Softails have a relay that gets rusted and shorts out. If memory serves me it's in front of the rear tire. When you find it it will be rusted or falling apart. A dead, or shorted battery can give you the same symptom.

 

Lots of good tips! Thanks.
Some very positive aspects to this event. This could have been extremely dangerous.
I was very lucky it happened where & when it did: while it was still twilight to see at one of few places in 40 rural miles with pullover shoulder. One of only three places with streetlights.
I had cellphone service and was able to charge my dying cellphone with hotwired pigtail to bike battery. I convinced Geico to accept motorcycle towing service my Indie recommended and I had the MC tow guy's phone #. He came out on a Saturday night. I was only 6 miles from home after a 500 mile ride.
Luck, or Something Bigger.
And you guys, with your knowledge and advice on how I can fix it myself.
Thanks.
Now it's night, time to push the bike up steep driveway into lit garage.
tbc

 

The main breaker is mounted on the rear fender extension. Check for voltage at each stud on the breaker, if you read system voltage, go up to the ignition switch, unplug the connector and read the voltage at the red wire on the connector.

 

Getting back on this, been away weeks. QC, Joe G and GTMalone, thanks for the instructions on cleaning ignition switch.
Still no joy juice. All electrics dead, although the battery has good charge.
Removed, disassembled ignition switch, cleaned out grease with carb cleaner, 320 grit sandpaper, very thin film dielectric grease, reassemble, still dead.
Took switch apart again, cleaned in 91% isopropyl rubbing alcohol, meticulous reassembly: No Joy.

Removed pos & neg cables from battery and the two ground posts. Scrubbed and sanded and dielectrified grease, re-assembled, No Joy Juice.
That does not prove the switch is bad. At least it's clean now! (don't want to buy $120 switch, 3 weeks.)

Ran probe test light from pos+bat to center tab of switch: probe lights up. Does that prove there's no fault btwn bat and switch?
Also probe from neg bat to center tab of switch: probe lights up. Does that prove anything? (Other than I don't know wtf)
Checked all four 15A circuit breakers: weird breakers, all look same, guess they're all good or all blown. If these are breakers, how do you re-set after blown?


Next: The Underbelly: next steps:
check starter cable to breaker, rubbing on frame etc,
check main breaker and 30A breaker/fuse under rear fender extension
im, why continuity meter that makes noise? So I don’t have to look at it?
What's a “hard short” . . . ? vs a soft short?

 

Sorry, using shade tree words..
#1 hard short= a bad strong short, one that is a complete short and not intermittent.
#2 The continuity tester that makes noise was just to make identification easier by not having to get up.
You seem to hands on, so i will guess that battery is good and is showing 12.6 volts. Battery has 6 cells with each at 2.1 volts DC when fully charged.
#3 If you loss full power i would not think it was the battery. But a shorted battery positive cable could cause it. The cable is only about 1 foot long so i will guess that you looked at it from battery to post on top of starter.
#4 You must check the ONE main breaker the 30 amp breaker part # 74599-77B it is about $9.50 ..
I think the ONE main breaker is tripping or released the electrical ghost.
I will provide a parts finder link so you can better understand.
Just enter year then find model then look under electrical or just use the part number.
http://partsfinder.onlinemicrofiche.....asp?make=hdmc
http://partsfinder.onlinemicrofiche.....asp?make=hdmc

 

When you google the part number you can see how the main circuit breaker looks with the two threaded posts.

 

I apologize for delay in reply. I've been away a lot and wanted to have something to report. Well, I do have something to report: I had a moment of joy. About 2 seconds of joy.
Engine started once, ran a minute, tested running volts, turned it off.
Now starter spins, no hint of starting, no rear lights, no riding lights. Joy gone.

Dreadful Details, chain of events
First, thanks to all of you, plus 2 Stickies I found:
First mistake: I skipped some of your advicde.
Second: I let a very Harley-enthusiastic relative work on it without me, as I've been away 2/3 of the time. Doesn't have a Harley, wants one, his job is mechanic, so. . . . ok. Good guy but next time I'll let him assist me or let him work on the Honda minivan.
Said 30Amp breaker ok, installed temporary battery, healthy 12.6v. Ignition on, headlight on, started engine, ran awhile, volts 13.x, shut off. Said higher voltage running showed alternator was charging, so no worries about draining a fresh battery.
I was skeptical that root problem was solved but . . .
I came home with new DuraLast ETX20L, AGM, 310 cca, 12.6v in store.
I charged on battery tender an hour to 12.8v. Installed.
Ignition on, headlight on, spin starter, starts, runs two seconds, dies.
Continue to spin starter, no hint of starting. Has never acted like that. She always tries.
Also only high beam comes on, not low beam, not two white running lights. The front turn signals come on. No rear lights.
Sh__.
So, this time I'm doing it myself, my obsessive self, the way you guys laid it out, in order.

Thanks.

 

Here's where I'm at:
Old battery was 6.5Volts.
New battery 12.9 volts. (New, did not load test).
Starter cranks nicely, fast.
Couple days ago engine started and ran no problem, charging 13.x volts (mid-high13's).
Second time started ran 2 seconds, quit.
Since then engine shows no sign of starting, starter spins fast. Only high beam works, no rear lights.


Regulator:Negative battery post to pin 1, 0.4 volts, and pin 2 is 0.9 volts.
Ohms across both regulator pins is 0.
Therefore regulator shot.

Stator:Engine metal ground to each socket of stator, ohms 0. Also 0 from battery neg post.
Ohms across both sockets of stator: sometimes counts down slowly to 0 from a few volts, then slowly climbs to 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, stops climbing. I repeated many times, same results.
But, sometimes varies wildly, erratically from 10 to 100. Repeated many times, same results. Multimeter is new $20 Chinese digital "auto".

SoI figure regulator is shot, and stator is okay.

Am I right? Regulator bad, stator good?


Next: buy new regulator, 74519-88A. Third wire out of regulator goes way back to 30Amp breaker, so I’ll replace breaker while in there.
Thanks in advance.



(Lights: I’ll buy some 15A breakers, can’t hurt, maybe solve. Clean & dielectric everywhere. )

 

Replacing 30 amp fuse. I can see it but how can I get at it to replace?


(breaker still works but I am installing new regulator and it's wire goes to 30A breaker. Figured I would replace it while in there.
Alternative I see is keep the breaker, splice into wire from regulator to breaker?)


Thanks,


FLSTC 99