Looking For a Harley Forum Like This Site.

[Tom H]

The title kinda says it.

I am looking for a Harley help forum that is like the way it is here. Down to earth and the business of the topic and not alot of yahoos that will talk down to people new to Harley.

But while I'm here since I know some here ride HD's............

2007 Street Bob 96" Dyna. Only mods that I know of are the handlebars, seat and saddlebags.

Issue is that when ridden on the freeway at about 65-70 for lets say 1/2 hour more or less and "normally" in hot weather (happened today with about 65 deg F) and then stop at a store for a few minutes, it will crank fine until you wear the battery down, but not start. This is at least the second time it has done this. To get it to start, a jump pack was needed. First time AAA, this time a small bike portable jump pack. But, it still did not start right up. Seems like I had to let it cool down 15 or more minutes before it would start.

One thing I have noticed when it wont start is the small of "nasty" burnt fuel. Sorta like it's rich. This bike is FI. The second thing I noticed today was with the stock air cleaner off, it would occasionally belch a bit of fire from the TB while cranking it.

Once I got home and shut it off, tried to start it and it would crank, but again not start. Moved on to other things and then about 1/2 to an hour latter I tried to start it and it cranked and started up 3 times in a row perfectly just like it should.

BIW: A friends bike, 2008 I think, occasionally has the same issue of crank but no start. But he says it can do it after a 5 minute ride on city streets, stop at the market for a few minutes and no start. He has been able to get started without jumper assistance.

So, if anyone knows of a good forum or has thoughts on this it would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you!
Tom

[bad Chad]

Good luck!

[Ncdan]

Tom, just Google, or whichever search engine you use, as there are several available. One can specific a particular model they wish or HD in general.
HD discussions here can become testy and sometimes don’t last too long, therefore discretion is needed.
Thanks.

Dan

[nc43bsa]

I don't know much about the Harley system, but the rich-smelling exhaust and the flame-belching from the throttle body suggests a temperature-related ignition system failure. 

Most FI systems take the cue to fire the injectors from the pulse-generation part of the ignition, so that might be OK since the injectors seem to still be working. 

Coil breakdown, perhaps?

[Tom H]

That's why I was asking if there is a "decent" non yahoos/down talkers forum.

I have searched for help before, many forums have come up and been helpful for previous issues. I have solved those issues.

Like I wrote above, now I need to ask a question. So I'm looking for a good forum to ask in.

n43bsa, It does seem for my issue to be heat related. Maybe it is a coil issue. But, while it was still not starting, I used a screwdriver in the spark plug boot and held the screwdriver near the head and it was sparking. I was thinking a no spark issue, but then again the small of nasty, not just raw gas smell of a carburated engine.

Thank you!
Tom

[twowheeladdict]

Wish I could help, but I only go to a Road Glide specific forum.

When you open the fuel cap is there a woosh of air being sucked in?  Sometimes the vents get blocked.

[sgl0226]

HD forums

[n3303j]

Belching fire from a throttle body?
Only possible if sparking when the intake valve isn't closed.
Possibly intake valve not closing properly or ignition not being cued properly.
Don't know what your machine uses for lifters (solid or hydraulic).
But with the fact that it happens after running I'd suspect it's an electronic component with a heat issue.
Possibly ride carrying a can of component chilling compound and when the problem happens again chill ignition related modules and see if the problem disappears.

[Huzo]

The only way you’ll find one of those, is if we all buy a Harley.

[AJ Huff]

Let me know if you find a decent HD forum. I'd be interested too.

-AJ

[Guzzistajohn]

Lets start one here. Ever ride a HD after eating steel cut oats? 

[Tom H]

Yes, there was a flame coming out of the TB. Not a backfire type, but a breathing type flame. And the exhaust smells nasty about 15 feet away. A carb car will have a sweetish nose burning smell when flooded, ya know a gas smell. This is like the smell, but burn the crud out of it.

I totally agree, it's a heat related issue. If this was my Loop, after checking everything about the valve settings and ignition, I would replace the coil or the condenser one at a time.

I would think coil as a heat related, but I did get spark with a screwdriver in the spark plug wire. It looked strong in the daylight I was working in, a nice white blue, not a dull yellowish.

I also thought about a crank position sensor or the like. Asked a friend with experience about this sensor and the symptoms were not the same. Failure of it results in a complete no run of the bike.

HD Forums, bookmarked and will look further into it.

Thanks!!!
Tom


Just read the last post before I replied. NNOOO Steel Cut Oats into the HD discussion, Who knows where that will go 

[cookiemech]

I like Harley Tech Talk:  https://harleytechtalk.com/htt/index.php

HTT seems more tech oriented and less about chrome, Neighbor Hater exhaust (thought it was a joke, but no), get back whips, and so on than the others.

[kballowe]

www.v-twinforum.com

[lazlokovacs]

I'd like a Mercedes forum like this one, a Land Rover forum like this one, a Triumph forum like this one, a Ducati forum like this one and an Alfa Romeo forum like this one please.

Hope you get your Harley problem sorted.

And we're truly blessed to have this Wildguzzi thing.

