Engine Light: Your Thoughts

[Ironpig9]

  Took a cross country trip in June and a thousand or so miles into the trip the check engine light came on. Bike is a 2002 RK, fuel injected, Andrews 26N cams, upgraded cam plate, tensioner etc., running Rinehart true duals and a Big Sucker air filter. Bike has 59K on the clock. Ran through the code checking procedure and all appeared fine. Yet, each day would start out without a light which when I had gone 25 or so miles would come on. I ended up riding over 4K miles with the light on. Bike ran fine, got 40 mpg on average. Took bike into dealer last week and explained what was going on (commented that the light came on when bike was warmed up). A few days later dealership called to say they had tracked the problem down to the Power Commander 3 getting ready to go south. I picked the bike up and rode it home, took off the Power Commander and did a test ride. A few miles down the road on came the CEL. So it isn't the Power Commander causing the CEL.
Your Thoughts plz.

[kd]

Starter kick back is known to trigger that vintage FI model. It should however clear after 50 starts (usually less unless it reoccurs).  Have you experienced any hot start kickbacks on the trip or since then?  It will  not leave a code.  Have you tried disconnecting the battery and letting it sit?

[xlfan]

A thermal glitch in engine temp sensor can activate CEL w/o setting a code.

[rigidthumper]

Code checking procedure prior to 2004 models had you jump pins 1 & 3 of the data link connector, turn the key & run/stop switch on, and count the flashes of the CEL bulb, to see what codes were set. That may give an indication of what's happening, and which direction to go.

[Ironpig9]

Good suggestions everyone. I have located the temp sensor in the shop manual wiring scheme but have not a clue where it is on the bike. Can anyone point me in the right direction?

[rigidthumper]

Screwed into the front head, about 1/2 way between the intake manifold and the horn bracket/motor mount.

[Fugawee]

A few years back a Buddy of Mine had either an 02' or 03' Fatboy.  Check Engine Light would pop on, and the Bike ran OK.  Tried retrieving the Codes...no luck.  After checking this, that and everything else...it turned out to be a Plug Wire that was separating at the Crimp below the Boot at the Spark Plug.
Hope You find the problem.

[bump]

Back in 02 I took a trip on my month old 1000 miles about 2500 miles. Light came on and we stopped a a dealer who put new spark plug wires on.  Tech said it was code (no combustion rear cylinder). 2 days later the light came back on, finished trip. Pulled plugs out and looked at them, seemed ok. Took bike to dealer I got it from they changed the coil, Said code was no combustion front cylinder. Left dealer and about half way home light came back on. Stopped at local auto parts store and got 2 Champion plugs, light went away and hasn't come back in 20 years. On my shovelhead when you get misfire you swap plugs, Might have done that, thats why the code switched cylinders.