Starter loud clicking noise.

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Mar 9, 2016 | 06:28 PM

drhooligan

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From: Pittsburgh, PA

Starter loud clicking noise.

2007 Wide Glide with new battery last year on tender all winter. Bike started fine last week. Now it makes a clack, clack, clack noise and doesn't spin or apparently engage the starter motor. Battery reads 12.8 volts. Could this be the starter relay in fuse box, solenoid? Thanks in advance for advice.

Mar 9, 2016 | 06:49 PM

joe40x

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Joined: Mar 2014

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From: nowhere

Check your grounds

Mar 9, 2016 | 07:31 PM

JohnMn

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Joined: Sep 2014

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From: Minnesota

Clean and tighten the battery terminals, ground (as above) and starter cable connections,, just be sure the simple stuff is right before you go digging deeper.
Loose connections can work fine for awhile, then arc or oxidize and fail.

Mar 9, 2016 | 07:43 PM

itscaptaincody

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Joined: Sep 2015

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From: Phoenix, AZ

Get the battery load tested at autozone/checker, etc. I had the exact same issue and it was the battery (mine was a year old as well)

Mar 9, 2016 | 07:48 PM

04FXDI

Stellar HDF Member

Joined: Feb 2015

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From: USA

This must be the season for bad batts, I went and loaded mine today, (year old) and got nothing, even after spending the entire winter on the tender it barley had enough juice to turn lights on. I dropped it on my big charger and it came up a little bit, just enough to screw up my key fob settings. Thanks another bridge I have to cross.

Quote:

Originally Posted by cllake

Get the battery load tested at autozone/checker, etc. I had the exact same issue and it was the battery (mine was a year old as well)

Mar 10, 2016 | 01:07 AM

rogersachs

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Joined: Jan 2007

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Quote:

Originally Posted by drhooligan

I had the same noise and it was the solenoid. Changed it and all is well.
roger

Mar 10, 2016 | 03:17 AM

AKFXD

Road Captain

Joined: Oct 2015

Posts: 706

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From: Alaska

Quote:

Originally Posted by drhooligan

Is it making multiple clacks with one start button push?
Is it a loud noise or a quiet click sound?

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Mar 13, 2016 | 10:19 AM

drhooligan

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Joined: Apr 2006

Posts: 346

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From: Pittsburgh, PA

Took the battery to Autozone and had it tested. It was bad and only about 16 months old. I cleaned all the grounds and solenoid contacts while at it. Thanks for the advice guys!