[Scout63]

Wildharley.com. Luap are you listening? What could possibly go wrong.

[geoff in almonte]

a Triumph forum like this one

And we're truly blessed to have this Wildguzzi thing.

www.triumphrat.net

As far as the HD issue - sounds like a coil or whatever serves as a coil these days.

G

[blu guzz]

I have been thinking about getting a twin cam 88 harley to go with the Goose.  The 96 is also a twin cam.  One problem that comes up each time and must be addressed and that is the wearing out of the cam chain tensioners.  There are a lot of utube videos on this.  I bring this up because if the bike has over 5,000 miles, it would be a wise precaution to check these.  If they are worn and are putting the bike out of timing, it could lead to that issue, maybe.  I am not a mechanic or diagnostician, but from the little I know about timing, it could be worth exploring those videos.
I would be interested in your findings if you want to report back after solving this.

[Moparnut72]

Harley Tech Talk is the place to go. Great bunch of guys. I found them when I had Harleys. I don't have one anymore but visit the social section, Earl's Place daily. The guys there are just like local friends. The tech sections are specific to classes of bikes like Softails, Sportsters etc. Be sure to register, opens up extra features.
kk

https://harleytechtalk.com/htt/index.php

[Tom H]

The sites that have been listed I have been to before when I would google for help on an issue. Never asked a question, just read to solve my issue.

The HTT looks like a nice site. V-Twin has way too may boards going on. Do I ask about my bike in the Dyna or Twin cam forum. I think will sign up on it as well. HD Forums has the same issue of posting in Dyna or Twin cam. I guess I would need to read those a bit more to figure out where to post the right question.

More about the issue. An hour or so latter after the bike cooled it started perfectly 3 times in a row. Didn't feel I needed to try more times.

Thanks again!
Tom

[Bulldog9]

If there is a form that focusses on restoring and running the OLD models (80's or older) you may find a better and more mature crowd.

I've been impressed with the general tone and quality of content in ADV, but find that forums with younger crowds and newer are filled with a bunch of smart mouths and keyboard warriors. That said, I have seen more drama and baloney here than on many forums over the last 6 years (though much better the last 2 years).

I've never looked at a Harley Forum, so these are just guesses. I was a moderator on the original XS11 Owners Forum and one of the original members of SAABNET back in the late 80's early 90's. Haven't looked at them in years.

[John Croucher]

https://www.hughesengines.com/TechArticles/12hydrauliclifters.php

[fotoguzzi]

If I had that problem I would use my smart phone and call up the service department at St Paul Harley Davidson.. they know their s___.
 Also the best place for Buell parts , they bought up a bunch of stock parts when HD folded the Buell franchise.

[Kev m]

I have been thinking about getting a twin cam 88 harley to go with the Goose.  The 96 is also a twin cam.  One problem that comes up each time and must be addressed and that is the wearing out of the cam chain tensioners.  There are a lot of utube videos on this.  I bring this up because if the bike has over 5,000 miles, it would be a wise precaution to check these.  If they are worn and are putting the bike out of timing, it could lead to that issue, maybe.  I am not a mechanic or diagnostician, but from the little I know about timing, it could be worth exploring those videos.
I would be interested in your findings if you want to report back after solving this.

There's a huge difference between the spring loaded only tensioners of the TC88 and the hydraulic tensioners of the 06 Dyna TC88 and all 07+ TC96 or 103.

Whole the early model tensioners might fail as early as maybe 20-30K the later ones are generally considered 50-100k.

There said I find your theory interesting and compelling enough to consider.

[rschrum]

My guess would be ignition module. Last one I replaced for a guy was backordered 6 months.

[knockerjoe]

I have owned many Harleys from this era. This is more than likely a Crank Position Sensor problem.
I have had many go bad that had the same symptoms as you. Harley codes are easy to pull, no special equipment.
Good luck!

[Tom H]

I have owned many Harleys from this era. This is more than likely a Crank Position Sensor problem.
I have had many go bad that had the same symptoms as you. Harley codes are easy to pull, no special equipment.
Good luck!

I was thinking that could be a possibility. I asked a friend about that. He used to do cross county rides in a group. He always carried a spare and had needed to use it for a group member. But...he said the symptom was the bike would just quit running.

But... then again, that could explain the flame out the TB. Bad crank info to the ECU.

Might just replace that, I think they are reasonably priced. But I would have to wait for 1 or many rides to find out if it solved it.

Thank you!
Tom

[Tom H]

I posted on the HDForum and the Techtalk. Only two responses on the HD. But the Techtalk has given me some things to look at and has been friendly.

AJ, you might look at the HTT site.

I have been thinking about the crank sensor. I think they work or they don't. While in my no start issue, I was able to use a screwdriver in a plug cap and it did spark. I'm now starting to think it's not the crank sensor.

A suggestion was the engine temp sensor. They can cause the bike to run rich and backfire when they have issues. I vaguely remember hearing a few pops out of the exhaust just as I was parking the bike. Maybe it's failing and shows up when the bike is hot??

Need top look into that more.

Tom