Do I need a more powerful batery for my new hot set up
I've upgraded my 71 flh with the 96 inch SS hot set up. The battery I have now worked fine before the upgrade but now it barely turns the engine. I put full charge on it and it was the same. I jumped it with my car and the spun the engine fine. This is the first time I've tried to start it since the rebuild. Its still not firing but I'll ask your help on that one once I've got this battery thing figured out. Thanks in advance.
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RE: Do I need a more powerful batery for my new hot set up
Congrats on the engine work. I have used S&S parts going WAY back and they have always favorably impressed me.
Something in your post caught my eye...I read long ago and again recently that you should not jump your bike battery from a car battery. The bike battery can sustain damage from doing that; if it is very low on voltage it will pull enough amps that it may overheat and in the worst case, explode. The electrical equipment on your bike will only pull whatever amps they need to operate so the car battery shouldn't hurt that stuff (At least I don't THINK so, I ain't no electrical genius). If you need to use a car battery for testing, remove the bike battery from the circuit when doing that.
That said, sometimes ya gotta do what ya gotta do to see what's up.
It does sound like your battery is weak.
How about borrowing a known good battery of the same specifications as your battery to see if it has a problem cranking the bike? That way you would be more certain that it is a battery issue rather than something in the wiring or another component (like bad contact in the solenoid). Or you could have a shop test your battery.
Good luck.
RE: Do I need a more powerful batery for my new hot set up
Quote:
ORIGINAL: javalen
I've upgraded my 71 flh with the 96 inch SS hot set up. The battery I have now worked fine before the upgrade but now it barely turns the engine. I put full charge on it and it was the same. I jumped it with my car and the spun the engine fine. This is the first time I've tried to start it since the rebuild. Its still not firing but I'll ask your help on that one once I've got this battery thing figured out. Thanks in advance.
“javalen”
“I've upgraded my 71 flh with the 96 inch SS hot set up. The battery I have now worked fine before the upgrade but now it barely turns the engine. I put full charge on it and it was the same. I jumped it with my car and the spun the engine fine. This is the first time I've tried to start it since the rebuild. Its still not firing but I'll ask your help on that one once I've got this battery thing figured out. Thanks in advance.”
Very good advice from megawatt, I sometime jumped from a car battery but never ever while the car is running but it’s not the best idea.
Do you have a new starter with that set up ?
Do you really have good cables ? or the stock ones ?
I had the best luck with a hd gel mat battery it last into the start of the 6 th year, it was working like new, but hay 3 months from being 6 years old, when gel mats go they go right then and there very little warning, what I am getting at is, I replace it with another hd gel mat, lasted 3 months, the next lasted almost 2 years, then I got my S&S 93 L.C. engine I replace the old stock starter Hitachi style with “All Balls” little smaller foot print and almost twice as powerful 1.4 kW to stock .8, I replaced all positive battery cables with the super fine flexible copper cable like Terry Components or All Balls in J&P catalog, I did replace the stock grounding cable years back with a Terry so still good, yeah, your going to pay so what else is new : - )
This year I already ordered a new battery “Odyssey” #PC545 it’s not here yet have to wait for them to make it (in the USA) man this suppose to be a very powerful battery, I need it my set up draws approx 225 amps, starting ! a stock hd, draws approx 160 / 180 amps, man you need damn good cables, you want the lowest voltage drop.
You put in a 96 S&S hot set up, spend the bucks so it can fire up IMO
Let me add this ALL BATTERIES are going up in price it's really happening real fast, you could get a price this month call next month and it will be higher, I hear it's the lead.
RE: Do I need a more powerful batery for my new hot set up
Megawatt and CJ I thank you both for your help. I guess I'm off to get a new battery and probably a new starter as well. I made a mistake with the 96 inch it should have been 93. Thanks agains I'll keep you posted.
__________________
In the end you wont remember the words of your enemies but the silence of your friends!
RE: Do I need a more powerful batery for my new hot set up
cj_slowdown,
When my Hitachi starter craps out I will look seriously at the All Balls replacement. I tried a Spyke starter but it was a disappointment.
How much did the All Balls cost? I think you mentioned it in one of your posts but I thought I'd just ask here. I would use the exact same one you are using...only, I hope I don't need to have any holes redrilled like you did but if I do, I'll just do it. Thanks for posting the part number.
javalen,
I hope you get your problem fixed. Please post whatever you do to solve the puzzle, I'm kinda curious.
RE: Do I need a more powerful batery for my new hot set up
I wouldn't dwell over the 96 vs 93 inch decision. I went with the 93 S&S kit on my 79 LowRider and have the exact same issues.Most of the time since the build I have had to use the kickstarter but have alwaybeen trying to fix the electric start.
I replaced stock starter with Spyke Hi-torque starter and new cables for positive and ground.The bike now turns over better than itever has but I wouldn't say it is great. Luckily the bike has always started really easy (meaningthe bikeonly has to turnover slowly and it will start) I may have to try some things that cj has mentioned below because he has seemed to have much better success with the all balls starter and theall copper cables.
Battery is a great place to start though. Make sure you buy a good brand battery (I went with an interstate). Ionce tried a no name and had to return it the next day.
Also, given that you haven't got the bike to fire, make sure the timing is set correctly. If the timing is off, it can cause the same issue.
RE: Do I need a more powerful batery for my new hot set up
Quote:
ORIGINAL: javalen
Megawatt and CJ I thank you both for your help. I guess I'm off to get a new battery and probably a new starter as well. I made a mistake with the 96 inch it should have been 93. Thanks agains I'll keep you posted.
No problem at all javalen and yes keep us up to date
Ride safe,
cj
Do I need a more powerful batery for my new hot set up
