[tomk]

I have hot stalls after riding for a while pull up to a light pull in the clutch and watch the RPM's drop to 0 start the bike back up and it will idle. Going to check the throttle cable and thinking about taking it and getting the HD flash done.

I am experiencing exactly the same problem right now. After riding for about 5 to 10 mins and when I need to stop at a light, whether at 1st or 2nd gear, when I pull in the clutch, the engine idle drops and dies. Restart and it will idle normally again.

Have we nailed the problem yet, or should I just send it back to the dealer?
Someone with an advise?

 

[sxrxrnr]

I have fought the stalling battle since purchasing my 03 new in March of 04. Bike is currently in shop again(been there 7 days) for further evaluation. HD tech is to drop in next week. I have numerous posts on the topic under my name. HD customer service says they have NO reports of stalling issues on Vrods. Will stall at idle sometimes, but normally during downshifts, usually when cruising at 3 to 5 thousand rpm. Odd, that I have never had on an upshift.

 

[trickvrod]

Mine did this too, though my solution was painfully easy.

If I hadn't ridden in a week, and I'd pussy ride it for a bit (say w/ girlie on the back) it would 'rough up' down at idle, behaving like plugs were fouling.

Taken to the extreme and it would begin stalling.

What I figured out was that the back cylinder is fouling the plug. Take the bike out and wail it's tail for 5 min and it'd run ok again.

But again, the stalling would return shortly.


Dyno AFR does not show the bike rich at idle (or low speed), also it's not stinky at idle like an overrich engine would be.
Plugs have been changed (did solve the stalling for a little bit, but stalling came back.)


Then one day when I got home (w/ girlie) it was real bad just trying to get it in the garage (one cyl clearly not fireing at low RPM) and I thought maybe it wasn't getting enough juce. Also when cranking it 'sounded' like it was low on batt power.
So I charged the batt overnight.

In the AM it was fine, fired right up and purred.


So my theory was that the V's charging system doesn't gen enough juce to charge the batt and run the coils (and lights etc) at full power when the motor is at idle.

I have verified this countless times, when my bike begins stalling I charge the batt and the stalling goes away.

If I ride it every day or at least ever other this problem doesn't occur, ONLY after it's sat for a week or so do I have stalling issues.
It's documented that the stock 'security system' will drain the battery dead in a fairly short time (est 3 weeks) unless you plan for it to sit for 3 weeks and disable the security system (put it in storage mode.)


HD says the charging system is 'working as designed'



Or so goes my theory on my bike. So before you pull your hair out when your bike is stalling, try charging the battery overnight.
Your mileage may vary.

 

[Zijspan]

Regarding the charging system:

My service manual indicates the alternator/regulator can provide 22 amps @ 1200 rpm, and 36 amps @ 3500 rpm. If we assume the low rpm case, and lets say 13 volts, we get (22 amps) x (13 volts) = 286 watts. At the higher 3600 rpm we get 468 watts. My quick check suggests the fans may be as high as 85 watts each (ouch). The tail/running lights should be less than 30 watts total (don't stand on the brake, and run the turn signals all day), and the ECM/TSSM/... is under 1 watt (mine measures 0.87 watts when the fuel pump is running). So if this is correct, we have:
65 watts (stock headlight high beam)
85 watts (fan 1)
85 watts (fan 2)
21 watts USA (tail/running lights), HDI model is different here
1 watt (ECM/TSSM/...)
___________________
= 257 watts USA

Comparing this to the 286 watts output by the alternator/regulator at idle, it seems that the battery should stay charged, even at idle with the fans running. The HDI (international) model has different blinker and running lights, so this calculation does not apply there.

I'm probably a bit high on the fans, so in reality, it's probably even better than this. And, I'm guessing you would be in quite a unique situation if you leave your bike idling for a LONG time (tens of minutes or hours), and the fans are running the whole time (VERY hot day).

