so there i was. new solenoid and battery installed on my barn find 1985 harley wide glide/fatboy hybrid. hit the start button and CLICK. nothing. assuming this is the dreaded relay issue i called a few auto parts stores and tried to find a relay that matched the only one my bike has. nothing. which relay do i buy? is it a headlight relay? its made by Hella and the part number on it doesnt come back to anything other than a relay for a sunroof on some model car. any help would be awesome.

 

I'm not sure you need the additional relay.
Look at your starter relay and if the center pin is used you have to add the relay.
If it isn't used then all you have to do is run a 20 amp fused wire from the positive post on your battery to pin 30 on the starter relay.

 

the center pin is not used. does this relay control the coil to start the engine as well?

 

Your ignition controls the coil.
The center pin is used by the glides to turn off the head light while starting.

All you need to do is go and get a fused wire (about 8in long) put some ends on it (one ring end to connect to the battery and one female spade to connect to the relay) and a 20 amp fuse. You may need to add some wire to what you can get in the store.

Another guy had a similar problem and it turned out to be a bad connection between the male spade connection and the green wire (the starter end of the green wire).

What is your voltage at the starter (green wire) when you try to start your bike?

 

0 volts to the starter. if i go hot from the battery to the small wire on the solenoid she cranks no problem. but with ether shes not starting. but now i want to fix the starter issue first then move on to the carb/fuel/spark issue.

 

Can you read the voltage at pin 30 on the relay?

 

Just to be clear that is while you have the start button on the handle bar pushed correct?

 

haha yes when its pushed. ill check the voltage in a second

 

i have 12.5 volts at pin 30

 

Ok if you have a new relay and 12.5 volts at pin 30 and 0 at starter then you either have a break in the green wire or a problem with your handlebar switches/wires.

With the start button pushed what do you get at pin 85?