Check engine light/fuel light and randomly not starting

[Mad Maj]

Hey folks, I’m new here and new to motorcycles in general. Someone gave me a 2007 roadstar that wasn’t running due to an electrical issue, no turnover. I got the service manual and diagnoses that it was the decompression solenoid (common issue as I understand). I installed a new one and got it to turn over but not start. I went to try to start it again and nothing! I turned the key off and on and tried again and nothing. I waited 10 minutes and it worked again a couple times then nothing again. I gave up went inside and tried again in an hour and it turned over a bunch of times and almost started. After a few more almost starts it went dead again, no turnover. The battery is good, ground seems to be good, I’ve tested all switches previously. Any ideas?

also the fuel light blinks 8 times (guessing fuel sender unit)
and engine light does 3 long blinks then 8 short blinks. Can’t quite figure out what that is. What I found on here seems to point towards fuel sensor or something.

sorry for the long post and thank you all in advance for the much needed help.

[Tcontrol]

looks like a code 38 is the decompression solenoid…

you just got bike and have not had it running… a methodical approach will identify which issues need troubleshooting and problem resolution…

question 1… are you a mechanically inclined ‘do it yourselfer’…?

question 2…. Have you ever worked on a small engine or car motor?

question 3…. Can you follow directions?…(step by step in proper order without deviating from the directions given)

question 4…. Do you have some basic tools including a compression tester and a voltmeter with the knowledge to use these tools..?? ( this question is kind of important..)

the 07 roadstar is a fuel injected model if i remember correctly… the fuel pump is in the tank and it uses throttle body injection… sensors include O2 sensors, manifold pressure sensors, intake temperature sensors… etc… does it have the factory stock ECM (engine control module) or an aftermarket unit such as a ‘Power Commander’

In it’s most basic description: “A motor requires spark and fuel to run”…. If we establish that you have spark… then we must confirm the fuel is injected into the throttle body… these are easy tests to perform by a mechanically inclined individual…

are you ready to play the game?

[Lug Nut]

2007 is carbureted. Do you hear the fuel pump Energize when you turn the key? That would be where I would start. When you say battery is good how new is it? Did you check all relays and fuses? Have you pulled the carburetor to see if there's fuel in the bowl? Half the test the coils possibly and also check to make sure the connectors to the coils are seated properly.

[Shotround]

ethanol damage.

[Mr. Miyagi]

Asian difficult?

[Tcontrol]

I stand corrected on the fuel injection versus carbureted version….

still basic troubleshooting though…. Does it have spark at all plugs…. Remove plugs and turn motor over with each plug grounded… check each plug for spark… you may need to refresh the spark plug cap to coil wire connection at a bad spark location… each coil fires the two plugs at same time… once you have established spark at all 4 plugs… than we can continue the troubleshooting….
…
One step at a time…

[Father Pobasturd]

Yea, don't do a bunch of different shit at one time and then try it. One thing at a time, that way you know what cured it

[Mad Maj]

Thanks for all the reply’s folks, really appreciate it.
i am pretty handy and have worked on small engines and have most tools. The battery is new and on a charger. I replaced the decompression solenoid with a new one and used the new wires/harnesses meaning I did not cut and solder. The fuel pump is working. I have tested all switches and relays. It was almost starting!

today I took the carburetor off and cleaned it, put it back on and it started with the choke out and as long as I revved it a bit but would die after a few seconds if I let off the throttle or if I pushed the choke in. Have not checked the spark plugs. When this has happened to me before it’s usually a carburetor issue/clogged jet or something.

however I am still having the problem where after trying to start it a few times it all of a sudden won’t do anything no click no turnover nothing. I really want to know what this is all about! Any ideas? Some safety mechanism?

Thank thank thank you all!

[Shores]

What your calling a choke is actually an enricher which adds more fuel. It is very common and often necessary to leave it out for a half a minute or so and slowly push it in as the idol smooths out. Don't just pull it out all the way or push it in all the way but rather use it to smooth out the throttle until the engine warms which could take several minutes.

[Tcontrol]

Since you want to skip steps…
unknown condition of spark plugs… you might have to check that all plugs spark..

if the oil changes didnt use a V-twin rated oil with proper zinc content…. You may have a bad cam… you can check for a bad exhaust cam by removing filter and hitting the starter…. If you get a blowing puff of air from the carb throat… bad cam/lifter… an intake cam would suck air in the exhaust pipe… or… you could just take the rocker cover off of each cylinder and watch the pushrods… should have zero lash to the rocker arm… if any are quite loose… bad cam/rocker…

i am putting this out there because you decided a step by step approach did not seem mean anything to you for problem identification/resolution…. Lets just throw everything against the wall and see what sticks…

[brianmac]

Starter brush plate cracked, known weak spot. Try in neutral battery to starter direct

[brianmac]

Shot battery?

[Mad Maj]

It starts most of the time. Sometimes I go to hit the start button and nothing! I turn the key off wait a couple minutes and try again and it works sometimes it doesn’t. Really weird. No rhyme or reason it seems. Anyone experience this? Ideas?

[Tcontrol]

Your replies to information are very misleading…. You said the bike would not start…. Almost but not quite…. Then you say it will run with the enricher pulled…. Then you say the battey was dead… then you say the battery is good…

you seem to want to do nothing that was asked of you regarding checking each plug for spark… weak spark means difficult to start….

if you have a bad cam/lifter… difficult to start, excess compression for starter to overcome… overheat starter… starter stops…

examine starter for broken plate/dirty communator, excess brush dust….. no reply that it was even looked at….

if your fixated on the starting circuit…. Then get a voltmeter and start testing switches, safeties, relays, and wire harness plugs…. Certainly nobody will be able to assist you if you cannot perform a methodical approach to eliminating things that were already asked of you….

and yes…. I was going to try and assist you with identifying and resolving your problem…. I find that will be next to impossible since you cannot seem to follow any directions or answer simple direct questions…..

my suggestion would then be…. Take it to somebody who can actually troubleshoot and solve problems….

[Mad Maj]

T control, I'm sorry if I have irritated you in some way. I'm still learning. I never said the battery was dead, not sure where you saw that. Yes it would not start at first but I have been working on it in a very methodical way following the service manual. It's an electrical issue so I diagnosed that first and it came down to the decompressing solenoid being bad, replaced that and it turned over. Checked for spark replaced plugs cleaned the carb and now it starts and runs.

I thought I was doing a good job but your comments made me feel like an a-hole.

Anyway no hard feelings.

The bike runs great now's
The only issue I'm having now is that the dcs stays stuck in the open position even after the bike has started and has been running. Shouldn't the plunger thing suck back in? It stays out and starts getting real hot smoking! I have to unplug the harnesses for it to go back in. It's a new solenoid. I have examined the wireing schematic and traced every wire and tested for continuity. The only thing that I can't test is the igniter unit. Could that be bad? It's a $500 part.

Any suggestions?