Keep going through batteries
That's the thing the battery never loses charge thru it just fries a cell I'm guessing, will still read 12.9v even after the cell is fried and then when I go to start it it will drop to 6v and cut off then my starter relay clicks away. They always load test them and comes back not useable. With the fresh battery in there I re ran all tests and it's not only holding charge but charging perfectly at 14.3-14.7 while revving and around 13.8 at idle. I haven't taken it out for a ride with this new battery as I'm tired of going back and exchanging them. The other hand is i might ride for a week without a single symptom or it may act up 10 miles into the ride, it's so sparatic.
Road Captain
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 714
Likes: 120
Something is obviously wrong-
You say everything checks out, but thats impossible. You are missing something.
Check everything again.
This started after wheelies and beating on the bike pretty bad?
This, to me, is a clue.
Alternator wires-check it. In your garage, fine, could be loose under load and vibration.
Check all connections at Coil.
Is the battery isolation rubber still around/under the battery? Did the cables shift or ground loose?
After battery is fried, did any of them look "swollen" or did the case bow out?
Is there a wire that could be getting pinched under the seat after or during hard riding?
RPM's go up when throttle is twisted so alternator is good in garage but under load/stress?
Does Stator wire or plug look like it has moved?
Have you pulled the primary and inspected the stator, or disconnected it and ran a voltage test?
Does bike cut out under load when accelerating?
Any misfires? Bike running normal?
Check plug wires, in and out, and pull plugs. Make sure you are burning clean...
Stators can grenade under hard load-
Here is one of mine after drag racing abuse:
You say everything checks out, but thats impossible. You are missing something.
Check everything again.
This started after wheelies and beating on the bike pretty bad?
This, to me, is a clue.
Alternator wires-check it. In your garage, fine, could be loose under load and vibration.
Check all connections at Coil.
Is the battery isolation rubber still around/under the battery? Did the cables shift or ground loose?
After battery is fried, did any of them look "swollen" or did the case bow out?
Is there a wire that could be getting pinched under the seat after or during hard riding?
RPM's go up when throttle is twisted so alternator is good in garage but under load/stress?
Does Stator wire or plug look like it has moved?
Have you pulled the primary and inspected the stator, or disconnected it and ran a voltage test?
Does bike cut out under load when accelerating?
Any misfires? Bike running normal?
Check plug wires, in and out, and pull plugs. Make sure you are burning clean...
Stators can grenade under hard load-
Here is one of mine after drag racing abuse:
Last edited by PWMORRIS; Jul 8, 2017 at 06:03 PM.
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 4,384
Likes: 8,742
From: Texas
What the hell
================================
Stop guessing
Approach trouble shooting this crap systematically
And take copious notes over what you're doing / testing - and the results
Otherwise - we're in a circle jerk- which will only get progressively expensive and frustrating for you
Ghost
Road Master
Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 914
Likes: 245
Check your ground.
It's obvious, it's simple, but I've seen it be the problem more than once on an electrical gremlin that couldn't be figured out, including my brother's Harley. Take it off, clean it, sand the contact area, bolt it down proper.
Also check your battery cables while you're at it, sometimes the copper on the inside gets wet and corrodes and then it doesn't work right (could work fine one minute, get slightly bumped and no longer work right if corroded)
I've had a stator go out on a non-Harley bike. Drove to a gas station, wouldn't start up when I went to leave. Couldn't roll start it. Put in a new battery, made it 20 miles before it was dead on the highway. Don't recall any signs that it was going out other than a supercharger like sound in the last 5 miles before it did, didn't notice any trouble starting the bike before this.
There where ways to eliminate where the problem was coming from when I fixed that. Been a while since I did it but off hand, checking the battery even if new, checking the battery while running, checking the R/R when off and running as well as disconnecting a few things to the R/R and checking the read out. Wasn't just volt checking, the Ohm reading off the R/R is where I found it was my stator.
I'm far from an expert on it, just things I've seen it be in the past that might help.
It's obvious, it's simple, but I've seen it be the problem more than once on an electrical gremlin that couldn't be figured out, including my brother's Harley. Take it off, clean it, sand the contact area, bolt it down proper.
Also check your battery cables while you're at it, sometimes the copper on the inside gets wet and corrodes and then it doesn't work right (could work fine one minute, get slightly bumped and no longer work right if corroded)
I've had a stator go out on a non-Harley bike. Drove to a gas station, wouldn't start up when I went to leave. Couldn't roll start it. Put in a new battery, made it 20 miles before it was dead on the highway. Don't recall any signs that it was going out other than a supercharger like sound in the last 5 miles before it did, didn't notice any trouble starting the bike before this.
There where ways to eliminate where the problem was coming from when I fixed that. Been a while since I did it but off hand, checking the battery even if new, checking the battery while running, checking the R/R when off and running as well as disconnecting a few things to the R/R and checking the read out. Wasn't just volt checking, the Ohm reading off the R/R is where I found it was my stator.
I'm far from an expert on it, just things I've seen it be in the past that might help.
Supporter
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 15,787
Likes: 5,610
From: along the shore of Mishigami
Just curious where you getting your batteries? Do charge them prior to installation. I might be wrong but I thought an EFI bike voltage at idle is 14.2v min, might be wrong. The battery tender I have is temp. controlled, could take longer on hot days to charge.
Road Warrior
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 1,996
Likes: 417
From: Cranbourne, VIC Australia
I agree completely, you're going to have to isolate and trouble shoot one thorough step at a time. But would like to add. I've had a voltage regulator crap out on the high side, when hot, and act normally when cool. And another let AC thru when hot, and act normally when cool, neither of which the battery/bike appreciated.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 5,448
Likes: 6,275
From: pacific northwest
I would guess the regulator. had a stater fail on my 81 suzuki GS1000 back in the early 80's, is a very similar charging system, when the stator failed battery would just run down. not sure on the harley but the suzuki specs were 75 to 90VAC direct from the stator . I can not see how a stator would cause battery overcharging but I guess there is always some situations that are hard to detect.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 5,448
Likes: 6,275
From: pacific northwest
That's the thing the battery never loses charge thru it just fries a cell I'm guessing, will still read 12.9v even after the cell is fried and then when I go to start it it will drop to 6v and cut off then my starter relay clicks away. They always load test them and comes back not useable. With the fresh battery in there I re ran all tests and it's not only holding charge but charging perfectly at 14.3-14.7 while revving and around 13.8 at idle. I haven't taken it out for a ride with this new battery as I'm tired of going back and exchanging them. The other hand is i might ride for a week without a single symptom or it may act up 10 miles into the ride, it's so sparatic.
have you tried recharging the battery to see if it will start the bike after charging? that will aT LEAST TELL YOU IF THE BATTERY IS BAD OR JUST NOT CHARGING BY THE BIKES ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.
Last edited by MRFREEZE57; Jul 10, 2017 at 10:47 PM.
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Road Warrior
Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 1,712
Likes: 410
From: Puyallup, WA
If you are loosing all power, it's probably a bad connection somewhere. As Capt Awesome said, check your cables for corrosion. Check ground strap. Are you buying super cheap batteries? They could be junk.
