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[1 Orange Eagle]

Started my three month tour last week on the Orange Eagle.  Ran great through the snow, sleet, rain, and all the other fine spring weather!  We hit texas and the bike started acting out.  Ran, quit, ran again, quit again...limped into the next town (has a dealer lucky, for me).  Seems the TCA is hooped out.  I checked all the codes, the dealer checked and diagnosed, then confirmed.  Now the story I'm getting is that the dealerships can't just order this part.  They have to go through some Q & A with the MoCo before a new part can be sent.  My problem with this is that I'm entering day 4 with a broken down scoot.
Has anyone experienced this Actuator problem before and has similar problems.  Searching past history here, they seem to destructing around the 20,000 mile mark.  The dealer has been great, lent me a bike, let me poke around the shop, but why can't this be a stocked item? Especially when its a warranty issue!?
(Yeah, the 11's don't seem to fit the '09 (part #'s) so he can't take one off a showroom bike).
Opinions??

[hd-dude]

If it is the TCA then next day air a unit in from another dealer and get you back on the road! They can do a search on HD net and locate one for you.

[michaelbmenaker]

I had more or less this same problem...A TCA is a tech services controlled part and basically unobtanium.

Long story short, I shipped my bike home, bought a plane ticket and gave up on riding home. And, my local dealer found that it was a broken wire, NOT the TCA. TCA failures are very rare. Perhaps you too have a broken wire? Mine was behind the air cleaner.

Hope your story has a happy ending.

[michaelbmenaker]

If it is the TCA then next day air a unit in from another dealer and get you back on the road! They can do a search on HD net and locate one for you.

Dude, doesn't work that way. It's a tech services controlled part. When I was (mis) diagnosed with the same issue last September there were 4 TCAs in the entire US. As I noted in my other reply, in my case the dealer had misdiagnosed the problem (yes, all the codes indicated it was the TCA, etc.) and it turned out to be a broken wire. My dealer in CO found and fixed the problem in 4 hours, but it sure screwed up the end of my trip.

[kraut]

anyone mind to explain to me what "TCA" is?

Please, I'm clueless 

[Buy early]

anyone mind to explain to me what "TCA" is?

Please, I'm clueless 

I'm guessing Transmogrified Clusterf*ck Actuator.

[Twolanerider]

I'm guessing Transmogrified Clusterf*ck Actuator.

It's a new one on me too Mark.  Though given the asinine parts handling procedure that's being described your description is pretty tame compared to what I'd give it. 

Can't imagine how some suit decided it was actually a good idea to establish a system wherein, by matter of established and mandated procedure, the Company claims balls big enough to say, "Yes, your new bike is broken.  And we're not giving you a warranty part until we're damned good and ready.  Kiss my ass and live with it."

[Chains]

Throttle Control Actuator or


TCA Chemical Peel Photos Before & After Treatment Harley Cosmetic Clinic plastic   

[michaelbmenaker]

anyone mind to explain to me what "TCA" is?

Please, I'm clueless  

Throttle Control Actuator
Upon further review... it's Throttle Control Assembly

[Twolanerider]

Throttle Control Actuator or


TCA Chemical Peel Photos Before & After Treatment Harley Cosmetic Clinic plastic   

Oh......  That thing in the handlebar.   D'uh....   So something that mission critical, that potentially has at least minimal exposure to the elements, that can be so easily accessesed by both the shop and the end user and that really isn't that hard to change is a piece Mother Harley gets their panties in a wad about?

[kraut]

Throttle Control Actuator ...

thank you very much, now I got it 

[grc]

The throttle control assembly listed in the catalog I looked at referred to the handlebar sensor, jumper harness, and grips.  The throttle body, to which the throttle actuator motor is attached, doesn't show a separate part or number for the actuator.  So if we are really talking about the actuator at the throttle body, then it looks like it might require a complete throttle body replacement.  Even if that is true, it still shouldn't be a BFD for Harley to get one shipped to any dealer overnight for a unit down situation.  I think what you have really stumbled onto is another attempt by Harley to control costs, since just letting the incompetents at the typical dealership do their usual "replace parts until we accidently fix it" routine could get awfully expensive.  Who knows?  Regardless, Harley needs to get you back on the road.  Have you talked to anyone at the MoCo yourself and explained the situation, like you're a long way from home and basically stranded waiting on them to fix your defective motorcycle?  With situations like this one, I don't think I would just depend on the dealer, no matter how nice they are, to be my spokesperson.


Jerry

[michaelbmenaker]

The throttle control assembly listed in the catalog I looked at referred to the handlebar sensor, jumper harness, and grips.  The throttle body, to which the throttle actuator motor is attached, doesn't show a separate part or number for the actuator.  So if we are really talking about the actuator at the throttle body, then it looks like it might require a complete throttle body replacement.  Even if that is true, it still shouldn't be a BFD for Harley to get one shipped to any dealer overnight for a unit down situation.  I think what you have really stumbled onto is another attempt by Harley to control costs, since just letting the incompetents at the typical dealership do their usual "replace parts until we accidently fix it" routine could get awfully expensive.  Who knows?  Regardless, Harley needs to get you back on the road.  Have you talked to anyone at the MoCo yourself and explained the situation, like you're a long way from home and basically stranded waiting on them to fix your defective motorcycle?  With situations like this one, I don't think I would just depend on the dealer, no matter how nice they are, to be my spokesperson.


Jerry

When I was down with a diagnosed TCA failure, I spent hours on the phone with HD Customer Service. This IS a tech services controlled part and there are very few in the country (4 in the US last September). I was told it would take 10-14 days to get one. That's why I elected to ship my bike home and deal with it there.

Unlike 1 Orange Eagle, I was at the end of my trip. When it was all said and done (and it took a lot of work), between my extended warranty and a "goodwill" payment from HD Customer Service, I recovered my hotel and meal costs (extended warranty) and about 1/2 the shipping cost. No airfare help. Was I happy?, no, but it's all I could get.

[Chains]

Throttle Control Actuator
Upon further review... it's Throttle Control Assembly

Well I got close, no cigar   

[Cvostu]

Did the check engine light stay on until the motor cooled off?  I had symptoms on a brand new rg ultra and the motor would not rev over 2000 rpm. It was possibly on one cylinder and would barely move.  Pinging as well..   I don't have this issue any longer, I gave the bike back.  

[cwright2]

A friend of mine had two of them replace on his 2011 RG ultra. Now the dealer keeps them in stock.

[Cvostu]

After reading this, I think this is what I went through,,  How can it be that a bike with only 750 miles can have a problem like that?