Need help, dreaded electrical issue...
Road Master
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 1,136
Likes: 93
From: Andrews, NC
I had this problem on my '96 BadBoy, turned out to be a dead cell in the
battery. Took it to a dealer after I changed everything like you did and the
first thing the Service Manager asked was, "have you checked the battery?"
He said, "if it feels hot, it probably is bad." He was right.
battery. Took it to a dealer after I changed everything like you did and the
first thing the Service Manager asked was, "have you checked the battery?"
He said, "if it feels hot, it probably is bad." He was right.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 3,124
Likes: 255
From: From Long Island, now in So. Cal
I bought my 2006 wide glide used about a month ago. When I first experienced the problem the bike began to basically studder and buck at. It usually happened at 60 plus MPH. I went to the dealer and bought new plugs, wires and positive and negative cables. Replaced everything....all was great. I took the bike out and put !out 200 miles on it. Yesterday, halfway into my 3 hour trip, it started again, and left me dead on the highway!!! This time though when I reached down and pushed on the battery it would go back to normal for a few minutes. The bike had 16" apes installed by the previous owner, along with a PC3 and slipons. I have since added VandH and remapped the PC. When we got the back to the garage I saw that the positive cable had arced the screw into the battery. Any ideas???? Could this be signs of the 2006 dyna stator issue, or do have another issue. Any suggestions or ideas...I was hoping to start cheap and work my way up, but I don't know where to start with this. I also wanted to add, that during the first 100 miles everything was great. I stopped for fuel and shut the bike off, and when I was pulling out it started missing and ultimately left me, unable to even start.
Another possibility is the bolt behind the battery that secures the battery box is backing out, pushing the battery into the battery cover and shorting out the positive terminal. There was a recall on this and the fix was to replace the bolt with a patch lock bolt (Loctite is just as good)
Advanced
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 96
Likes: 3
I was just left by the side of the road yesterday. The bike just sputtered and quit. After a few minutes it would re-start run rough and die. It turned out to be water in the PC connector. No battery issues like you though.
Banned
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,494
Likes: 5
Sounds to me like you have two problems the before repair and after repair. The melted Positive cable terminal is most likely due to it coming loose, it does not have to arc on the cover, all it has to do is make an intermittent connection and it acts like an arc welder on the bolt.
As far as your first problem, you might want to check the wires to the the fuel injectors, these tend to be stretched and break causing an intermittent open that can cause the symptoms you first mentioned.
CB
As far as your first problem, you might want to check the wires to the the fuel injectors, these tend to be stretched and break causing an intermittent open that can cause the symptoms you first mentioned.
CB
Thread Starter
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Tourer
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 410
Likes: 20
From: Frederick Maryland
Thanks again folks....I am positive the battery cables, as well as the, the battery tray are/were tight. When I get home Monday, I will go through everything suggested, check the battery and go from there. I do have one question on the PC. If it dead get water in it, I can assume that I will need another one right?
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 6,642
Likes: 48
From: Ogden, UT
Thanks again folks....I am positive the battery cables, as well as the, the battery tray are/were tight. When I get home Monday, I will go through everything suggested, check the battery and go from there. I do have one question on the PC. If it dead get water in it, I can assume that I will need another one right?
I have mine mounted under the electrical panel under the seat and have never had a water problem, if it is outside the under seat area as some have mounted it I can see it being more susceptible.
Last edited by 8541hog; Jun 26, 2010 at 01:23 PM.
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Banned
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,494
Likes: 5
Thanks again folks....I am positive the battery cables, as well as the, the battery tray are/were tight. When I get home Monday, I will go through everything suggested, check the battery and go from there. I do have one question on the PC. If it dead get water in it, I can assume that I will need another one right?
There should also be a red rubber cap over the Positive cable connection, do you have that? Not only does it protect it from arcing to the cover and such, but helps keep an inadvertent loose connection from arcing by retaining the terminal, keeping it from moving and arcing.
CB