EFI Idle Speed

[choppers4life]

FI Idle
If the hot idle speed on EFI models falls below preset values, you should check for low fuel pressure.
Low fuel pressure could be caused by a hole in fuel hose inside the tank. If fuel pressure is low, it
may require removal and inspection of fuel feed hose from pump to filter.
If the hot idle speed fluctuates or increases while running, you may have a problem with the engine
temperature circuit. This problem can cause high idle, rough running, and black smoke coming from
exhaust. You can verify this problem by monitoring scanalizer readings when the problem occurs.
Normal reading should be >284⁄F. If readings are observed to be lower, then diagnostics are
required. Most of the time this condition will not register a trouble code. You should perform a thorough
wiggle test on ETS circuit as described in Service Manual. Connections have been found to
be the problem in most instances. If no problems are found with wiring or connections, then a new
sensor may be necessary.



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[coal_man]

choppers4life,

Thanks for posting the information here. My 06 FLHTI has the low/no idle problem when sitting in traffic. Do you know if this information pertains to new models only or FI bikes in general?

Thanks for the info.

coal_man

[xkvator]

coal_man
what did the dealer say when you took it in for the 1000 mile service?

mine's running cooler since i got it back with the factory reprogrammed ECM and CVO injectors. they must have richened it up a bit...there's a little soot on the mufflers now.
doesn't stumble anymore starting out...that was the main thing i didn't like...almost got rear-ended twice in York. once in a while it'll pop back thru the throttle body on decel...i was out all day yesterday & it did it twice.

[Harleyguy1998]

Originally Posted by coal_man

choppers4life,

Thanks for posting the information here. My 06 FLHTI has the low/no idle problem when sitting in traffic. Do you know if this information pertains to new models only or FI bikes in general?

Thanks for the info.

coal_man

That's Heat Management trying to save the engine from you. When you sit in traffic on an air cooled motor it gets hot. Your ECM is programmed to lower the idle, add fuel to richen and thus cool the motor, and then skip fuel. These happen in sequence as your motor gets hotter and hotter while you sit there. When you give it throttle and move, it starts firing again, but if it didn't cool off enough it idles low and skips fuel again when you come to an idle.

[coal_man]

xkavator,

When I took the bike in for the 1000 mile service, the service manager said to get a few more miles on the bike and see if the condition improves. New, tight motor generating more heat Did your dealer have news from Harley to reprogram and change the injectors?

harleyguy,

Is this heat management system new to the 06 fuel injected bikes or injected bikes in general? I appreciate all the additional protection (I think), but I'd be disappointed if the new glide can't handle any more traffic than what I sat in that day. Another carbed twin cam glide sat right beside me in the same traffic and never missed a beat.

Thanks for the comments guys!

coal_man

[GRock]

Coal man,

Heat Management system has been in place for a few years now. The thing that makes them kick in is that the bike is set up lean from the factory. You can get smoother, cooler running and better idle if you richen up the tables and adjust a couple of other idle temp tables. At the heat you are generating the idle temp table, IAC idle setting, etc. cannot compensate to keep you cooler as it is out of range for corrections and it causes the EFI to get false readbacks. So the management system kind of runs home to mama and steps in to do what harleyguy describes. Your problem has nothing to do with fuel pressure.

[xkvator]

Originally Posted by coal_man

xkvator,
When I took the bike in for the 1000 mile service, the service manager said to get a few more miles on the bike and see if the condition improves. New, tight motor generating more heat Did your dealer have news from Harley to reprogram and change the injectors?

coal_man
I had around 1500 miles on...I called HD customer svs...explained the "won't idle in traffic" & almost got rear ended when it stumbled starting out...They DO NOT want that to happen...they gave me a reference # & said to get it back to the dealer ASAP...dealer called HD engineers and they told him to check IAC(was OK)...told him to ship my ECM overnight air to them for reprogramming and to order/install CVO injectors.

Is this heat management system new to the 06 fuel injected bikes or injected bikes in general? I appreciate all the additional protection (I think), but I'd be disappointed if the new glide can't handle any more traffic than what I sat in that day. Another carbed twin cam glide sat right beside me in the same traffic and never missed a beat.

I understand the '06 heat mgt. system was more aggressive...possibly due to the leaner EFI & cat.
it didn't matter if it was in hot sun or in cooler night air...I could really feel the heat coming off the motor & the back of the tank above the rear cyl. got pretty hot.
Last Saturday, a friend('03 ultra)and I rode up to Zepkas...about 50 miles...and i felt both tanks when we stopped and mine actually felt slightly cooler.
He was with me when i had the "won't idle" issue going to York, and he had no trouble at all.

[xkvator]

Originally Posted by GRock

You can get smoother, cooler running and better idle if you richen up the tables and adjust a couple of other idle temp tables.

GRock,
you posted this as i was typing...
are you talking about doing that with the Race Tuner?...or?

[TCSTD]

The 06 heat management varies from previous years as follows

All Models

Similar strategy as current with different parameters.

Normal operating Idle reduced from 1000 to 950.

Hot engine idle reduced from 900 to 800.

Spark timing, air fuel ratio and skip spark all utilized to reduce engine generated heat

RPM's will automatically be increased if required to maintain proper battery voltage.