Why not a potato sounding idle?
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 2,132
Likes: 25
From: NorCal
My carbed '04 Road King sounded like that when cold. Warm the idle smoothed out.
My '10 kind of has that sound. Thanks to the Woods cams...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wuvZMCYnfUk
My '10 kind of has that sound. Thanks to the Woods cams...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wuvZMCYnfUk
Tourer
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 436
Likes: 3
Exactly,.. if you want the true harley sound, buy an old harley. Shovelhead, panhead and older. The Ironheads can sound pretty good as well, but I'd go with a shovel.
Road Warrior
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,575
Likes: 180
From: N.E. OHIO
Nahhh, my wifes and mine old carb bikes all sounded good and the oldest was a 93. Mighter of fact, her 03 Sportster (carb., stage one) sounds super at idle.
Road Warrior
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 1,687
Likes: 9
From: SoCal & West TN
The true reason that the Potato/Potato sound is missing is not due to the cams or any other reason other that the idle set at least 1000 RPM.
This began with the EVO that was made to such tight tolerances. This required the oil pressure to be higher in order to reach all of the places needed. It is even tighter with the Twinkie. The RPM must be kept at least 1000 RPM. If it was set lower, oil would not reach in all places needed.
The tolerances on the Shovel, Pan, and Knuckle was set to such a low tolerances that the oil could reach everywhere even when the RPM set as low as 600 RPM.
You can set the RPM lower with any motor with a carburetor. But in order to have the idle set lower with the EFI, you would need to remap it and this would require a custom mapping. If you set the idle below 1000 RPM on an EVO, or Twinkie, you run the risk of starving the motor of oil and causing major damage. Some have set their EVO or Twinkie at the low RPM, but they just shortened the life of their motor. They might not ride much so it did last years.
This began with the EVO that was made to such tight tolerances. This required the oil pressure to be higher in order to reach all of the places needed. It is even tighter with the Twinkie. The RPM must be kept at least 1000 RPM. If it was set lower, oil would not reach in all places needed.
The tolerances on the Shovel, Pan, and Knuckle was set to such a low tolerances that the oil could reach everywhere even when the RPM set as low as 600 RPM.
You can set the RPM lower with any motor with a carburetor. But in order to have the idle set lower with the EFI, you would need to remap it and this would require a custom mapping. If you set the idle below 1000 RPM on an EVO, or Twinkie, you run the risk of starving the motor of oil and causing major damage. Some have set their EVO or Twinkie at the low RPM, but they just shortened the life of their motor. They might not ride much so it did last years.
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Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 2,502
Likes: 6
From: Lapeer , Mich
The true reason that the Potato/Potato sound is missing is not due to the cams or any other reason other that the idle set at least 1000 RPM.
This began with the EVO that was made to such tight tolerances. This required the oil pressure to be higher in order to reach all of the places needed. It is even tighter with the Twinkie. The RPM must be kept at least 1000 RPM. If it was set lower, oil would not reach in all places needed.
The tolerances on the Shovel, Pan, and Knuckle was set to such a low tolerances that the oil could reach everywhere even when the RPM set as low as 600 RPM.
You can set the RPM lower with any motor with a carburetor. But in order to have the idle set lower with the EFI, you would need to remap it and this would require a custom mapping. If you set the idle below 1000 RPM on an EVO, or Twinkie, you run the risk of starving the motor of oil and causing major damage. Some have set their EVO or Twinkie at the low RPM, but they just shortened the life of their motor. They might not ride much so it did last years.
This began with the EVO that was made to such tight tolerances. This required the oil pressure to be higher in order to reach all of the places needed. It is even tighter with the Twinkie. The RPM must be kept at least 1000 RPM. If it was set lower, oil would not reach in all places needed.
The tolerances on the Shovel, Pan, and Knuckle was set to such a low tolerances that the oil could reach everywhere even when the RPM set as low as 600 RPM.
You can set the RPM lower with any motor with a carburetor. But in order to have the idle set lower with the EFI, you would need to remap it and this would require a custom mapping. If you set the idle below 1000 RPM on an EVO, or Twinkie, you run the risk of starving the motor of oil and causing major damage. Some have set their EVO or Twinkie at the low RPM, but they just shortened the life of their motor. They might not ride much so it did last years.
Road Warrior
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 1,687
Likes: 9
From: SoCal & West TN
I have noticed that now they don't explain the need. This may be the case due to the newer EFI only and the idle is set by the mapping.