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woods

I probably did it wrong.
Joined
May 22, 2020
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Feel like I'm cluttering up the useless thread.

The issue:


That popping and skipping is random. But, it has been getting worse.

Battery is no more than three months old. ETX20L model. Doesn't really sit. If its not being run for over a week, it goes on the tender. Pukemaggots does seem positive its the battery. He's posted a few pics, and it looks like he knows what he's talking about.

Bike also has a FuelPak FP1 (first gen) in it. The original settings had all the mode values in the negatives. I think all but three or four were negative.

I did just punch this into the website:

fuel map.png


That top listing is what its at now. The bottom I'm going to punch in tomorrow. See if that has any effect. I have no idea what any of the modes are. But they do differ a bit it seems.

I've got this posted on another forum, and I'm getting varying answers,

Well now we are getting some place.. The battery cranking voltages look good and charging good but your video shows another issue.. Notice that twice when it stalls there is a puff through the intake..

This is my guess. What is happening is likely is happening is too much cranking timing and possibly not enough fuel. There could still be something wrong with the starter and starter cables.. Battery is good.

What is non standard on this bike? Not enough fuel might be a symptom of a fuel pressure issue..

That's one of them. So no idea.

Bike runs just fine. No issues there. Just this starting deal. Some times it fires right up. Others it cranks, grinds, and spins. I can't make it do it.

So that's where I am.
 
Add Oil ? sorry got nothing My buddy went through this on a Ducati and it turns out it was the security system with the key.
 
It's not hard to remove the outer primary cover, crank it and watch what happens. It looked like to me in the other thread that you have a starter drive issue happening. Also probably needs a primary chain inspection and adjustment anyway.

I just replaced a starter on a 96" a few weeks ago that acted very similar to yours. Sometimes it would crank fine, sometimes it skipped around and sometimes it just zinged.
 
Burnt valves from those stupid fucking pipes :flipoff2:

I'd remove the fuel pack garbage.
 
Its a Harley, burn it down.

That being said it shouldn’t be hard to bench test the battery. To get that out of the way.

Starter sounds like another place to check - make sure it is engaging as it should. As Johnny said so.
 
It's not hard to remove the outer primary cover, crank it and watch what happens. It looked like to me in the other thread that you have a starter drive issue happening. Also probably needs a primary chain inspection and adjustment anyway.

I just replaced a starter on a 96" a few weeks ago that acted very similar to yours. Sometimes it would crank fine, sometimes it skipped around and sometimes it just zinged.
I may get to that point. Going to try a different tune before I get there though. Also going to try another battery to see if it still happens.
Take your Fuel Pak off and try it. They've got a "reputation"
Bike came with it. Is it just as simple as unplugging it and plugging the bike back the way it was?
Burnt valves from those stupid fucking pipes :flipoff2:

I'd remove the fuel pack garbage.
Those Side Shots haven't been on more months. Running stock pipes with Rush Racing slip ons now.
Id remove that POS 'fuel pak' Fucking garbage.

Why do you think you need it?
Bike came with it. I bought it from the second owner that didn't know anything other than "the first owner put a screaming eagle kit in it". Screaming Eagle is like Rubicon Express. So, Screaming Eagle what? It does have a different air intake setup. I'm thinking I need a tuner to adjust to the new intake and exhaust.
 
Symptoms sound like a starter to me.

Remember you put stock exhaust on in place of those straight pipes which is what that fuelpak was tuned for if I had to guess.
 
Symptoms sound like a starter to me.

Remember you put stock exhaust on in place of those straight pipes which is what that fuelpak was tuned for if I had to guess.
I sort of am thinking starter. But doesn't explain the puff coming out the intake. There is a Crank Position Sensor too that I'm wondering could be the cause.

I put the stock exhaust back on, and put the tune to that. Been using that tune for awhile now.
 
I may get to that point. Going to try a different tune before I get there though. Also going to try another battery to see if it still happens.

Bike came with it. Is it just as simple as unplugging it and plugging the bike back the way it was?

Those Side Shots haven't been on more months. Running stock pipes with Rush Racing slip ons now.

Bike came with it. I bought it from the second owner that didn't know anything other than "the first owner put a screaming eagle kit in it". Screaming Eagle is like Rubicon Express. So, Screaming Eagle what? It does have a different air intake setup. I'm thinking I need a tuner to adjust to the new intake and exhaust.
Ive been a Harley owner for decades. My advice is you should sell it and buy a Honda.

Short of selling it, put the stock pipes back on if you have them, see if the issue goes away. If not leave the stock pipes and dump the fuel pak and see if the issue goes away. If it does put the pipes you like back on and see how it runs.
 
Ive been a Harley owner for decades. My advice is you should sell it and buy a Honda.
I've owned dozens of bikes. I'm not a fan boy. This bike is awesome though. I love riding it. Its a blast.
 
