Wolf wont cold start.

[Lou Bornmann]

After jumping the battery with car charger and a car battery it might start but barely turns over.
Once the motor is running and bike has warmed up it will turn over and start throughout the day.
Process of elimination tells me replace the battery, but then I wonder about compression relief valves not operating correctly creating a load on the starter or a bad starter.
What do you think?

 

[Jwooky]

Have the battery load tested

 

[Sven]

Once the motor is running and bike has warmed up it will turn over and start throughout the day.

I'm going to do a little POE by saying... can't be anything with fuel/spark/compression/or any electrical jobber.

Process of elimination tells me replace the battery, but then I wonder about... the starter or a bad starter.

More POE says... can't be an electrical jobber like a starter, compression jobbers, because hot, everything works.

In top gear, run with the bike so you build kinetic heat in the chamber. Now start the bike. If the bike starts after it warms up, it says the battery can take a charge, it can also PUSH the starter over when hot. No jump start when hot...

Get the old lady's hair dryer, you might get a stroke running with the bike, instead heat the heads before starting a cold engine.

 

[ChrisS]

Mine did that the other day. Acted like it was compression locked. I pulled the plugs and cranked it over a few times then it started. Then I read here to rock it back and forth in gear. I did that next time and got air released out of the carb and it started right up. Would think the CR would do the same thing. Duralast gold 325 cca battery is a couple months old and always on the tender. Never a problem until it got cold. My softail with big bore kicks back hard on the starter. I learned to bump the start button once to "burp" it . No more kick back do to shutting it off on compression stroke. When I'm out with friends someone always says don't forget to burp it. Then they wait for the burp out of the carb. Kind of a strange tradition now.

 

[SKOGDOG]

Alternately, try that same hair dryer on the EHC—warm the EHC up for a few minutes and see if it fires up. In my experience (2010 Bagger), it was an early indicator of EHC needing to be replaced. I turned on the key and it wouldn’t start—3 minutes of blow dryer on the EHC—fired right up and ran fine the rest of the day After it was first started and warmed up.
I’m not familiar with your X-wedge engine. But on our 117’s, you can push down on the rubber protector and feel the CR activate when you hit ‘start’. You also hear them click.

 

[Jersey Big Mike]

Alternately, try that same hair dryer on the EHC—warm the EHC up for a few minutes and see if it fires up. In my experience (2010 Bagger), it was an early indicator of EHC needing to be replaced. I turned on the key and it wouldn’t start—3 minutes of blow dryer on the EHC—fired right up and ran fine the rest of the day After it was first started and warmed up.
I’m not familiar with your X-wedge engine. But on our 117’s, you can push down on the rubber protector and feel the CR activate when you hit ‘start’. You also hear them click.

that's exactly how BOTH my EHC's failed on my K-9's -- wouldn't start cold.

On the first K-9 I started it the last (before ehc replacement) by pouring 1 Gallon of hot water over the EHC -- Man the looks I got by starting an air cooled motorcycle with an electrical problem with 1 gallon of hot water!

 

[ChrisS]

that's exactly how BOTH my EHC's failed on my K-9's -- wouldn't start cold.

On the first K-9 I started it the last (before ehc replacement) by pouring 1 Gallon of hot water over the EHC -- Man the looks I got by starting an air cooled motorcycle with an electrical problem with 1 gallon of hot water!

By not starting do you mean you pushed the start button and nothing happened? I pushed the button the starter engaged but engine wouldn't turn over. My EHC was replaced. Bike has 17k miles on it. I have owned it going on 4 months and after all the reading I'm afraid to ride it out of town. I guess if I joined a 2001 HD softail forum I would be afraid to ride that out of town also. or any vehicle i own for that matter. I have never heard a click from my CR after pushing the run button. Think I will investigate that.

 

[SKOGDOG]

The CR’s briefly activate WHEN (not after) you push ‘start’, not ‘run’ button. When the starter engages, it can mask the click of the CR’s. Push down on the rubber covers of the CR and you’ll feel it click when you depress the start button.
If the starter engages but won’t turn over the engine, it’s usually the battery or the starter motor (more likely the battery). Go to Harbor Freight and get a cheapie (or quality) voltmeter and go from there. Battery should read a minimumm of 12. 8 or 12.9 volts just sitting there—better if it reads in the low13’s. Hit start and it shouldn’t drop below 8 or 9 volts. There are other threads on diagnosing the scharging and starting systems—or check out the manuals available in Mr. Wright’s signature block on any of his posts.

 

[ChrisS]

Most motorcycle problems are caused by the nuts connecting the handlebars to the seat

 

[Mikeinjersey]

By not starting do you mean you pushed the start button and nothing happened? I pushed the button the starter engaged but engine wouldn't turn over. My EHC was replaced. Bike has 17k miles on it. I have owned it going on 4 months and after all the reading I'm afraid to ride it out of town. I guess if I joined a 2001 HD softail forum I would be afraid to ride that out of town also. or any vehicle i own for that matter. I have never heard a click from my CR after pushing the run button. Think I will investigate that.

Easiest way to check out that compression releases are firing is to first disconnect the green wire from the starter so the bike won't try to start. Then turn on the key and hit the start button. You should be able to hear the CR's each time you depress start. You will probably need to hit run also. You can also feel them with your finger. They come on for 1 second at the same time the voltage is sent to the starter solenoid.
Your symptom is more likely an overall weak battery or poor connections. Load test the battery or better yet get a new one since you just got the bike and don't necessarily know how old it is. A strong battery is essential for high compression engines.

 

[ChrisS]

Easiest way to check out that compression releases are firing is to first disconnect the green wire from the starter so the bike won't try to start. Then turn on the key and hit the start button. You should be able to hear the CR's each time you depress start. You will probably need to hit run also. You can also feel them with your finger. They come on for 1 second at the same time the voltage is sent to the starter solenoid.
Your symptom is more likely an overall weak battery or poor connections. Load test the battery or better yet get a new one since you just got the bike and don't necessarily know how old it is. A strong battery is essential for high compression engines.

First thing I did was replace the battery but it's an easy thing to check and just because it's new doesn't mean it's good. Thanks for the tips

 

[bdm7250]

One thing to also keep in mind, in colder weather all fluids thicken up causing more effort to crank the motor, once the fluids are at operating temperature its easier to crank. Also good point from SKOGDOG with the hairdryer, heard that many times before.