BIG DOG = BIG PROBLEMS!!!!

[flbikerchick]

I have an 04 Mastiff, and sadly it only has about 300 miles on it, because it will not run. The main issues seems to be the carb and EHC. It has always ran rich. It's been to the dealer numerous times and they never seem to get it right. The bike loads up pretty quick, especially when idling, then of course it tries to shut off. A bit of throttling helped get it acting better. Then the electrical issues started. Blinkers coming on by themselves and staying on, break lights flashing like hazard lights for no reason while your riding. Then came the day when the bike without warning just started shutting off while I was riding down the road. Damn near got killed! The EHC was replaced, that helped for a very short time, then it started doing it again. Now totally frustrated with Big Dog and the dealer not being able to fix the stupid thing (just drain my wallet) I took the bike to a different mechanic. Once more a new EHC, jets and float in carb adjusted, because they were incorrect. Timing was adjust because it was also set incorrectly. All seemed okay. Then the electrical issues started again. Once more an EHC issue. My mechanic contacted Big Dog, who refused to offer any assistance because he was not Big Dog dealer or authorized repair center. We also learned there many bike owners going through the same EHC issues. Big Dog still refuses to admit there are issues with the EHC, their only answer, raise the price on the EHC, because they were selling so many. I contacted Big Dog to see if I could get some help, since I've now spent over $1000.00 trying to get this stupid thing to run. Their answer, take it back to the dealer (who could fix it the first time) for repairs (of course at my expense) and they would try to help the dealer figure out what is wrong with the bike. NO THANKS!!!!! I'm still having issues with the bike, I can not ride it more than about 5 minutes, before it starts warming up and then starts popping and stumbling and then just shuts off. It will not start until it cools down, about 30 minutes. This thing is nothing more than a BIG boat anchor. 30K on a bike plus another 1k on repairs and it is still won't run. ANY ideas what could be causing all these issues. I would love to be able to ride my bike, but I can't trust it!:bang:

 

[Raywood]

Welcome to the site and let us help you get your dog going.

First off are you using the enrichener to start the bike? If so then stop, it just fouls out your motor so fast you don't realize it. Change plugs and don't use it again. You certianly don't need to use it living in FL.

Second, your symtoms seem to indicate you have a weak battery. How old is it and do you keep it on a tender. Remember your bike loses up to 2% per day.

What dealer do you have working on it. Hopefully it's not that Carl's but if you can get it over to Tampa and have Shane look at it. He's been working BD's for over 8 yrs and knows what he is doing where as other shops have new mechanics fresh out of V-twin school and don't know nothing about our dogs.

New plugs and battery and tell us if this helps.
Welcome again,
Ray

This is what your bike will run like if you use that damned enrichener!
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14VS0lJfCEA"]YouTube - my BigDOG Chopper[/ame]

 

[BBChopper]

Welcome to the site and let us help you get your dog going.

First off are you using the enrichener to start the bike? If so then stop, it just fouls out your motor so fast you don't realize it. Change plugs and don't use it again. You certianly don't need to use it living in FL.

Second, your symtoms seem to indicate you have a weak battery. How old is it and do you keep it on a tender. Remember your bike loses up to 2% per day.

What dealer do you have working on it. Hopefully it's not that Carl's but if you can get it over to Tampa and have Shane look at it. He's been working BD's for over 8 yrs and knows what he is doing where as other shops have new mechanics fresh out of V-twin school and don't know nothing about our dogs.

New plugs and battery and tell us if this helps.
Welcome again,
Ray

This is what your bike will run like if you use that damned enrichener!
YouTube - my BigDOG Chopper

Thats what I was thinking too Ray!!!!!! All good advice!!!!

 

[pig pen]

I think the ehc gets blamed on alot of unrelated issues. Easy to change parts when your not sure whats wrong. Hang in there when you find a good dealer to figure it out you will be all smiles.

 

[BBChopper]

I think the ehc gets blamed on alot of unrelated issues. Easy to change parts when your not sure whats wrong. Hang in there when you find a good dealer to figure it out you will be all smiles.

