S&S in starting cold weather (after riding)
#11
11-23-2014, 09:08 PM
#12
11-23-2014, 09:20 PM
Join Date: Jan 2011
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"Most motorcycle problems are caused by the nut that connects the handle bars to the seat."
I know it has been true for me!!!
#14
11-24-2014, 08:33 PM
#15
11-26-2014, 07:32 AM
Gotta question for the S&S Super E folks. Starting in cold weather is no problem, 3 squirts and enricher up and she starts in a couple of tries every time. The issue that I'm having is in cold weather after having ridden and the engine cooling back down. I was out tonight and by the time I was ready to leave it was probably in the low 40's high 30's. The engine was cool to the touch but, not ice cold. I crank and tried all kinds of different things and she wouldn't start. I sat for a while and tried to start with no squirts and she started, I pulled up the enricher to get a high idle and then tried to ride off, she back fired and quit. I let her sit for a minute and started up again and again applied the enricher to get the high idle. I say for a couple of minutes and then rode off, she ran rough till I shut the enricher off. Once things got good and warm the bike rode fine.
What the heck is the proper sequence for starting in cold weather on a warm or not so warm bike with the S&S carb? I had one on my old Heritage and it seemed that it was much easier to start in cold weather than this one. That bike had cams and a SE ignition. This bike is stock except S&S and mufflers. Cold weather makes fuel injection seem pretty cool (no pun intended).
It's a 1988 FLHTC.
What the heck is the proper sequence for starting in cold weather on a warm or not so warm bike with the S&S carb? I had one on my old Heritage and it seemed that it was much easier to start in cold weather than this one. That bike had cams and a SE ignition. This bike is stock except S&S and mufflers. Cold weather makes fuel injection seem pretty cool (no pun intended).
It's a 1988 FLHTC.
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mplecha (12-27-2018)
#16
11-26-2014, 12:15 PM
Road Warrior
My 92 Heritage absolutely will not start unless I use the enricher. I pull it full up, hit the start switch and as soon as it fires I put the enricher down and idle it up a little until it warms up. I've never had a problem with fouling plugs. My 85, I haven't figured out what it takes yet. What works one time doesn't seem to work the next time I try it. Usually I need to turn it over a couple of times prior to using the enricher. Otherwise it is hard for the starter to turn it over. Almost like a hydraulic lock. The 92 is stock and the 85 is stroked and high compression and they are completely different beasts.
Last edited by Tailbreaker; 11-26-2014 at 05:59 PM.
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tar_snake (12-21-2018)
#17
11-26-2014, 05:07 PM
Seasoned HDF Member
Preference
S&S makes a great carburetor ( I use a E series) but you will probably never see an identical build where the starting procedure will be the same. When I was running a 9.8 cr I used the enricher all the time cold , summer and winter. Then I upgraded my motor with 10.5 :1 wisco milled to 10.2:1 cr and needed it only for morning starts only and had problems with too much fuel at times and now I'm running wiseco 11:1 milled to 10.8:1 and do not use it at all if I do it floods the motor making it harder to start. So what I'm saying is that you are going to have to find what makes you motor happy and at what times to us the enricher or not. It's not a stock motor and does need a little caressing......
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tar_snake (12-21-2018)
#18
11-27-2014, 10:09 PM
Cruiser
I have the S&S E so
When it's cold as you describe I start the bike by pulling the enrichener out all the way pull in the clutch don't touch the throttle and press the start button and the bike fires up.Run at fast idle for 30 seconds then push in the enrichener. It goes to a slow idle.Let it warm for a little while then go.Then take it easy for the first few miles.Works the same way every time.
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tar_snake (12-21-2018)
#19
12-17-2018, 07:17 PM
Advanced
I got an eighty thousand cc ironhead with a Sand S super e and a printed service manual. During warm weather the cold engine is started with just the lever up. The lever is not needed for restarts unless the engine really cools down. During cold weather I just have to twist the throttle once. The manual tells you to twist the throttle first before the lever is raised up. I do it that way. After the warm engine sits for a while and cools back down all I have to do is raise the lever up. As far as the lever goes I try to get it back down as soon as possible so no spark plugs foul. You can really tell when the engine is warned up it runs that much smoother. Plus the manual tells you while adjusting it to ride the bike for a half hour first when the temperature is below 60 degrees.
#20
12-17-2018, 07:27 PM
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I got an eighty thousand cc ironhead with a Sand S super e and a printed service manual. During warm weather the cold engine is started with just the lever up. The lever is not needed for restarts unless the engine really cools down. During cold weather I just have to twist the throttle once. The manual tells you to twist the throttle first before the lever is raised up. I do it that way. After the warm engine sits for a while and cools back down all I have to do is raise the lever up. As far as the lever goes I try to get it back down as soon as possible so no spark plugs foul. You can really tell when the engine is warned up it runs that much smoother. Plus the manual tells you while adjusting it to ride the bike for a half hour first when the temperature is below 60 degrees.
Not sure the OP is still here BTW.