I bought a 1999 FXDX with 17k miles from my brother in law a week before Christmas 2021. It needed a battery to get it running, and overall maintenance items to be road worthy. New tires, brakes bled, oil change, carb clean, fresh gas (91 octane of course) things of that nature. I got the bike to where I’m comfortable taking it out on the road, and everything was great. For about 3 rides.

After that 3rd ride, of course the day I decide to commute on the bike, when I was almost to work, at any stop signs or traffic lights it was difficult to keep the bike running, and acceleration from a stop wanted to kill the engine.I was worried I wouldn’t make it to work, so I pulled over to glance over the carb. My idle seemed a touch low (about 900 rpm) so I raised it to about 1000. Yes it was my idle and not fuel mix screw. The bike idled as expected for 30-45 seconds when it then began to idle at around 2000-2500. I freaked out and turned the idle screw back to its original position, and the bike died. It cranked and cranked for 10 minutes until finally it started. Idle was still very high, but I didn’t want to be late for work so I jumped on and arrived on time. (S&S super E by the way)

10 hrs later leaving work, the bike won’t start. Cranks until the battery dies, and wont start. Tried bump starting with 3 burly dudes pushing all the way through the glug glug glug glug and no luck. Wife picked me up from work, and I picked the bike up with my truck the next day.

Spark plugs were fouled, new plugs (gapped to .038) didn’t solve the issue. I got a recommendation to change the crank position sensor. Changed it and that didn’t solve the issue. Started checking all the harnesses and plugs, cleaned them all out with compressed air, everything seems to check out in that department. Grounds, battery connections, ALL GOOD.

Petcock flows gas when turned to on, I replaced the fuel line. Carbs getting fuel and accelerator pump is engaging when I twist the throttle. Nice fan of fuel shoots into carb throat. Spark was a touch weak, I replaced the coil, now I have strong blue spark. Still, the bike just cranks and cranks and cranks until battery dies, no start.

Found a thread on how to make check engine light flash with trouble codes using a jumper wire on the scan port. I got a 44 code (bank angle sensor). New sensor installed, still no luck getting the bike started. Checked codes on the speedometer d01 through d10 all clear. I’ve replaced all my fuses, still no luck. Rough compression check with just my thumb over the plug hole, and it’s strong, blows my thumb off HARD with every revolution on both cylinders.

My neighbor cruised over one night because he heard me cussin, throwin wrenches, and cranking on the dang bike for about 30 minutes. We pulled the plugs which I’ve already done as well as go through the carb (5 freakin times) and I got the idea to bump the gap up a little (.040 now). We put the plugs back in, and it fired up immediately (idle still high) although this time when I turned it down, it stayed running. I took it around the block just to stay close to the house for 3-4 laps really getting on the gas to warm the bike up. (Still had to stay on the gas at stop signs to keep it running) but it seemed just fine in the higher rpm ranges. I got back to the house, and it died before I could mess with anything. Wouldn’t start again, crank crank crank crank, till the battery dies, no start. And that’s the way it’s been for a month. No matter what I seem to do, can’t get the darn bike to start.

Ive done everything I know to do as far as checking the essentials for start up. I’m not a mechanic but not stupid either. I’ve owned the bike since December and now it’s coming up on March and I’ve ridden the bike I was dying to get and worked my *** off for 4-5 times. Brother in laws got no clue what’s going on and neither does previous owner. Harley wants $150 just to diagnose. I’m the only income for the family and wife’s being supportive but not havin the dealer thing.

I apologize for the novel but wanted to give as much info as I could, hoping one day, if my problem is solved, this thread can help another dying soul FXDX owner lol

Any feedback is greatly appreciated

 

Did you rebuild the petcock?

 

I'm no mechanic so my advice is worth what you paid for it. Try starter fluid if your bike starts and runs for the couple seconds on repeated tries you have a fuel supply, carb or vacuum leak issue.
Might have some dried out manifold gaskets or other intake system leaks that need inspecting.

 

No I haven’t rebuilt the Petcock. However I did pull it and clean the attached screen/ filter. Wasn’t bad but did clean it. When I reinstalled, fuel flows whilst on and in reserve position. When off, it’ll drip at about 2 drops a minute. This Petcock does not have a vacuum line. I’d probably rebuild the Petcock to see if it fixes that drip, however I don’t have an overflow leak from the carb

 

Thanks for the response, starting fluid won’t start the bike either. I’ve tried on a couple occasions with no luck. It will crank a little faster like it wants to fire up, but still not happenin. When I pulled the carb for rebuild I threw new o-rings on the carbon fiber spacer and on the carb so those should be good and sealed. Not sure if there’s gaskets or o-rings where the manifolds go to each cylinder. Any recommendations on how I could I go about testing those when I can’t get the bike started? Way to do it while cranking maybe?

 

Check CPS or CAM PS

 

Well if it's a non vacuum type, it's probably not the issue, Can you check compression? It may be something serious like disintegrated cam chains. Make sure the carb hasn't com loose and that the manifold spigot for the carb vacuum line still has a cap on it.. Plugs still wet. New plugs? There is a way to dump codes from the ignition module. IIRC it requires shoring to pins on the diag connector and observing the engine light.. You could have a bad ignition module, crank sensor or cam sensor.

 

I ordered those manifold gaskets and they just arrived today. Going to put them on tomorrow and see if the bike will start.

 

I do not have a compression tester, but I’ve held my thumb over the spark plug hole on each cylinder and it blows my thumb off hard with every revolution. I don’t think my problem is compression. As far as the cam chains, there’s no nasty noises coming from that area. The spigot is capped off with a new cap, that’s one of the things I replaced when I first got the bike. I’ve tried new plugs and properly gapped them with no luck. And yes I’ve done the trick on the diagnostic connector and got a 44 code which is bank angle sensor. I replaced that part with no luck either. Crank sensor has been replaced, isn’t the cam sensor/ ignition module the same?

 

only reason I ask if ignition module and cam sensor are one in the same is because both parts look the same and appear to be behind the timing cover on various bikes. There’s nothing but an empty space behind my timing cover