Haven't ridden in 6 months so went to start a few weeks back. Battery was dead, tested 11.6V even though on tender. So new battery ordered, tested 13.08V delivered. 2009 Dyna. Bike's in neutral, hit starter and . .click from relay.

So I clean all the connections. Ground post on transmission, hot post on starter,
green wire to solenoid, ground/hot to battery. Same thing.

Put a meter across green wire to solenoid and ground post to transmission and get a drop to 11.6V with wire removed. Figure the starter is an issue so I remove it and bench test by jumping hot post to the solenoid and it spins and moves in/out fine. Re-install and decide to back probe the green wire to solenoid, while it's inserted into the starter and pushing start button. It gets nothing. 0V. Pull green wire out of solenoid, and I get 11.6V. So I have power to the solenoid wire, but not to the solenoid.

At this point I jumped the starter solenoid from the battery directly and bike fired right up.

What's at fault here? Do I need a new relay?

Thanks,
Matt

 

It seems you are handy with the tools and voltmeter.... From what I read , you don't have power on Trigger wire ,(green) , when run switch is pressed ... You do hear the Start relay click when run switch is pressed ....When you remove trigger wire, (green) and direct power, (from battery), to starter motor solenoid connector , bike fires up....

So the Start relay, (Coil), is getting power , but power is not getting across contacts to feed trigger wire, (green).... Maybe a simple fix,, replace faulty start relay...

Get a test light,, pull solenoid trigger wire, (green)... inset one end of test light to trigger wire ,and the other to good ground ... Turn ignition on ,, and run/stop switch to Run ... Now press start switch on and off ... light should go on and off ... If not, you will have to dig deeper....
You can pull the Start Relay, and from behind, you can test for power and continuity of wires ,, The numbers can be found in manual...

I have a start system diagram and info I will try and find and post up ...

 

Start system diagram and info that may help you ....

 

You are getting system voltage when you connect the voltmeter between the disconnected green wire and ground, but to correctly test voltage in a circuit, it must be tested under load (which you did later, and saw 0V).

The issue is probably excess resistance somewhere in the circuit upstream of the solenoid, the usual suspect would be the starter relay.

Check the voltage of the Red/Black wire that goes into the relay (while pressing the start button).

If the voltage remains good, then you can condemn the relay as the culprit.

If the voltage drops, the issue is upstream of the relay.

 

Thank you for the replies. As a simple test I swapped the system and start relays momentarily and it started right up. I'll take the bad relay to the auto store tomorrow.

 

 

Man, you need a wiring diagram for your specific model and year or you are working blind...

There is no horn relay.

You can easily find the starter relay, just follow the green wire back from the starter, it will take you to the relay.

Did you pull in the clutch lever when attempting start?

 

This is not a voltage drop test - it is the voltage reading from the trigger wire + to ground in an unloaded circuit. A voltage drop test must be performed on a live circuit with a load in it. Ideally you should have read battery voltage here the way you tested it but that doesn't tell you how the circuit will behave under a load.

You could perform a voltage drop test on that circuit by installing a light bulb between the green trigger wire and a ground. When you press the starter button you need to have battery voltage when probing on each side of the bulb. Anything less is bad. The bulb would serve as a known good load. Also, you would measure the battery voltage while the circuit is activated.

My gut tells me you have a relay with high resistance in it.