'07 Idle Issues
Road Warrior
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,916
Likes: 0
From: San Antonio, Texas
The ride home was fine, she ran great. I did sit in traffic a fair amount and as suspected she pinged a tad after that when I rolled it on. Not bad though. Ran just as good as with the PC-III, which I find amusing. Smooth starts, nice, even idle, good acceleration. I will probably throw my XIEDs on to see if they kill the ping, but even with the PC-III, I got pinging after sitting in traffic.
I am calling the TPS and IAC valve change a fix. Now to get my new Metzler ME-888's put on
I am calling the TPS and IAC valve change a fix. Now to get my new Metzler ME-888's put on
3rd Gear
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
From: Tennessee
My 07' FLHT was stalling at idle after excessive decel popping when I got below 1/2 tank. I changed all the fuel lines in the tank; pump to filter tube, pressure regulator to check valve tube, check valve, & fuel filter. Issue went away. The tubes replaced were hard & brittle with tiny perforations. Problem now is that my gas gauge / low fuel float is wwwaaaayyy off!
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 66,948
Likes: 4,573
From: TOAK western branch
My 07' FLHT was stalling at idle after excessive decel popping when I got below 1/2 tank. I changed all the fuel lines in the tank; pump to filter tube, pressure regulator to check valve tube, check valve, & fuel filter. Issue went away. The tubes replaced were hard & brittle with tiny perforations. Problem now is that my gas gauge / low fuel float is wwwaaaayyy off!
Cruiser
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 167
Likes: 0
I'm starting a new thread on this topic because I think it deserves one. Over the past few months I've emailed probably 20-30 PDF copies of HD's TT410 that addresses idle issues on '07 bikes, and new problems and requests pop up nearly every day. This tech tip bulletin covers low-idle problems, but I'm having a sporadic high idle issue.
In my case the bike will occasionally--maybe once every couple of weeks in winter, less-often in summer--start-up idling at around 2000 rpms. This started late last summer. No amount of throttle blipping will make it idle down to its usual 950 rpms, and if I don't stop the bike it will stay idling at that level until I turn it off. Usually I can turn it off at the handlebar switch, then off at the ignition switch, and when restarted will usually idle normally for the rest of the day and probably for quite a few days thereafter. For me it is more of an irritation than a real problem.
OTOH I have had a very few cases (maybe 3-4 over the last year) of poor idle that causes it to idle low and roughly, usually for only a short time that clears up on its own. It's never died during one of these rare spells, though. A tech at the local HD shop that I respect has an '07 and said he fixed his problems by replacing the IAC valve on the throttle body. I tried spraying some carb cleaner and lubricant into the IAC orifice just inside the throttle body and that seemed to help for a short time. A second application didn't seem to help, so I'm not sure my particular problem involves a sticky IAC valve. If I thought it was I'd swap it out in a second. If this was the culprit I would think blipping the throttle and/or just riding the bike would shake it loose, but it doesn't.
Someone on one of these threads mentioned that a download existed from HD that helped with these idling problems, but I haven't been able to verify this. Dawg? Hogdoc? Have you or any of our other resident techs ever heard of this?
Anyway, maybe by starting a specific thread on this issue we'll make some headway in finding out how to fix these problems, as it is affecting many '07 owners.
Anyone commenting on this topic please mention whether it is low- or high-idle, what you've tried to fix it, and if anything has worked.
In my case the bike will occasionally--maybe once every couple of weeks in winter, less-often in summer--start-up idling at around 2000 rpms. This started late last summer. No amount of throttle blipping will make it idle down to its usual 950 rpms, and if I don't stop the bike it will stay idling at that level until I turn it off. Usually I can turn it off at the handlebar switch, then off at the ignition switch, and when restarted will usually idle normally for the rest of the day and probably for quite a few days thereafter. For me it is more of an irritation than a real problem.
OTOH I have had a very few cases (maybe 3-4 over the last year) of poor idle that causes it to idle low and roughly, usually for only a short time that clears up on its own. It's never died during one of these rare spells, though. A tech at the local HD shop that I respect has an '07 and said he fixed his problems by replacing the IAC valve on the throttle body. I tried spraying some carb cleaner and lubricant into the IAC orifice just inside the throttle body and that seemed to help for a short time. A second application didn't seem to help, so I'm not sure my particular problem involves a sticky IAC valve. If I thought it was I'd swap it out in a second. If this was the culprit I would think blipping the throttle and/or just riding the bike would shake it loose, but it doesn't.
Someone on one of these threads mentioned that a download existed from HD that helped with these idling problems, but I haven't been able to verify this. Dawg? Hogdoc? Have you or any of our other resident techs ever heard of this?
