Just a little introduction about myself: Yep... just another noob to this forum... however, I have been riding and wrenching for better part of 30 years and particpate in other forums for my other additions, ahem... I mean hobies. Glad to be here and hope that I can add to the knowledge base.

So... here is my issue:

I have a 1987 FLHTC with a 1340 Evo. A few mods here and there, a rebuild or two, but over all it is a stock power plant. I have had this bike since 1989, and have coverd well over a quarter million miles with it.

Last fall, the bike started having issues with the starter. When the botton is pushed, it would act as though the battery was low and the starter would buzz and then turn over slowly. This happened every time. On the last ride, I even got a nice puff of electrical smoke from the starter area... though I am not positive of the exact source. Being that I have a few other sleds, I put her away for the winter after that.

Fast forward a season and yesterday I decided to tackle the problem. I read about people experiencing the "Click Issue" written about here: https://www.hdforums.com/forum/evo-c...-question.html and even though the symptoms are different (I do not get a click.. I get a buzz and a slow crank) I figured what the hell... a starter relay is cheap.

I shoudl have attempted to start the bike before trying to make any repairs, but I did not. I slapped in a new starter relay. I hit the fire button and she cranked like new and fired right up. I thought to myself that I had fixed it for cheap, but to be sure, I wanted to see what happened when I put the old relay back on the system.

Unfortunately... even with the old relay reinstalled she continued to work like she should and cranked just fine. I was hoping that maybe I had a loose or corroded connection and just playing with the relay fixed the problem, but I am never that lucky.

Last night I went for a nice long ride, and the buzzing and slow cranking came back. But this time, it was intermitant. I stopped several times over the ride and only half of the time did she buzz and then crank slow. And I have not seen smoke since last fall. The rest of the time, she turned over fairly quickly and fired right up. WTF!!!

The battery is new and has been load tested. The starter solenoid was replaced last year in an attempt to repair this issue. The cables are all clean and bright and the grounds are solid. Could the starter be giving up the ghost? Is the starter serviceable?

 

First step is to get an ohm-meter and triple-check the grounds, batter to starter and transmission to frame. If all is good there then pull the starter and open your service manual to the electrical section. There is a few continuity tests in there to verify each part of the starter. Even with a new selenoid there can still be something grounding out in the starter motor or the housing. Another indication of a ground issue in the starter is to watch the voltage on the battery drop when you hit the start button, there is a spec for maximum drop (i THINK its like .5v). More drop than that and you probably have a ground issue in ir around the starter

 

Thank you Frankenbagger, I will be sure to go through your suggestions this weekend.

Do you recall if I have to pull the primary to pull the starter? I believe that is a yes.

Also, are these starters easily rebuildable? Or is it a trash and replace kinda deal?

 

The little disk in starter is probably arched to ****, they can be cleaned up. Please don't ask me the technical term.
Its the contact from when you hit your starter button, spring loaded.

 

Can this be yanked out for cleaning without having to pull the starter?

 

You are correct, you have to pull the primary to remove the jackshaft. The starter is pretty easy to rebuild. Depending on what the issue is, a rebuild kit may fix you right up and is fairly inexpensive compared to what hd wants for a new starter.

 

I'm not sure about your 87 but on my 89 I can pull this part out and clean it np. I/m not referring to the jackshaft, the part I'm refering to is on the starter side of the bike. Again I'm not sure about the 87 but on my 89 I also replaced the end part of the starter with the push button piece for when the handlebar starter button ever acts up.

 

This is what yours looks like and I beleive it is part 15 contact washer that you will find arched out. You can probably flip it over and be like brand new part.

 

Yeah, sounds like the solenoid to me. You can pull it without pulling the starter motor or even opening the primary. Just 2 bolts, 7/16" head, if I recall. Then you can carefully take the solenoid apart and probably clean it up, or they sell replacement guts (disk and copper contacts) or a replacement solenoid.

Could also be a manifestation of The Dreaded Click. If after servicing the solenoid, it still occasionally does it, it's Dreaded Click.

 

Thanks! It sure looks like I might be able to sneak into that washer and flip it without removing the starter... worth a shot anyway.