Switch on, no lights or anything
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Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 84
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From: Tampa, Florida
Switch on, no lights or anything
I started a new thread because this is not really related to the compression psi thread I started the other day.
My bike ( a 1991 Springer) wouldn't start. It cranked, there was a good spark, battery fully charged, compression in both cylinders was 155 psi. Turned out the carburetor was separated from the manifold. Now, I assumed due to a really powerful backfire that started all of this. But it's possible that I pulled it loose when I took the air cleaner off. But I fixed that then was able to start it. I sprayed some starting fluid in the carb when I started it. After a few seconds I shut it off and charged up the battery. When I went to start it again, the starter clicked and the bike went dead. No lights or anything. I think I blew a fuse or tripped a circuit breaker or something. When it clicked I thought I saw a flash of light out of the corner of my eye. In the vicinity of the battery. I have searched the bike with a light as best I could and did not see any burned areas, burned or loose wires. There was no burnt smell when the system went dead. Maybe I didn't really see a flash of light. I did notice that the battery ground cable was a little loose at the battery. I fixed that. My manual says there are 4 electrical circuits. The main which is 30 amps, and three others which are all 15 amps. I can only find two circuit breakers under my dash. Are there any others somewhere else, I didn't see any. If these are the only circuit breakers I guess the three 15 amp circuits are on one of the breakers and the other is the main circuit. If the main circuit breaker is tripped or dead would this shut down the whole bike? How would I know which is the main circuit breaker. What is the best way to test them. What could have caused it to trip or fry? The circuit does not come back to life after awhile either. It has been off now for about 20 hours, everything is completely cold. I just found another breaker. It's on the back side of the strap they are attached to. It's very difficult to see there. Just my luck this will be the bad one. Is there a main breaker in the back fender area? Other posts say that this is the case with softail bikes.
Any help or suggestion will be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
My bike ( a 1991 Springer) wouldn't start. It cranked, there was a good spark, battery fully charged, compression in both cylinders was 155 psi. Turned out the carburetor was separated from the manifold. Now, I assumed due to a really powerful backfire that started all of this. But it's possible that I pulled it loose when I took the air cleaner off. But I fixed that then was able to start it. I sprayed some starting fluid in the carb when I started it. After a few seconds I shut it off and charged up the battery. When I went to start it again, the starter clicked and the bike went dead. No lights or anything. I think I blew a fuse or tripped a circuit breaker or something. When it clicked I thought I saw a flash of light out of the corner of my eye. In the vicinity of the battery. I have searched the bike with a light as best I could and did not see any burned areas, burned or loose wires. There was no burnt smell when the system went dead. Maybe I didn't really see a flash of light. I did notice that the battery ground cable was a little loose at the battery. I fixed that. My manual says there are 4 electrical circuits. The main which is 30 amps, and three others which are all 15 amps. I can only find two circuit breakers under my dash. Are there any others somewhere else, I didn't see any. If these are the only circuit breakers I guess the three 15 amp circuits are on one of the breakers and the other is the main circuit. If the main circuit breaker is tripped or dead would this shut down the whole bike? How would I know which is the main circuit breaker. What is the best way to test them. What could have caused it to trip or fry? The circuit does not come back to life after awhile either. It has been off now for about 20 hours, everything is completely cold. I just found another breaker. It's on the back side of the strap they are attached to. It's very difficult to see there. Just my luck this will be the bad one. Is there a main breaker in the back fender area? Other posts say that this is the case with softail bikes.
Any help or suggestion will be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
Last edited by BigT-91; Feb 16, 2020 at 02:14 PM. Reason: added a fact
Tourer
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 410
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From: Iowa
Since nobody else is jumping in, I'll try to get the ball rolling for you.
The same exact thing happened to my '96 Heritage Classic a few months after I bought it. Tightening up the loose negative battery cable on the battery fixed mine.
My FSM says my main circuit breaker is located on the debris deflector of the rear fender. I haven't had to find it yet to verify that's where it is. My bike has 4 of the 15-amp circuit breakers, located on the cover of the electrical box under the seat, along with the starter relay. From what you're describing it sounds like your bike has these circuit breakers somewhere other than mine. So your main breaker may not be near the rear fender either.
Hopefully someone else will chime in soon who has more knowledge about your bike.
.
Hopefully someone else will chime in soon who has more knowledge about your bike.
.
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Joined: May 2018
Posts: 655
Likes: 88
From: US
Since nobody else is jumping in, I'll try to get the ball rolling for you.
The same exact thing happened to my '96 Heritage Classic a few months after I bought it. Tightening up the loose negative battery cable on the battery fixed mine.
My FSM says my main circuit breaker is located on the debris deflector of the rear fender. I haven't had to find it yet to verify that's where it is. My bike has 4 of the 15-amp circuit breakers, located on the cover of the electrical box under the seat, along with the starter relay. From what you're describing it sounds like your bike has these circuit breakers somewhere other than mine. So your main breaker may not be near the rear fender either.
Hopefully someone else will chime in soon who has more knowledge about your bike.
.
The same exact thing happened to my '96 Heritage Classic a few months after I bought it. Tightening up the loose negative battery cable on the battery fixed mine.
My FSM says my main circuit breaker is located on the debris deflector of the rear fender. I haven't had to find it yet to verify that's where it is. My bike has 4 of the 15-amp circuit breakers, located on the cover of the electrical box under the seat, along with the starter relay. From what you're describing it sounds like your bike has these circuit breakers somewhere other than mine. So your main breaker may not be near the rear fender either.
Hopefully someone else will chime in soon who has more knowledge about your bike.
.
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Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 84
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From: Tampa, Florida
OK, I did locate a breaker behind the oil tank on the rear fender. I doesn't look bad except for rust on the terminals. Where it is it will be difficult to deal with though. Based on other threads about very similar problems to mine I am starting to think it might be the ignition switch. What would be the best way to test the switch? Can I bypass the switch and hot wire the bike to see if I have power and possibly start it? It seems to me that the only things it can be is bad circuit breakers, Bad battery or cables, bad ignition switch, ignition module or voltage regulator. Without taking the bike apart I don't know how I could check all the wiring. The wires I can see all look and feel solid. The battery is good, the cables are new, the connections are clean and solid.
HDF Community Team
Joined: Dec 2005
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From: NC USA
The main power wire comes off the starter solenoid (black) and goes to the main breaker. The feed for everything else comes off the main breaker (tan wire). Those ignition switches, like yours uses, are about bullet proof. They're same as used for many years and have contacts that will easily carry more amps than you could ever pull thru that harness. Start at the solenoid and work forward from there...
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2007
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From: NW AR
I would start at the battery and work forward, but that's only 2 connections away from the solenoid. And he needs a volt meter, even a "free" one from HF. I, too, suspect a bad connection, probably in a battery cable.
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: May 2008
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From: South Carolina
Pull the battery and have it load tested.
While battery is out, remove the cables and clean the connection points thoroughly.
Remove the wires from the main breaker and clean the connections, the breaker is just held in by a clip, it will pop out and you will have some room to work. These breakers are cheap, the main breaker is 30amp if you decide to find one at an auto parts store.
If the problem still exists after reassembly, start at the battery as the others have said, check for voltage at battery, main breaker (each post on breaker), then check for voltage at the switch.
While battery is out, remove the cables and clean the connection points thoroughly.
Remove the wires from the main breaker and clean the connections, the breaker is just held in by a clip, it will pop out and you will have some room to work. These breakers are cheap, the main breaker is 30amp if you decide to find one at an auto parts store.
If the problem still exists after reassembly, start at the battery as the others have said, check for voltage at battery, main breaker (each post on breaker), then check for voltage at the switch.
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Thread Starter
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Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 84
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From: Tampa, Florida
As I mentioned before the battery and cables are good. The battery has been off the charger for two days now and is still holding at about 13 volts. When it was connected and the bike was getting power from it it cranked the starter as it should and the lights were bright. The cables are brand new and I cleaned the ground contact and the solenoid contact before I put them on. Today I tested the resistance with my ohm meter from the battery end of the cables to the ground connection and the solenoid connection and they both read 0 ohms. They fluctuated some due to difficulty holding a good contact but made it to zero most of the time. I also check ohms from the solenoid to the main circuit breaker black wire side and between the circuit breaker contacts and they both read zero The circuit breaker has one black wire coming from the solenoid and two tan wires and one black wire going out from the circuit breaker. So up to that point it looks to me like the power is getting from the battery through to the outside of the circuit breaker. Does this mean that the problem is after the main breaker? Also, if I check the ohms from the tan wire side of the breaker to the tan wire on the ignition switch with the switch on it reads zero ohms,
HDF Community Team
Joined: Dec 2005
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From: NC USA
So far so good...
The second tan wire on the main goes to the starter relay main supply, (terminal 30) and they're generally buried worse than the main breaker but in the battery area. The black tied to the 2 tan wires is output from the voltage regulator. There should be another ground cable or strap on the backside of the primary, under the clutch area and connecting to somewhere on the frame, check it also. I can't remember exactly where they bolt on the frame.
Earlier post / other thread you mentioned it'd start, light up with the charger connected and this started after all that. So where is at now, as in, no turn over with or without charger or what?
The second tan wire on the main goes to the starter relay main supply, (terminal 30) and they're generally buried worse than the main breaker but in the battery area. The black tied to the 2 tan wires is output from the voltage regulator. There should be another ground cable or strap on the backside of the primary, under the clutch area and connecting to somewhere on the frame, check it also. I can't remember exactly where they bolt on the frame.
Earlier post / other thread you mentioned it'd start, light up with the charger connected and this started after all that. So where is at now, as in, no turn over with or without charger or what?