Ok, Im working on an 82 FXE. Ive had it two months and havnt got it running yet. First it wouldnt turn over at all. Checked the starter, looked good. Checked and found the starter solenoid was wired in reverse when I got it. Wired it correctly and then the starter gear would spin in the primary, but it wouldnt come out and engage the ?clutch gear? primary gear? dont know what its called.

Anyways, replaced the starter solenoid today and now that gear pops out and is trying to turn the bike over. NOW the problem Im having is when I hit the start button, it just keeps trying to turn over.. what i mean is once i hit the start button it keeps turning over even when I let go of the start button. Also i found out the kill switch wont stop it. Only thing that stops it from turning over is disconnecting the battery.

Also after that happened a bunch of oil came out of one of the rubber tubes.

The oil issue is secondary right now. Why will the bike just keep turning over even when the start button is not being pushed?

 

I had the same issue come up on my '90 Softail, but my solenoid is attached to the starter body.

My issue was the plunger sticking in the worn out electrodes in the solenoid. The battery-to-solenoid/solenoid to starter circuit is closed by this plunger. The electrodes are replaceable in the Evo and that fixed it for me. Took me 3 hrs and a 12-pack.

I'd jerk the brand new solenoid and check the operation of the plunger for freedom of travel and the condition of the plunger disc as well as the electrodes it crosses. Smooth as glass is your perfect world. Pitted is bad and usually a product of low-voltage cranking.

 

P.S....

Arcing the solenoid-to-starter contact to the frame killed mine quicker than disconnecting the battery.

 

Awesome. that sounds about right. I replaced the solenoid but not anything else inside and it did look pretty dirty and gummy. Ive never done any kind of work like this myself so its a little time consuming being that as soon as I get one thing figured out something else comes up and then I have to try and learn about that. The cool thing is, im learning a lot and every time something I do works it feels pretty good.

Will check out cleaning the plunger or replacing it i guess. Thanks a lot.

 

Oil has leaked past the check ball and filled the crankcase, its a dry sump. Keep cranking and the oil will clear and the engine will spin easier when the case is dryer. Check the solenoid wiring again. Long stud to the battery positive. Check the oil level in the tank when the oil stops comming out the breather hose.

 

Solenoid wiring is good. I bought a solenoid plunger parts kit from jp cycles to replace the old parts. Should be in next week. Once i get that all in place I will try turning it over again.

Good to know the oil dump was normal. Freaked me out a bit. Like I said, ive never done anything mechanical before. So I'm learning all this as I go.

Thanks for the help.