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2013 Starting Issues

6K views 4 replies 4 participants last post by  DarkHorse 
#1 ·
I'm at my wits end with this stupid bike...

2013

5000 miles

My friend got it new back in '13; shortly after he had an Akrapovic Ti full system installed, PCV and O2 optimizer. Couple months later he lowsided it on the street cracking the timing cover and lots of broken tupperware. After it was repaired by the insurance company the starting issues began...

There is no clear pattern as to when it fails; the damn thing starts when she wants. I've had my friend call me in the morning, after we were supposed to meet, asking for help to get it start. That's a cold start failure; we usually end up jumping it from his truck and it goes. But it also fails to start when hot, on our way back after having breakfast we usually stop at a gas station that is close to the restaurant, 90% of the time it will have a hard time starting and 10% we end up pushing it to start.

Basically it will crank and it will just give a couple misfires. Crank again, and again, and again... the battery is flat. Sometimes it will catch after one of those misfires. Runs like a dream once it starts; it pulls like a freight train.

Done:

- PCV was removed - didn't help.
- Akrapovic full system is gone - didn't help.
- Replaced the battery, twice.
- Keep it with a battery tender. Same thing, sometimes it just won't start.
- O2 optimizer - gone, same thing.
- All sensors test OK and there is no FI light (no codes stored in memory). I've paid special attention to the CPS; I've measured the resistance a couple times and it tests ok every time.
- Yesterday I took out the starter, brushes are in spec and the magnets are fine.
- Spark plugs are fine and they have "instant" coffee color, so they are fine.

The day my friend dropped it at my place so I could check the starter I tested and it started fine, 7 or 8 times, until the battery started giving out. Yesterday after reassembly it had a very, VERY, hard time starting. Maybe air in the fuel lines? (LOL!) I had it hooked to a car charger / jump starter and finally it started, let it run until the fan came on, shut it down and it wouldn't start again. At this point the battery was giving out so I left it on the battery tender and went to grab a bite. After having dinner I was going to take a video to upload it here, and guess what? It starts. 5 times in a row, no problems at all. I hate it.

Honestly I have no more ideas. Logic tells me that this has to be related to the crankshaft position sensor, as the problems started when the timing cover was damaged, but the stupid thing doesn't show any signs of failure.
 
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#3 ·
How cold was it out when it wouldn't start in that second video? This is what my bike does in the cold. The colder it is out, the worse.

I am in the process of dicking around with Flashtune settings to try to counter this. Richening up the mixture at the low RPM/cranking portion of the tune seems to not help me at all. Next up is a tweak I did to the Enine Coolant vs Ignition table to increase the values in the range related to coolant temps below 50 degrees F. It's going to be in the 30's tonight here so I'll be able to test it.
 
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