Rays right about Tampa BDM!! If ya cant get her running take it there!!!

 

[pig pen]

Rays right about Tampa BDM!! If ya cant get her running take it there!!!

BBChopper I agree about Tampa they have nothing but great feedback here. I wish I lived near them, also the weather has got to be better. You guys are lucky to have such a great dealer.

 

[LDO]

Hell of a first post!

Where in Fl are you? 04? Was it brand new when you purchased it?

I agree that an authorized BD repair facility (or any mech worth his salt!) should be able to get you back on the road but, unless you are taking it to Tamp BD who has a proven track record, you would have better luck reading up a little on your service manual (you do have one right?) and taking the advice of the members here.

I've seen these guys get sick dogs back on the road and become trouble-free with only a few posts and PMs. Way more satisfying (and cheaper) to do it yourself anyways.

Good luck.

Here to help.

LDO sends.

 

[BBChopper]

BBChopper I agree about Tampa they have nothing but great feedback here. I wish I lived near them, also the weather has got to be better. You guys are lucky to have such a great dealer.

I wish they wernt 3 hrs away!!!:angry:

 

[LDO]

And I'm twice that far and then some!

 

[N8KAM]

As several have said the EHC gets blamed ALOT. and most of the time it is not the problem.. And if yours has been replaced and you are still having the problems do you really think it could be another bad EHC. i doubt it... Try replacing your ignition switch... this cures a lot of the erratic EHC issues like the shutting down and abnormal light issues...

And Welcome to the pound.. How about some Pic's??

 

[Guillaume]

2004 Manual

STARTS, BUT RUNS IRREGULARLY OR MISSES:
1. Spark plugs in bad condition or partially fouled.
2. Spark plug cables in bad condition or have been detached (be sure to check both ends of
each spark plug cable).
3. Spark plug gap too close or too wide.
4. Battery nearly discharged.
5. Damaged wire or loose connection at battery terminals or coils.
6. Intermittent short circuit due to damaged wire insulation.
7. Water or dirt in fuel system, filter, or carburetor
8. Fuel vent system plugged.
9. Air leak in intake manifold.
10. Air filter clogged.
11. Defective ignition module.
12. Defective ignition coil.

 

[BWG56]

Another thing I didn't see mentioned here is check you oil level. My Buddy had an 03' Pitbull puking oil out of the carb, drained some oil and new filter and plugs and he was fine. Two weeks later another friend with an 04' Pitbull had it back to the dealer 2 times and it kept fowling out and letting him sit. Checked the oil level, drained some out, new plugs and air filter and he has not had a problem all summer. The 04' was not puking oil from the carb but it was enough to saturate the air filter and fowl the plugs. Manual states to much oil it will come out the air cleaner.
Just my .02 for something else to check.

 

[regken]

Im about as pissed with Big Dog and the electrical problem Ive been having- I could just shoot it and put it out of its misery. My 05 chopper cuts off on me with no warning at whatever speed Im going and its very dangerous. I will never buy another big dog!

 

[regken]

Rays right about Tampa BDM!! If ya cant get her running take it there!!!

My chopper has been at Tamap BD for 3 weeks now and they cant figure it out!. If thats the best dealer in Fl, Ill buy another Harley

 

[Nomad2day]

Im about as pissed with Big Dog and the electrical problem Ive been having- I could just shoot it and put it out of its misery. My 05 chopper cuts off on me with no warning at whatever speed Im going and its very dangerous. I will never buy another big dog!