Anyway, maybe by starting a specific thread on this issue we'll make some headway in finding out how to fix these problems, as it is affecting many '07 owners.
Anyone commenting on this topic please mention whether it is low- or high-idle, what you've tried to fix it, and if anything has worked.
Road Master
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 832
Likes: 6
From: Vermont
I had both high idle and low idle with stalling problems that were resolved in '09 by the recommedations in TT-410 ('07 stock drivetrain FLHTC). I haven't had an idle issue since. Among the things done was adjusting the throttle position sensor voltage to .57 VDC and an ECM reflash. Even though the bike was more than two years old, the shop was able to do the work under warrantee.
Tourer
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 284
Likes: 0
From: Northeast
My turn! My 2007 WideGlide has the pull in the clutch, let off the throttle, low idle and shut off problem. It does on occasion have the high idle problem. The bike has Vance & Hines Slip-ons, SE AC, and Xied's. It only happens after riding for 30 min and the engine gets hot. Which makes me want to look at replacing the TPS. But my first stab at fixing the problem will be cleaning the throttle body and IAC ($5.00 for carb/choke cleaner can't hurt). I read all 36 pages and I do agree the problem lies with either an IAC, TPS, or both. I never had this problem until I installed the SE AC and Xied's. Coincidence? I believe that the extreme heat from the 06 and 07 model TC engines are part of this problem along with the oil blow by that goes directly into the throttle body which is not how it is configured in the stock AC.
What are some of your thoughts?
As a comparison, my brother has an 2007 Street Bob with just the Vance & Hines Slip-ons. NO SE AC or Xied's. He has not had an idle issue.
What are some of your thoughts?
As a comparison, my brother has an 2007 Street Bob with just the Vance & Hines Slip-ons. NO SE AC or Xied's. He has not had an idle issue.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 38,623
Likes: 6,441
From: Honah Lee
The IAC is a small Servo motor protected by an o-ring. The passage it opens is large and only air. You can see it function at key on and off. On off it screws in and plugs the air hole preventing run-on at the high idle 1000 since that is require by ecm to have time to prevent stalling. Key on and it will open for proper idle be it cold or warm engine. If you spray hard upward and drive crud up past o-ring, even if it wasn't your problem, you will be replacing it shortly after it dries up. Same goes for the throttle position sensor. The opening is at 12 o'clock and at idle, does not draft enough to pull that much oil. Actually the excess you see that actually drips has ran down the tubes and that is what you see drip from the open SE type filters. My does it enough that at 70 mph for a 100 miles I will see spots on my oil bag yet the throttle body is relative dry other then behind the throttle butterfly, but that is mostly from the injectors.
Last edited by Jackie Paper; Aug 26, 2013 at 02:51 PM.
Tourer
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 284
Likes: 0
From: Northeast
My cleaning procedure will not be spraying a stream into the IAC. But rather using a Q-tip and rag to clean the hole and throttle plate.
Last edited by spdrcrjl; Aug 27, 2013 at 07:43 AM.
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Tourer
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 284
Likes: 0
From: Northeast
I removed the air cleaner an had about 2 ounces of oil at the bottom of air cleaner drain out. Looked in the throttle body and it had a thin layer of oil coating the butterfly and the surface of the throttle body going back about 2 inches. What I also noticed was the IAT sensor was black (a baked on coating of oil). Also the "cone" of the IAC was not coated like the IAT. Just a small trace amount of "soot". I cycled the IAC using the previous described method. It moves in and out. I am leaning towards the TPS being faulty.
Questions:
Will that much oil cause a problem with the fuel injectors? Is it a concern?
Why is there so much oil being blown-by?
How much much blow by oil is "ok"?
How dirty (baked on coating of oil is "normal"?)
How far in and out is the IAC suppose to move?
Can the IAT sensor be cleaned?
The TPS gets its reading/senses the position of the butterfly shaft...Correct?
Your thoughts and answers please.
Questions:
Will that much oil cause a problem with the fuel injectors? Is it a concern?
Why is there so much oil being blown-by?
How much much blow by oil is "ok"?
How dirty (baked on coating of oil is "normal"?)
How far in and out is the IAC suppose to move?
Can the IAT sensor be cleaned?
The TPS gets its reading/senses the position of the butterfly shaft...Correct?
Your thoughts and answers please.
Last edited by spdrcrjl; Aug 27, 2013 at 07:57 AM.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 66,948
Likes: 4,573
From: TOAK western branch
My thoughts are that there should be no oil entering the air intake. This is something that has been brought to us by the EPA. Get an AC set up that has open breathers or drain tubes to the ground if you have excessive blow by and stop using the oil and gauze type filter. There are better filters out there that do not require oiling and filter out dirt much better.