Went to start the bike up Sunday. Hit the starter, heard a SNAP!, and nothing. Tried it again, and this time not even a snap. Put the charger on, and the battery is fine and full. Check all the fuses and everything is fine. Go inside to call my buddies to tell them I can't make the ride. Back outside, and decide to try it again. Ignition ON, switch on, hit the starter and again SNAP! and everything goes dead...headlight goes out, warning lights out, speedo sinks...just plain dead. WTF??

Oh, did I mention that the prior week I picked it up from the dealer where they did the 1,000 mile, installed V&H Big Shots, Fuel Pak, and SEII intake. Besides sounding friggin awesome, the bike ran great all weekend. Now I'm thinking maybe the Fuel Pak is screwing things up...but why now, after a week? Maybe it's a bad starter solenoid? But then why does everything go dead?

Anyway, I'm checking every bit of wire and connection and resigned to put the bike away, but ask the Missus to come out and stand on the other side to try and locate the SNAP. I hit the starter and VRRROMM! IT STARTS! (almost scared her to death...but now she takes credit for "fixing" it).

So, I ride it around the neighborhood and everything is fine. I venture out a bit more and it's running great. After about 1/2 hour, it starts missing...like somebody switches off the ignition and switches it back on (almost pitching me over the bars!) This starts happening every so often coupled with a loud gunshot out of the pipes. Well, I start heading home, and the cutting out and exhaust pops are getting more frequent. I'm about 2 miles from home and the thing goes black again...no lights, signals, warning lights, etc. Luckily I'm on a slight downgrade and coast into a gas station. Tried to start it...nothing. Call HOG and they tell me a 4 hour wait for a tow (#$%^!!!). Call the wife, and she brings me the tools I ask for. When she arrives, I try it again, and this time SNAP! Again, I try it, and nothing...grrrr.

The tow guy finally shows up, and he has two choppers and knows bikes. He asks to hear the SNAP!, and the damn thing STARTS! I switch it off and try to start it again, and SNAP! Geezz. By the time we get to my house, I try it again, and it STARTS!!!

My dealer is jammed and can't pick it up till Friday. Any thoughts from all the big brains out there?? This has got me stumped.

Sorry for such a long post...it's like therapy.

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Man that sucks. Keep us informed. Hang in there. It could be the new fuel pack. [:@]

 

I would ck the ground wires around the battery, Im sure they disconected the battery to do the instal.
it sounds like a loose battery wire or ground wire!

 

I agree. Had something similar (without the snap) and it was a loose neg. terminal. Check there first.

 

Sounds like a loose battery wire to me as well.

 

Battery wires are tight. In fact, I don't think they undid the cables...just popped out the fuse on the postive cable.

 

I'm guessing you checked the frame ground end of the negative cable too?

 

A friend of mine's Low Rider did the same thing and it was a ground on the battery.

 

Last month i got a notice in the mail from Harley for a recall on something to do with the bolt that holds down the battery , it becomes loose and pushes into the battery , never happen bought i brought it in to fix, maybe when that bolt becomes loose and the battery starts to move causing the terminal's to also loosin up ?

 

No I haven't. I didn't get the repair manual yet for the bike. Can you tell me where the electrical system is grounded to the frame?

Thanks.