But, if you hold the brakes on (29 watts for brake light), and turn the blinker on (29 watts average for 50% duty cycle), then you might exceed the capability of the charging system. But that would really be an odd situation. So, I still say the charging system should keep the battery charged, even when idling.

Now, for a twist. The three wires coming out of the alternator on the left side cover of the motor have a screw clamp inside the case to hold down the wires. I have seen where that clamp and wire routing was not done perfectly, and metal wore through the insulation and shorted out (to ground) one wire from the alternator. If that happens, you will not loose 100% of the charging capability, but you will loose enough that the battery may not stay charged. To check for this condition, you only need an ohm meter to check for a short between each of the three wires, and ground. There should be no electrical connection between any of the three wires and ground. There are further more elaborate checks of the charging system that are explained in the electrical manual, but this simple check with an ohm meter is really easy to do.

 

[pintvrod]

We also did what trickvrod said. It has been over a year now with no stalling problems for both of us. As I said when the issue stopped is when we had the idle and throttle cables installed and the same night is when we started hooking up the battery tender to our bikes after every ride and only take it off when we are going riding. Hope some of this info helps because I know exactly what you are going through. I had a wife ready to sell hers ( and she totally loves her bike ) if the problem wasn't solved.
Doug

 

[Heckofadeal]

I have an 03 with K&N and Vance & Hines and reprogramed computer and it dies when stoping even if the clutch is in and for no reason, starts back up and runs fine for a few days and then does it again! It is hard to get something fixed when it does it just now and then!

 

[AJL]

New battery seemed to work for me. Problem gone or is it memorex?

 

[VrodTommy]

Wow, I'm sort of glad that I'm not the only one with stalling issues. I have a 03, fairly stock with the esception of the power commander, and screamin' pipes. For me I get a intermitent total bike shut down, usually when coasting down for a traffic stop with the clutch pulled in. Engine dies, no electrical. It fires right back up. So, far no code's, and no idea. At first I thought it might have been fuel pick-up, but then why the electriacl shutdown?

Any ideas?

 

[sxrxrnr]

I resolved stalling issue on my 03, however the resolution included HD purchasing my bike back under Lemon Law. Too late to do that now on your bike. Do a search on my handle or on stallling and you will find a wealth of threads on this topic and suggestions as to cause. They will include low battery voltage, butterflies on throttle not in sync, bad coil(s), bad coil lead, fuel flange recall, loose battery cable connection, grounding wires not properly tightned, improperly adjusted throttle cable and or idle. I went thru the entire gamut, which included many trips to the dealers, HD Customer Relations(ho, ho), Field Rep coming out for a ride and look see(ho, ho). VrodTommy, your description matched mine exactly but of course I was told by HD that they had never had any reports of similar problems. But as some Sage once said, "it is not a known IBM bug until every user has reported it twice".

 

[Cheatin]

Wow, this is the way to resurrect an old thread!! Be proud of yourself, you'll be under someone's skin shortly!! :rofl:

 

[rog0717]

So I've read through several of the posts here and hate to bring this up again but my 04 VRSCB just started giving me the "stall" issue. I've never had the problem before but like Danii mentioned in another post, it happens to me regularly right after I fill-up the bike at a gas station. The last three times it's been consistent: bike is running warm/norm operating temp, I pull in to fuel up, use premium as always, and when i start it back up she spits, farts and dies on me! WTF?! Could it be the ethenol in gas lately? I'm no tech, so hopefully someone can give me their expert opinion or I'll run it past the stealer next time it's in for service.

 

[Max]

Roger the ethenol we have is terrible here. While I don't get the stall my mileage is down and I can tell a difference in performance when I just fuel up outside the DFW area. I'm betting it is costing us about 5% in both economy and performance.

 

[amo247]

Stalling....

I installed a Power Commander with the map for the "Street Rod".
The stalling is gone completely. The down side is that my Street Rod
is "very thirsty" for premium gasoline. Like 25 MPG. Oh well...
I do ride fast.