No Start
Tourer
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 406
Likes: 122
From: Iowa
Yep, I had this exact problem on my 22-year-old '82 Sporty at Sturgis in 2004. Instead of nice bright copper wire, I found nothing but solid green powdery corrosion inside the plastic coating of the negative battery cable, near where it connected to the battery. Good luck!
Thread Starter
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Cruiser
Joined: Sep 2021
Posts: 206
Likes: 306
From: Colorado
Battery load tested good.
Cables should be good. Both replaced a few years ago.
12.8 v at the solenoid power in.
.5 v at power out to starter when pushing the start button.
Was going to replace the relay but the Harley shop said its discontinued.
Looked up how to test a relay and neither of my two meters have a continuity function.
Haven't pulled the primary cover.
Bad solenoid? Bad relay? Going to see if I can pick up another meter to test continuity on the relay.
Thanks
Cables should be good. Both replaced a few years ago.
12.8 v at the solenoid power in.
.5 v at power out to starter when pushing the start button.
Was going to replace the relay but the Harley shop said its discontinued.
Looked up how to test a relay and neither of my two meters have a continuity function.
Haven't pulled the primary cover.
Bad solenoid? Bad relay? Going to see if I can pick up another meter to test continuity on the relay.
Thanks
Advanced
Joined: Apr 2024
Posts: 63
Likes: 51
From: Darwin
I have no idea what the problem is nor how to fix it & neither does anyone else on this forum evidenced by the replies thus far.
Grab a trailer load your bike on it & take it to a shop that knows what they are doing, it will be quicker & cheaper.
Grab a trailer load your bike on it & take it to a shop that knows what they are doing, it will be quicker & cheaper.
Road Master
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 1,239
Likes: 1,171
From: St. Catharines, Ontario
Ignore post 14.
Have your DC voltmeter ready, ensure the bike is in neutral, and with ignition ON and kill switch ON press the starter button. While button pressed record these voltages
long post on solenoid
shorter post on solenoid
small solenoid terminal with smaller gauge wire on it.
Report these findings.
Best practice is to have black meter lead on Negative terminal of battery.
Have your DC voltmeter ready, ensure the bike is in neutral, and with ignition ON and kill switch ON press the starter button. While button pressed record these voltages
long post on solenoid
shorter post on solenoid
small solenoid terminal with smaller gauge wire on it.
Report these findings.
Best practice is to have black meter lead on Negative terminal of battery.
Last edited by Baird; May 18, 2025 at 07:56 AM.
I'll add my 2 cents fwiw:
1) solenoid alignment is VERY important. If it's not aligned properly it will not travel full distance and make the contact
2) Check all connections, not just to see if they are tight. Clean them of all corrosion and reconnect
1) solenoid alignment is VERY important. If it's not aligned properly it will not travel full distance and make the contact
2) Check all connections, not just to see if they are tight. Clean them of all corrosion and reconnect
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 21,031
Likes: 12,555
From: South Carolina
Ignore post 14
Don`t assume parts are good just because they are new or only several years old...
.5V at power out to starter when pushing start button?
Exactly how did you check this, where were the meter probes contacting?
.5V at power out to starter when pushing start button?
Exactly how did you check this, where were the meter probes contacting?
Last edited by Dan89FLSTC; May 18, 2025 at 12:23 PM.
Thread Starter
|
Cruiser
Joined: Sep 2021
Posts: 206
Likes: 306
From: Colorado
Ignore post 14.
Have your DC voltmeter ready, ensure the bike is in neutral, and with ignition ON and kill switch ON press the starter button. While button pressed record these voltages
long post on solenoid
shorter post on solenoid
small solenoid terminal with smaller gauge wire on it.
Report these findings.
Best practice is to have black meter lead on Negative terminal of battery.
Have your DC voltmeter ready, ensure the bike is in neutral, and with ignition ON and kill switch ON press the starter button. While button pressed record these voltages
long post on solenoid
shorter post on solenoid
small solenoid terminal with smaller gauge wire on it.
Report these findings.
Best practice is to have black meter lead on Negative terminal of battery.
Battery no load 12.9 v
Battery on start 12.2 v
Long post on start 11.8 v
Short post on start .6 v
Small post on start 9.3 v
Solenoid alignment
Testing devices
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