Need Help!
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Tourer
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 481
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From: Denver, Colorado
Need Help!
This has been going on since friday. I go to start my bike and it bogs down and I hear a some what loud ticking sound coming from the solenoid. I checked the battery, and that's good. So I took my solenoid apart and that checked out good. Tonight I did some looking, and tightened up my wiring, the bike turned over twice, bogged down and started ticking again. I'm stumped. Any help would be great, thanks. Vinnie.
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Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 52
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RE: Need Help!
Vinnie,
here in Australia, our local mechanics can hook up a battery testing device to the battery to test for a dead cell (plate). Given that we are probably about 3 years behind the rest of the world (apart from maybe New Zealand), you should be able to get this simple test done as well. It sounds to me like your battery has dropped a cell. Unfortunately just placing a multimeter on the terminals won't help you as the battery will still be able to hold a charge. As soon as you load up the battery, however, your cranking AMPS will drop significantly due to the buggered cell. If your battery has removable filling plugs (so you can top it off with distilled water) then there is a simple test to do. Remove all the plugs and attempt to start your bike. As soon as it stops turning over and you get the clicking solenoid sound, look into all the plugholes with a torch. If you see any bubbles rising in any of the holes then that is thecell that is stuffed. Needless to say, if any of these things show a defective cell then you need to replace the battery. IMO, this is the easiest test to isolate whether or not the battery is at fault.
Let us know how you go.
here in Australia, our local mechanics can hook up a battery testing device to the battery to test for a dead cell (plate). Given that we are probably about 3 years behind the rest of the world (apart from maybe New Zealand), you should be able to get this simple test done as well. It sounds to me like your battery has dropped a cell. Unfortunately just placing a multimeter on the terminals won't help you as the battery will still be able to hold a charge. As soon as you load up the battery, however, your cranking AMPS will drop significantly due to the buggered cell. If your battery has removable filling plugs (so you can top it off with distilled water) then there is a simple test to do. Remove all the plugs and attempt to start your bike. As soon as it stops turning over and you get the clicking solenoid sound, look into all the plugholes with a torch. If you see any bubbles rising in any of the holes then that is thecell that is stuffed. Needless to say, if any of these things show a defective cell then you need to replace the battery. IMO, this is the easiest test to isolate whether or not the battery is at fault.
Let us know how you go.
Big Kahuna HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 29,598
Likes: 19
From: Oregon
RE: Need Help!
ORIGINAL: Vinnie85FXWG
You may be right but I have a battery charger with a 50 amp starter and the bike still drags down.
You may be right but I have a battery charger with a 50 amp starter and the bike still drags down.
That can also happen with a dirty connection. The minute it heats it expands and everything changes. Where you had contact you may not now have it.
That's a possibility here since it begins well and then poops out. My first guess is one of the above.
I could be wrong...??
PS I once bought a brand new HD battery that did that right out of the box. Drove me nuts...
Big Kahuna HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 29,598
Likes: 19
From: Oregon
RE: Need Help!
ORIGINAL: Vinnie85FXWG
You may be right but I have a battery charger with a 50 amp starter and the bike still drags down.
You may be right but I have a battery charger with a 50 amp starter and the bike still drags down.
If it causes expansion somewhere else due to, say, corrosion, it won't help.
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Tourer
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 481
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From: Denver, Colorado
RE: Need Help!
ORIGINAL: RJ98274
CHECK THE GROUND CABLE FROM THE STARTER TO THE FRAME-I HAD MINE VIBRATE LOOSE ,IT WAS JUST A LITTLE LOOSE BUT IT CAUSE A POOR CONNECTION
CHECK THE GROUND CABLE FROM THE STARTER TO THE FRAME-I HAD MINE VIBRATE LOOSE ,IT WAS JUST A LITTLE LOOSE BUT IT CAUSE A POOR CONNECTION
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Thread Starter
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Tourer
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 481
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From: Denver, Colorado
RE: Need Help!
I believe I have a bad battery. I went back out to the garage after reading all of your replies and was able to get the bike to start with the 50 amp starter. I was also able to kick the bike without the charger. But I have one more question, why at one point I couldn't get the bike to start with the 50 amp, and then at a later time I could? And thank you all for your help and advice.
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