Hey,
BBChopper has a big fixcking hammer if you really want to put it out of it's misery

I went through a lot of trouble with mine as well "a 07" when I bought it and somehow BDM dealt with me and my bad attitude when I just wanted to shove the bike up someones ass....
Bob at BDM has every reason to hate me seeing how I took everything out on him and I bashed him when he broke out some electrical manuals and tried to help me when the tech department was blowing me off and the dealer was trying to clean there hands from the bike because I said it was a safety hazard to try and ride it. I figured it would cut off trying to cross a intersection and I would get killed.
"Jason", thanks dude, at the factory, took me under his wing, brought the bike back to the factory and corrected what the dealers never could in all the visits and did a few other things for me. Mine was dealer issue for sure. They left such a bad impression on me I don't think I would buy another one. I would not even leave the house without tools on the bike at one time.....Mine is a EFI bike which was new to the dealers at the time to boot.
It took time but everything got ironed out one way or the other in the end. I have busted there balls more than one time but they have bent over to help me out many, many times.......
I had to stop threatening them and treat them like I wanted them to help me to bridge the gap of closing the door in my face and open up avenues of true resolutions.....
I hope someone gets your scoot figured out and all the cob webs out of it soon so you can enjoy that beast soon...
There are other solutions to running the EHC anyway....
Wish I lived in Florida so I could enjoy mine more..
Good luck with it... and I think your bike is in good hands in Tampa as well
Neil

 

[Wallace Bettes]

Good luck friend i sametimes ride a 2001 still with only 8000 miles. This time it broke down, i think because the ignition switch went bad i think. The time befor that riding down the road just shut down would start back up a while later, REAL BUMMER. Then started rought spittin and sputtering back fireing all the way to my local rep. He changed ehc, ignition mod, rebuilt the carb,drained the gas tank and cleaned, and did something to the timing, WOW got bike 2 weeks later, At WOPING $943. and change. When i said something about price he stated he did"nt charge 14 hours of bench time. The bike fine for about 10 blocks, Starting backfireing running rought, I rode to South V Twin where rebuilt the carb becasue it was leaking, reset the timing. $140 total. Runs like a bet out hell for 6 mounts. Now power at all. I hope it's the switch i have power to the to the switch but nothing past that. I really like the bike, But i hate the Bull S*** that comes with it. Wallace Melbourne Fl

 

[Slider]

Hey FLchick. I've got an '04 too. Over the past 4 years, I di-greased, torqued, shrink wrapped, changed plugs, checked for carb leaks, rejetted, dyno'd, changed ignition switch, all the above plus more. In spite of all that, I always had unpredictable electrical gremlins. I know-it pisses you off. When the dealer first replaced the EHC in '05, the bike would run great- in my case, for about a year. Then, more weird ass gremlins- and not the same gremlins as before. BTW, my EHC has been replaced two more times after the first- for electrical gremlins.

The EHC is not often the problem but when it is, it's a bitch for everyone. And it seems some EHCs are problematic, (you got an '04 right?) but you gotta rule out the more common problems before condemning the EHC. If you still have problems after that, there is another solution, get rid of the bike or ditch the EHC :up:

Quite a few on the forum have gone EHC-less. The EHC-less crew are all beta testing in a way, but I haven't heard any complaints so far and my bike has never run better. I've put 700 miles since going EHC-less and not one single issue. I may be wrong but in my opinion, almost all of my gremlins were related to the EHC. I trust the new wiring so much more than the EHC that I'm riding my chop to Laughlin at the end of the month- 700 miles one way. When I rode there two years ago, the EHC problems I had halfway in the middle of nowhere scared the shit outta me. I know what your going through. Keep posting though, even if it's just to vent, cause there are decent bikers here who will help you along.

Good luck. Slide

 

[Vegas]

Sell them and buy Harleys. I find it very hard to believe that you had 3 bad EHC's in a row. Somebody isn't finding the actual problem and just replacing parts. These things just aren't that complex.

 

[PurpleDog]

Im about as pissed with Big Dog and the electrical problem Ive been having- I could just shoot it and put it out of its misery. My 05 chopper cuts off on me with no warning at whatever speed Im going and its very dangerous. I will never buy another big dog!

Damn... sorry your having such troubles. I'd agree with others to sell it if you can't get past being so pissed over it. Let me know what you'd like for it, I may come down and rescue it from you. Pics? We don't wanna call PETA on ya bro... I am serious btw, let me know what ya got there.

 

[seatmaker]

A lot of horror stories but mine, 05 Ridge, still running strong. Only a melted headlight connector so far. :2thumbs: