Starter problem
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Road Master
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 825
Likes: 59
From: Canada
Starter problem
97 FLHTCUI
In previous thread the bike wouldn't start, fixed that today with a new battery, Yay, success.
Or so i thought.
I rebuilt the starter over the winter with all ***** parts.
So started the bike, warmed up, shut off, gear myself up, start bike and away i go to gas station, stop bike get gas, start bike and off for a ride.
I stop to enjoy the lake view.
Try to start bike, a single click, from starter area i believe, several more attempts, same thing.
Fart around checking anything obvious, nope, make a call, wait, try start again, and it starts.
Ride home fine, shut bike off in garage, try restart, starts right up.
Drink a beer.
Any idea what the problem might be?
Another slight problem is it's leaking at either/or both lifter blocks/ lower push rod tube O rings, These are all new HD parts, O rings and gaskets this winter.
Are there better quality O rings gaskets?
Thanks
In previous thread the bike wouldn't start, fixed that today with a new battery, Yay, success.
Or so i thought.
I rebuilt the starter over the winter with all ***** parts.
So started the bike, warmed up, shut off, gear myself up, start bike and away i go to gas station, stop bike get gas, start bike and off for a ride.
I stop to enjoy the lake view.
Try to start bike, a single click, from starter area i believe, several more attempts, same thing.
Fart around checking anything obvious, nope, make a call, wait, try start again, and it starts.
Ride home fine, shut bike off in garage, try restart, starts right up.
Drink a beer.
Any idea what the problem might be?
Another slight problem is it's leaking at either/or both lifter blocks/ lower push rod tube O rings, These are all new HD parts, O rings and gaskets this winter.
Are there better quality O rings gaskets?
Thanks
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 21,005
Likes: 7,540
From: Poolville
I would check the charging system.. Stator should put out 16 vac at idle and 33 vac at 2000 rpm and 13.9-14.2 vdc at the battery providing the battery has a standing charge of 12.8 vdc nothing on..
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 38,293
Likes: 6,322
From: Honah Lee
97 FLHTCUI
In previous thread the bike wouldn't start, fixed that today with a new battery, Yay, success.
Or so i thought.
I rebuilt the starter over the winter with all ***** parts.
So started the bike, warmed up, shut off, gear myself up, start bike and away i go to gas station, stop bike get gas, start bike and off for a ride.
I stop to enjoy the lake view.
Try to start bike, a single click, from starter area i believe, several more attempts, same thing.
Fart around checking anything obvious, nope, make a call, wait, try start again, and it starts.
Ride home fine, shut bike off in garage, try restart, starts right up.
Drink a beer.
Any idea what the problem might be?
Another slight problem is it's leaking at either/or both lifter blocks/ lower push rod tube O rings, These are all new HD parts, O rings and gaskets this winter.
Are there better quality O rings gaskets?
Thanks
In previous thread the bike wouldn't start, fixed that today with a new battery, Yay, success.
Or so i thought.
I rebuilt the starter over the winter with all ***** parts.
So started the bike, warmed up, shut off, gear myself up, start bike and away i go to gas station, stop bike get gas, start bike and off for a ride.
I stop to enjoy the lake view.
Try to start bike, a single click, from starter area i believe, several more attempts, same thing.
Fart around checking anything obvious, nope, make a call, wait, try start again, and it starts.
Ride home fine, shut bike off in garage, try restart, starts right up.
Drink a beer.
Any idea what the problem might be?
Another slight problem is it's leaking at either/or both lifter blocks/ lower push rod tube O rings, These are all new HD parts, O rings and gaskets this winter.
Are there better quality O rings gaskets?
Thanks
Check your voltage at the wire leads and the battery lead. 12.7 remember 12.3 won't crank. A new battery may be bad or just need charged.
Those lower o-rings are easy to nick or get out of place.
HDF Community Team
Joined: Jan 2020
Posts: 1,434
Likes: 800
From: Colorado
Trick on the push rod O rings, is to dielectric grease them, and the upper tubes, so when you install the tubes, they do seal correctly. Also, may have to use a Screw driver to push on the tubes flange section to seat the upper tube section into the head ring to begin with. As for install, upper tube lightly greases, drop on spring cover, spring, steel O ring with it flat side to the spring, the O ring, then lower tube in place.
As for lifter blocks, use the alignment bolts to get the oil passages correctly indexed, make sure that the block and case surfaces cleaned correctly so the new gasket can seal correctly on it own, and use 242 loctite on the 1/4" 12 point bolts so they don't come loose again once they have been correctly torqued in the end.
Amazon has the lifter block alignment index pin bolts for $10 if you don't have a lathe to just make some up isntead.
As for starter, did you rebuild the starter solenoid as well? If not, could be a burnt spot on the contact disc that is not allowing a clean contact to the cross pads. If it you did, and don't have a low battery. bad starter relay or wiring problem, then when is the last time you pulled the ignition switch apart to clean its contacts up?
As for lifter blocks, use the alignment bolts to get the oil passages correctly indexed, make sure that the block and case surfaces cleaned correctly so the new gasket can seal correctly on it own, and use 242 loctite on the 1/4" 12 point bolts so they don't come loose again once they have been correctly torqued in the end.
Amazon has the lifter block alignment index pin bolts for $10 if you don't have a lathe to just make some up isntead.
As for starter, did you rebuild the starter solenoid as well? If not, could be a burnt spot on the contact disc that is not allowing a clean contact to the cross pads. If it you did, and don't have a low battery. bad starter relay or wiring problem, then when is the last time you pulled the ignition switch apart to clean its contacts up?
Road Master
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 1,067
Likes: 339
From: Northeastern Indiana
Find the post on here for "Dreaded Click" and add a second relay to the starter ... did this years ago on my 1996 FLHTCI and never had the problem again
the dreaded click post is actually the last sticky on the list above
the dreaded click post is actually the last sticky on the list above
Last edited by FreedomRider; May 13, 2023 at 05:59 AM.
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Tourer
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https://www.hdforums.com/forum/evo/8...ded-click.html
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Road Warrior
Joined: May 2017
Posts: 1,335
Likes: 2,045
From: Phoenix
My 97 Electra Glide would do that randomly.
I put one of those manual starter buttons that attach to the end of the starter.
I might of needed it only once every couple hundred starts. But when needed it was well worth it.
I put one of those manual starter buttons that attach to the end of the starter.
I might of needed it only once every couple hundred starts. But when needed it was well worth it.
