04 Chopper rolls over only a few times, no start

Energy One

wieland77

Member
My father had an 04 Chopper (completely stock, he bought new) with the 107 S&S. He passed away this last summer and his bikes have been sitting for about a year. This chopper has about 5k miles on it and didn't get used to much, maybe a few times a year. I drained fuel and added some fresh along with a new battery. I'm sure the carb needs cleaned but was hoping to at least get it fired up and out of storage. The engine will crank over for about 4 seconds and then start to fall off like the battery is weak. No clicking at all from the starter, and i also load tested the battery a few times and it is good and putting out over 300 cca. Let it sit for a few minutes and try again, same thing, will crank and then start to barley roll over. Seems like the starter itself is possibly binding up keeping it from turning the bike over properly? No engagement issues or any metal on metal clinking. Could there be something else besides the starter to diagnose? Any help or advice would be appreciated, THANKS! Mike
 

Mr. Wright

Knows some things
Supporting Member
You say it's an 04, but your bio says it's an 03. If it is an 03, it is possible that it doesn't have compression releases. This will make it hard to turn over. Stick you finger in the holes in the top of the valve covers and see if you feel a rubber dome. If not you don't have compression releases. If you do feel them, press them down and few times to make sure they are free. Put the battery on a charger and get back to us.
 

wieland77

Member
Also, when turn the key on the headlight comes on and a red light on ECU, once you hit the "RUN" button a second light come on the ECU. No warning lights or anything.
 

wieland77

Member
You say it's an 04, but your bio says it's an 03. If it is an 03, it is possible that it doesn't have compression releases. This will make it hard to turn over. Stick you finger in the holes in the top of the valve covers and see if you feel a rubber dome. If not you don't have compression releases. If you do feel them, press them down and few times to make sure they are free. Put the battery on a charger and get back to us.
I had an 03 when i joined this forum years ago. This bike is an 04
 

wieland77

Member
I think his bike has the compression releases in the heads, i did not push them down as i didn't realize that's what they were lol I assume they are there and automatically release compression or do you have to do it manually?
 

Mr. Wright

Knows some things
Supporting Member
Lights are good, make sure you CR are freed up. Check and clean all the battery connections, at the starter too. Maybe clean the contacts in the starter solenoid
 

Nukeranger

Nukeranger
Supporting Member
If I had to crank my Big Dog over 4 times, it would put a serious drain on my Braille also. Try charging your battery and using a jump start to assist to make sure it’s not the battery since it hasn’t run in a while. And, if you have compression releases, push one down to make starting easier.
 

TapioK

Well-Known Member
Anyway we are using term CCA rather loosely. I bet none of us have really ever tested that. Why don’t we start using CA. That would make more sense. The CCA on the side of the battery is marketing departments wet dream and hopeful thinking too.
 
My father had an 04 Chopper (completely stock, he bought new) with the 107 S&S. He passed away this last summer and his bikes have been sitting for about a year. This chopper has about 5k miles on it and didn't get used to much, maybe a few times a year. I drained fuel and added some fresh along with a new battery. I'm sure the carb needs cleaned but was hoping to at least get it fired up and out of storage. The engine will crank over for about 4 seconds and then start to fall off like the battery is weak. No clicking at all from the starter, and i also load tested the battery a few times and it is good and putting out over 300 cca. Let it sit for a few minutes and try again, same thing, will crank and then start to barley roll over. Seems like the starter itself is possibly binding up keeping it from turning the bike over properly? No engagement issues or any metal on metal clinking. Could there be something else besides the starter to diagnose? Any help or advice would be appreciated, THANKS! Mike
May want to check or replace the spark plugs, as you mentioned may want to clean the carb too since it sat for awhile.
Check to see if you are getting spark to your plugs , then I would check to see if I am getting fuel .
 

Nukeranger

Nukeranger
Supporting Member
Anyway we are using term CCA rather loosely. I bet none of us have really ever tested that. Why don’t we start using CA. That would make more sense. The CCA on the side of the battery is marketing departments wet dream and hopeful thinking too.
Yeah, you’re right about CCA. Who would put there battery in the refrigerator to get to the CCA temperature? The shelves wouldn’t handle the wait of the big batteries too. It’s probably already crossing the line when we use the kitchen oven to heat up components prior to dropping in bearings which we cooled down in the freezer. :):whoop::oldlaugh:
 

Jersey Big Mike

100K mile club
Yeah, you’re right about CCA. Who would put there battery in the refrigerator to get to the CCA temperature? The shelves wouldn’t handle the wait of the big batteries too. It’s probably already crossing the line when we use the kitchen oven to heat up components prior to dropping in bearings which we cooled down in the freezer. :):whoop::oldlaugh:
More importantly, the CCA spec requires the battery be at 0 Degrees F for 24 hours (is sub-freezing temperature) I doubt many of us have access to a facility to do that.
The CCA rating done when load tested is a "best guess" based on an ideal battery and the mathematical calculation of temperature effect on battery -- If there is a flaw with something in the battery it will not be correct.

The CA is what should be used but some vendors that claim a CCA of 500 are actually marketing using the CA of the battery.

While it's a great thought to start using CA with the confusion in the industry about it there will always be people here who believe the hype and not the reality.
 

Ernie12

Active Member
My father had an 04 Chopper (completely stock, he bought new) with the 107 S&S. He passed away this last summer and his bikes have been sitting for about a year. This chopper has about 5k miles on it and didn't get used to much, maybe a few times a year. I drained fuel and added some fresh along with a new battery. I'm sure the carb needs cleaned but was hoping to at least get it fired up and out of storage. The engine will crank over for about 4 seconds and then start to fall off like the battery is weak. No clicking at all from the starter, and i also load tested the battery a few times and it is good and putting out over 300 cca. Let it sit for a few minutes and try again, same thing, will crank and then start to barley roll over. Seems like the starter itself is possibly binding up keeping it from turning the bike over properly? No engagement issues or any metal on metal clinking. Could there be something else besides the starter to diagnose? Any help or advice would be appreciated, THANKS! Mike

First off I would like to offer condolences to you and your family. I doubt that the gas is bad being that its only been sitting a year. Like others have said check all of the connections and clean them up. Also you said you bought a new battery but if you bought a cheapo from one of the auto stores that could be a problem also. Let us know how it goes and maybe someone on here is in your area that could stop by and help out.
 

Nukeranger

Nukeranger
Supporting Member
I keep my freezers at zero degrees. So, I could do this testing if I wanted but who really wants to. I can tell in the winter that a battery struggles to start a high compression engine.
 
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