Starter prob
Road Warrior
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 1,745
Likes: 1
From: A house.
If your hear the solenoid click, the solenoid contacts are probably ok. Since the starter isn't turning, you need to pull the starter motor to check/clean the commutator and brushes. It actually sounds like an arc spot on the commutator. It can happen when the bike is jump started from, say a car battery/charging system. I'd be willing to wage a bike with those few miles has been jumped more than a few times. Battery, cables and grounds would of course be checked before you even posted, so I'm thinking you already did that... you did that right? 
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Tourer
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 467
Likes: 0
From: Lancs, England
Good job on the clean up... but its the ground (earth) cable from the battery to the attachment under the seat. I say this with complete confidence because it happens allot to Dyna's. The ground (earth) cable from the battery makes a serious bend to the attachment point under the seat. Over time, this will pull the cable, ever so slightly, from the connector. Get a longer ground (earth) cable to replace it with so that the bend is not so short to the attachment point under the seat (sorry, I don't know what else to call it). (Pic Included)
Clicker, I don't think the bike has ever been jump started in the 5 years before I owned it - it sat there under a tarp, forgotten about doing nothing as I understand so I wouldn't have thought the starter motor was the problem. But, thanks for the input I'll bear that in mind. Since cleaning everything up I've not been out on it but it has been spun over a few times (not started) and it spun up just fine every time so far - fingers crossed it's now sorted
Thanks to everyone for the suggestions - where would we be without forums like this?
Derv
Last edited by Derv; Jun 19, 2010 at 05:03 PM.
Road Warrior
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 1,745
Likes: 1
From: A house.
That's great news! "If it ain't broke - don't fix it!" Good job Derv!
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Tourer
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 467
Likes: 0
From: Lancs, England
Starter's begun playing up again chaps, I'm going to try a new starter relay in there before I go through the bother of pulling the starter motor / solenoid ......Try the easiest thing first is my motto! It looks like some cheap cruddy Chinese thing anyway.
Does anyone happen to have the part number to hand - 2002 FXDL? Yeah, I know - "Go buy a manual"
Derv
Does anyone happen to have the part number to hand - 2002 FXDL? Yeah, I know - "Go buy a manual"
Derv
Last edited by Derv; Jun 25, 2010 at 04:27 PM.
Supporter
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 15,788
Likes: 5,632
From: along the shore of Mishigami
Hey Derv, maybe I didn't see it it but how old is your battery? Have you charged it with a smart charger to a completely charged state (12.8v) then take it to a auto repair facility or a good bike shop and do a load test on it. If this is the original battery maybe it's time for a new one.
Supporter
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 15,788
Likes: 5,632
From: along the shore of Mishigami
Here's another approach, check out the testing procedures in the DIY section of testing the stator and rectifier/regulator. You can test for voltage to the battery while the bike is idling (13.2v-13.4) and above 2000 rpm (14.2v- 14.4v). Keep the battery connected to the bike, just go across the top of the posts.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 3,352
Likes: 4
From: Augusta, GA
First thing is to load check the battery. Take it to a motorcycle shop and they should be willing to check it on the spot even if they are very busy. It only takes a couple of minutes and if it's bad they get a battery sale out of it.
Then, if the battery checks fine do exactly what Tech is telling you and your problems should vanish.
Then, if the battery checks fine do exactly what Tech is telling you and your problems should vanish.
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Road Warrior
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 1,301
Likes: 24
From: Minden LA
Guys, I've got a bit of a starter problem going on with my 02 Low Rider (VERY low miles - like 1500, yes hundred didn't miss a nought off). Fault is intermittent and happens hot or cold. Turn ign on, click the run switch to on and press starter button. starter motor won't spin but I can hear the solenoid clicking as I press the button. Do it a few times and it'll start - sometimes after turning ign off and back on again and sometimes not. It happened again tonight as I got the bike out to take run over to a friend's house. Feels like a dead battery at first, then it'll just fire up. Called for petrol on the way over there and it was fine in the garage - started no problem. Came to leave friends house after it had been standing for about 1/2 hour and wouldn't start. Couple of tries on the starter button and it fired up ok again.
I'm going to spend a bit of time going over it with a meter tomorrow, but thought I'd ask here first to find out if it'sa common problem I can go straight to and fix without having to faff about for hours
Cheers
Derv
I'm going to spend a bit of time going over it with a meter tomorrow, but thought I'd ask here first to find out if it'sa common problem I can go straight to and fix without having to faff about for hours
Cheers
Derv
Thread Starter
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Tourer
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 467
Likes: 0
From: Lancs, England
Hey Derv, maybe I didn't see it it but how old is your battery? Have you charged it with a smart charger to a completely charged state (12.8v) then take it to a auto repair facility or a good bike shop and do a load test on it. If this is the original battery maybe it's time for a new one.
As the fault is intermittent it's either the starter relay or as Jax says a bad connection in the solenoid. I'll try the easiest first which is to replace the starter relay as that's just a "plug it in" job. Just need the part no so I can get one ordered.
I've just returned from a 200 mile ride out, and every time I turned the ign off, it wouldn't re-start first time - took several presses of the button before the motor spun over. I've had a similar problem before on an old BMW and that was caused by the starter relay, but just to be sure I'm going to take it out tomorrow and put a meter across to see what happens. Problem with starter relays is that it could meter out fine on the bench, but could be collapsing under load - maybe better metering it in-situ (sorry just thinking out loud
)Derv