Lets back it up,since the relay just fires the starter solenoid electromagnetic on the starter solenoid. So should be battery positive to starter solenoid positive, and then need to check battery to ground, and ground to starter solenoid body loop. ON the later bikes, battery ground goes to starter mounting bolt with large cable, so would check the path of ground from battery lug, to starter body, and add in a large gauge cable if not a good enough gauge path now. Hence if you painted the primary cover where the starter bolts to it and the starter, then need to clean the bolt channels, as well the face side of the starter when it bolts in, so you do have a clean ground path to the starter body.
Here photo's of what you do have in play, would become handy at this point, since you have have a bad ground path due to painted surfaces.

Next is the starter solenoid ring to contact lugs. So on that note, pull the starter solenoid cover, and take a look at the ring to make sure it not burnt to hell. Next, take a look at the contact lugs, and make sure that you have both flat to the bottom of the solenoid void body. When the lugs bolts are tightened, it can cause the contact lugs to rotate, and when the solenoid pulls the starter ring down to make the contract between the two lugs, with either of the pad contact lugs end edge cant upwards, less surface on the ring to make the contact through the ring. So if need, disconnect battery and using a small punch at the L bend of the contact pads, knock the sides back down so contact pads are flush to the base of the assembly/ flush to each other and flush to the ring as it will contact them as well.



At this point, when solenoid is fired via 12 volts to the starter solenoid, to draw the ring into the contact pads, what every the battery has/the starter has in torque , it sending all of this to the starter ring to spin the motor.

From here, if you are still having problems with the starter not spinning the motor fast enough, then its time to check static timing, so the cylinders are not trying to fire to far before TDC, and fighting the motor trying to spin it during ignitions of the cylinder.

To add, you brought up that the starter solenoid positive is only getting 5 volts to fire it. Is this a voltage check to battery ground to weed out a ground problem down line or a problem back up line on the positive wiring side instead? If line 30 into the relay is 12 volts, and your only getting 5 volts out,then problem with the relay contacts and need a new relay (or pull the one apart to clean the internal contacts). And again, check your battery to chassis ground, to make sure the connections are clean (not painted surfaces, or aluminum corroded surfaces) and good to start with.

As for terminal 84 on the relay, should have12 volts in when you press the starter button, but on 85 to ground, since is the other side of the coil to ground, will have lower voltage after the coils.

 

I just picked up a 94 Wide Glide this past weekend. It has this stater assist (doohickey -who ha) button:

I've used it a few times already when the start button on the handlebars didn't work.

 

Yes and yes.

 

My starter is longer and the solenoid won't accept that button.

 

What about putting a jumper wire from the source of the green wire direct to the solenoid. I.E. bypassing the wire coming from the starter button and reading the voltage then?Could be a knick in the wire causing a voltage drop?Wiring problems are a PIA. With a voltmeter ya gotta start from the beginning. Take ur time and just follow the diagram.Don’t give up,and good luck

 

If it's an aftermarket compufire, remove it and toss in the trash.. You can buy a decent starter from Jireh Cycles for $170.

 

Just for the hell of it, take a reasonable sized clip lead, something that can handle 10 amps, and with the bike in neutral, connect one end to the battery positive and then touch the other end to the starter at the green wire connection. Or, connect one end solidly to the green wire terminal and touch the other end to the battery, whichever is easier. See if it cranks.

 

And leave the ignition off

 

That's a voltage drop and to my thinking a bit to much.
I'll go back and reread some in a bit.
Dang you've already done alot

This sounds like one of them Things when found it'll be simple


WP

 

Is this for safety or are you using it looking for a symptom

WP