I just installed a relay under the seat per Galtjunk's instructions and it works perfect. Installed it Saturday night, rode the bike all day yesterday, and the starter turned over every time. I've been fighting this "click of death" for a year, replacing battery cables, starter relay etc, but this little trick seems to have fixed the problem. Thanks Galtjunk.
kc.

 

You are welcome.
Sorry I missed your questions, but it looks like you got it figured out.
I usually don't logon during the weekend.

This fix gives full battery voltage directly to the starter bypassing any loss from the main starter relay.

 

Do you keep the original relay in the system wired the same?

So, after replacing SOlinoid, Battery, Relay, Starter, my '88 seems to fire well, but 1/2 the starts go, "rarRaruggggrarRarPotatoePotate" . . . It turns, makes an electrical sound like the starter is stuck for a split second, then turns and Fires.. My old starter never did that. It had other bad symtoms, all inconsistent, but not that. My '88 has the Starter Solinoid Separate and i think an extra relay may, in the very least be a valuble troubleshooting aid, or a solution...

 

I'm also going to be doing this great tech tip on my 89 flhtp and would like to know if the new relay replaces the existing relay? Also was wandering you had said to Connect the Green wire that was originally connected to the starter to 86, I don't have a Green wire , would that be the slide connector wire or the lug wire coming from pos side of battery?

 

Good luck with the new starter though you may not have needed it. Had the same problem on my '91 Glide Sport and it was a bad/loose spade connection on the solenoid pilot circuit. Put a new female spade on the wire in, cleaned off the solenoid spade and no more issues. Oh, I also recently installed a "remote starter button" on the soleniod cover so if the handlebar switch, wiring, or starter relay ( new also) fail I can just reach down under the seat and push on the big solenoid button to start it. Haven't needed it yet but nice to know it's there. ( engine switch on right hand bars must be "on" btw)

 

I'm not sure about an '89, but on my bike, the green wire is the wire that runs from the relay in the headlight to the starter. As for this new relay replacing the old relay, no, i didn't do anything to the old relay, just added the new one under the seat. I don't know if an '89 is set up exactly like a '95. GaltJunk or someone else may jump in and let you know.

 

The starter relay is part of what electricians call the "pilot circuit". All it does is provide low amp power to the solenoid switch which closes and completes a high amp circuit to the starter motor. The starter motor is wired directly to the battery via the battery cable itself or other thick wire. So even if the relay, start switch, and solenoid are working properly a poor connection from the battery or poor ground will cause starter symtoms that may seem to be the relay. A simple and dependable solution is to install the emergency starter button on the soloniod itself for about $40-60 and takes a couple of minutes. If you push that and still have a problem you have eliminated all the pilot circuit wiring and know it's either the starter motor itself, solenoid, battery, ground or the high amp connection to the starter i.e. battery cable. It seems to me that adding another relay to the pilot circuit is asking for complications as now you have two relays that can malfunction or short out??

 

Just a note to say thanks for the great relay tip and install instructions. I had the start problem and used your advice. I created a wire loom and soldered all the connections and shrink sealed them. It works fantastic!!!!!

Thanks again.

 

I really think that adding this relay under the seat would solve 90 percent of these clicking problems with the starter. I know it fixed mine. I installed it about a month ago per GaltJunk's instructions and it hasn't clicked once since then. As I understand it, installing this simple relay under the seat allows the full voltage of the battery to go directly from the battery to the starter without having to run through all the bike wiring and the other relays. I would highly recommend to anyone having this common "clicking" problem on these evos to try this simple 5 dollar fix before you start replacing starters, solenoids, etc.