The operating principle is the same. Your theory would be plausible if it was a single cylinder engine, however in a multiple cylinder engine the crank slows down twice (or more). Now the ECM is really confused isnt it? See why it doesnt make sense?
You were almost there....
Since the ECM knows where TDC is on the #1 cylinder and where the crank is in it's rotation when it detects the RPM drop it not hard for the ECM to figure out which cylinder is under compression.
I guess if H-D was in to acronyms like the metric bikes they could have sticked it V.S.I.P.C. for variable speed ignition position concept.
Regardless, OP- did the "smoke" come out of the A/C or the pipes? Odds are what you saw was atomized fuel and air being expelled through either an open intake valve (engine "spinning back" from letting go of the starter) or out the pipes as a wasted charge as the ignition was syncing.
I noticed a white puff of smoke that hovered above the engine. Not sure exactly where it came out from.
I noticed a white puff of smoke that hovered above the engine. Not sure exactly where it came out from.
The smoke escaped through the breather due to the cylinder being fired while the intake valve was open. This does no damage to the engine.
I'm sorry that this post ended up taking the turn that it did but I felt that you deserved to have your question answered correctly and not with something silly like "you didn't hold the starter button long enough."
Originally Posted by trnewman
....... I'll leave the motor mechanics to professionals.
I noticed a white puff of smoke that hovered above the engine. Not sure exactly where it came out from.
Just a thought. Same thing happened on my bike right after i got it. The puff of white smoke came from my battery terminal/cable. It was real loose and had just came back from the stealers 1000 mile check up.