But yea, there's a few alterations I'm going to mess around with tonight. Kiddo's at my folk's tonight so I don't have to worry about cranking it over and waking him up.
 
Try starting it with a jump pack/cables/charger to rule out there battery or maybe overpower a bad ground or connection. If you're on stock pipes you can tune it back to stock and be fine.
 
Try starting it with a jump pack/cables/charger to rule out there battery or maybe overpower a bad ground or connection. If you're on stock pipes you can tune it back to stock and be fine.
yea, I've got another battery I can try. That's on the list of things I'm going to try tonight.

I'm on stock pipes, but the mufflers are slip ons. There's also intake work on it done by a prior owner. But the starting issues just started flaring up more rcently.
 
yea, I've got another battery I can try. That's on the list of things I'm going to try tonight.

I'm on stock pipes, but the mufflers are slip ons. There's also intake work on it done by a prior owner. But the starting issues just started flaring up more rcently.
Intake+slip ons can start getting close to running too lean with the factory tune. I'd be a little careful there then
 
Intake+slip ons can start getting close to running too lean with the factory tune. I'd be a little careful there then
yea, that's why I'm going to change to that second tune.
 
So, Screaming Eagle what? It does have a different air intake setup.
Typically screamin' eagle upgrades go in stages.

Stage 1 = slip ons, back of the airbox removed and kn type filter installed and an ecm flash. If the tune is not done with slip ons, you can get back fire popping on decel plus it can run hot enough to discolor the pipes quickly. (think lean condition)

Stage 2 adds cams
Stage 3 adds jugs/pistons

Im with the others that say to get rid of the add on tuner. Put your choice slip on back on it(I'm assuming it has had a stage 1 done to it) and see how it behaves.
 
popping out the intake can be timing, fuel, or valves. I'd start with fuel and timing and check valve lash. Tight valves can cause all kinds of starting/idling issues
 
Typically screamin' eagle upgrades go in stages.

Stage 1 = slip ons, back of the airbox removed and kn type filter installed and an ecm flash. If the tune is not done with slip ons, you can get back fire popping on decel plus it can run hot enough to discolor the pipes quickly. (think lean condition)

Stage 2 adds cams
Stage 3 adds jugs/pistons

Im with the others that say to get rid of the add on tuner. Put your choice slip on back on it(I'm assuming it has had a stage 1 done to it) and see how it behaves.
I do feel like it has a Stage 1 on it. But it could have cams. No idea.

I put the Rush Racing slip ons, and I do get a popping at pretty high rpms on a shift. but its barely there. I really almost have to force it to pop.

Tonight I'll put the other tune in it, see what happens. If that doesn't do it, yank the FuelPak and see if that does anything. Also try swapping out the battery.

I don't think its as deep as valve lash or anything just yet. bike just crossed 10k miles.
 
Oh, another weird thing too on the tune.

When I pulled the tune off the bike when I first bought it to return to stock, the values were just about al negative. weren't even remotely close to stock. I contacted V&H to see if they could do almost like a reverse lookup on it. Give them the values to see what it was tuned for, but they couldn't.


edit: hah, this dude is having the same issue I'm having: Back firing through air cleaner
 
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Oh, another weird thing too on the tune.

When I pulled the tune off the bike when I first bought it to return to stock, the values were just about al negative. weren't even remotely close to stock. I contacted V&H to see if they could do almost like a reverse lookup on it. Give them the values to see what it was tuned for, but they couldn't.


edit: hah, this dude is having the same issue I'm having: Back firing through air cleaner

This seems like a good thing to check...



Check the electric automatic compression release connections. Should be a connection right near the base of the fuel tank. When they dont work that battery and starter can take a real beating. You may need a wiring diagram for your year or just find the wires from the CR's and follow them back...
 
has it leaked oil all over the ground yet?

if it isn't leaking, that is probably the problem. Harleys need to do that for some reason
 
Cam timing chain hydraulic tensioner. Since 'WAG-ging'.
Long live shovels!
 
This seems like a good thing to check...



Check the electric automatic compression release connections. Should be a connection right near the base of the fuel tank. When they dont work that battery and starter can take a real beating. You may need a wiring diagram for your year or just find the wires from the CR's and follow them back...
mmk. I'll add that to the list too.

Tried calling V&H on the FuelPak thing. Had a couple questions for them. Spent 15m being the "next in line". Finally someone picked up. Sales lady. Started on my questions, I'll connect you to a technician. Well, 30m later I'm still on hold. gave up so I could actually have 10m to eat my lunch. losing faith in this whole FuelPak jobber.

I'm probably going to grab something else eventually. With the intake and exhaust messed with, it's going to need something. Those Dynajets are like $700 though. I sort of want to have access to it, but I'm thinking going straight to a dealer to have them tune it will be the way I go. Bike is fine the way it is outside of maybe some suspension work or something.
 
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