your motor is hot and you wait until the light goes out, the fuel sometimes vaporizes and cause a lock the same as when you give a diesel motor too much ether on start-up. This is how the tune can affect the actual mechanics of the starter.

More fuel on start up or less time before the starter is engaged is all it took for me after months of aggravation. Many on here have dismissed this as not possible, but in my case and at least a dozen more others that were having hard start issues on hot motors this has been the solution.

It doesn't cost a penny to try this.

Dennis

Originally Posted by hd110

Have your Technician adjust the timing tables in the 0% colum from 500 to 1250. typically removing timming is the answer but not always. You may also have to adjust the cranking fuel adjustment. While the pcIII is a little limited ( compared to tts sert ans sepst) in this area of adjustment you can typically making things alot better.