The starter on my 1994 Heritage Softail was acting up. It would click through the relay but starter would not engage. Newer battery. I rebuilt the solenoid because the copper contacts inside were pitted badly and heavy carbon buildup. Now it is acting up again, this time even worse.
If I don't move the bike and just hit the switch a few times, it will eventually kick over. Then I can pull the bike out of the garage, hit the button a few more times and it will eventually start. Now it has gotten to the point where if I hit the switch the second time it will not engage the starter. A shop told me it may be something intermittent with the switch itself since it seems to be okay before I move the handlebars. They suggested jumping the starter. My question is before I do that, where should I hook up a jumper wire? Is there any other culprit or should I just replace the starter all together? Thanks.

 

If your relay is clicking, it shouldn't be the switch, in the solenoid, the copper washer can be cleaned or just flipped over to the new side, as you did,but you must also clean the post where they contact each other. Make sure all other connections are clean and tight before new starter.

 

There should be 2 wires going to the starter. The battery cable one and a smaller one. Connect a good size jumper from the + side of the battery to the smaller wire connection at the starter. Use a good size jumper say 10 or 12 gauge wire. It will create some sparks but with a solid steady movement that will be minimal. If the starter engages and cranks the engine well, yea start tracing back to the switch.

The sticky about Second relay to fix the click might be a good read for ya.

Stickys are at the top of the start page for EVO Classic Models

WP

 

Sounds like you have the classic "Dreaded Click" going on.
For your bike all you have to do is run a fused (20 amp) wire from the battery to pin 30 on your starter relay and all should be good again.


For more in-depth reading on the subject see the adding a relay sticky at the top of the page.

 

Thanks, I will read that sticky. I have rebuilt the solenoid using a kit Harley sells which helped for a minute. I will probably check all connections as well.

 

After reading the service manual I connected the jumper wire for a few short times. The starter engaged fine every time. I pulled the relay and checked the pins, connected a multimeter to the wires to check for voltage. With the system off, the voltage reads 12.1V at the black wire to pin 85, .4V to everything else (green, black-red, and red). With the system on the voltage is 11.68V at the black wire, .4 at green, .5 at black-red, and 1.24V at red. Pressing the start button gives 1.2V at black-red wire, 1.2V at red wire, and .4V at the other two wires. I'll do some more research on this and check current at these connections.

 

You can have voltage 10-12 V and still not have enough current flow(amps) to operate a component. Solenoid in this case. Using an ol fashion test light would be better.Connect test light across battery and note how bright the light is. Connect test light to ground and touch the terminal going to the starter AT the relay. Hit button see if light is bright as when connected across the battery or pretty close anyhow.

I would be tempted to rig up the jumper wire you mentioned to make a good connection from the starter relay terminal to the starter. If you still have problems I'm betting ya got a bad or atleast weak relay.

This might boil down to a bad ground connection for the relay, could present the same symptoms

WP

 

I will try that, thanks for the tip.

 

If when you jump the starter directly from the POS batt terminal it turns fast and hard every time you know your battery and starter is good. There is a new end cover that has a mechanical switch that bypasses all the relays and switches for about $20. The system is very smple. Battery power goes to the key switch...then to the run rocker swith.....then from there to the start button.......from the start button to the relay. The relay is just a switch in essence. When you press start the relay bridges power to the solenoid which is again, a switch....A BIG ONE and when it trips large batt direct power flows through the copper contacts and turns the starter. The new switched soleniod cover bypasses all that other stuff...has you push on the button forcing the heavy copper contacts together and BAM... SOunds like it may be a bad gel battery though.

 

I used one of those for a while.
Kinda a PITA to push that button while sitting on the bike.
Using a hammer handle to push the button helps but then you have to carry around a handle all the time.
A 20 amp fused wire from the battery to pin 30 on the starter relay is much easier and works just as well.
A new starter relay is about $5 at an auto parts store.