Hi - can anyone help - Sportster 883 Custom 2008 (with EFI) - the battery ran out 'coz the bike wasn't started for 2 months, and I've tried jump-starting the bike with my car battery - the engine turns, but the bike won't start. I can't seem to hear the Fuel Pump "purr" when I turn on the Ignition. The Fuel Pump 15A fuse is ok. What can I check, and how do I do it ? I'm in India, where there's no dealer/service available. And yes, there's plenty of fuel in the tank + the spak plugs are - well - sparking !

PLEASE HELP !!!

 

I'd say try getting the battery charged properly, then try again.

 

....thanks v.a. - will do - am a bit surprised, coz it was running fine when i last rode it, and i've done only 80 miles on the Odo - there's also a solenoid "chatter" sometimes when I hit the starter button; at other times the engine turns over just fine (but doesn't run!!)

 

Make sure you check the fusebox for corossion, also swap the relays around and see if the fuel pump runs. Could be bad relay.

 

Ah, OK - I suppose you mean the Starter and System relays ? Thanks, guys.

 

Happened to me twice - both times it was the relay - I now carry a spare relay in my pouch - had to be towed both times for a 15$ relay.

 

Can using the car to start the motorcycle damage any type of electrical wiring?

 

i think its ok to jump a bike with a car but the car is not supposed to be running at the time. too many amps.

 

Update : tried starting after 2 months; battery was low - got it recharged and reconnected. Now the engine turns over sometimes, and sometime there's a loud "chattering" sound (Owner's manual calls it "solenoid chatter". But even when the engine turns over every 2nd/3rd try, the engine doesn't fire. Model 2008 Sportster XL883 Custom - I'm in India, with nearest dealer 2,000 miles away, so have to do a DIY on this !!

PS - I could earlier hear the fuel pump "purr" when I switched on the ignition, now there's just a "click"-on and "click"-off like a relay kicking in and out, but no "purr"ing sound. Checked the Fuel Pump 15A fuse (even replaced it), no luck; switched around the System and Starter relay blocks, still no luck. How can I check if the Fuel Pump (which I suspect) is busted ? HEEEEEELP !!!!

 

I looked through my service manual about this but couldn't seem to find exact info on testing the fuel pump. So here's what I'd do.. You should definetely hear the fuel pump purr for a few seconds when the key is turned on and the run switch on. If not I would check current going to the fuel pump fuse when you hit the run button with the key on with a voltage meter. The fuel pump fuse is the small 15 amp fuse at the top left of the fuse block. I dont know what the voltage would be but you should get a reading on the meter. I'm assuming you would have power to this fuse which then would feed current to the relay and then to the fuel pump. If you have power to the fuse then the next thing I'd check is the relay. I'll look through the book a bit more and see what I can find for info on testing the relays.