I think I'll just pull it off again and have a local starter rebuilder take a look at it.
My thanks to all of you for your input.

 

DynaMan is correct about the 2 windings for the solenoid. There is a small section in all the Service manuals for 90 and up that gives simple and rather easy tests for the solenoid. You could check it on the bike.

But really, for the price of starters, if you've already gotten it off, just replace it...

 

I like the way Galtjunk responsed to the forum If people want good answers to their questions this is the way ! All the rest of you with questions follow suit !

 

For what it is worth, my buddy with the same type of problem swears it is a wiring issue somewhere in the switch lines. He has replaced or checked everything else and is just sure he has a bad wire somewhere that is breaking the circuit when it feels like it.

I hate electrical problems!

 

just for s**ts and giggles go do a voltage drop test from your battery while starting. Take a voltmeter and test voltage at your battery while a buddy hits the starter. I would start there and check voltage and continuity throughout the system. Check continuity on all your positive and negative cables. Just cause it looks good dont mean it is.

 

I replaced the starter with a 1.4 kw Ultima.
$130 for a chrome one, shipping included from gopartsce on Ebay.
I ordered it on Wednesday and it showed up at my door on Friday.
You can't ask for better service than that.



All is well again.

 

I read this whole thread, and was going to post my solution, but you beat me to the punch! I had this EXACT same issue on my '95 FLHTP - starter would click sometimes, sometimes turn over, sometimes not. I installed a button on the solenoid, and when I pressed that the starter would turn fine. I checked all of the wiring 5 times, replaced the starter relay, and rebuilt the solenoid using one of those $20 kits... same issue. So, I figured that the solenoid windings that just weakened over time, until they would no longer reliably pull the solenoid plunger in and hold it in to complete the starter circuit. I got really frustrated with it, and having to start the bike with the solenoid button all the time. Not that that was such a big deal in itself - it just irks me when anything on my bike isn't working right.

I finally fixed the problem the exact same way you did... I bought a new chrome Ultima 1.4KW starter for $140 from Eastern on eBay, with free shipping BTW. The other comparable 1.4KW starters were all nearly double that. It arrived in two days, I slapped it on, and my starter problems are GONE! Looks (and sounds) a LOT better than the plain steel stock starter did, too. Sometimes you just have to stop messin' around with a finicky old part, and replace the damn thing so you can go out and RIDE!

 

I went through this with my 95 Ultra. After replacing battery cables, grounds, solenoid, starter relay etc., I finally replaced the green wire that goes from the solenoid, under the tank and into the headlight. Since then it has cranked everytime. Something to check. kc

 

That was probably a bad connection on the end of the green wire to the starter solenoid What's with this wire from the headlight stuff ?

 

Does that green wire go to the starter relay? According to my shop manual, the starter relay has moved around through the years on FLH/FLT models. It could be under the seat, behind the right side cover, or up in the headlight housing like it is on my '95 FLHTP. My Clymer manual is wrong about my bike... it says the '95 FLHT starter relay is supposed to be under the right side cover - but mine is up in the dash like the manual says it was in '94. Go figure...