OK, I made it back from the Redwood Run, not without some starting problems with my 1990 FXRS Evo Lowrider

The day before I left, I got the dreaded click when trying to start my bike. I went ahead and replaced the starter relay and that seemed to fix my problems. I also load tested the battery. Everything appeared perfect.

After a couple of hours of riding, I could not start my bike at our first gas stop - again hearing the dreaded click. To start my bike, I ran a jumper cable between the two starter terminal posts with the ignition key on. As I did this, I heard the starter motor spinning, but not throwing the jack shaft. As I did this, my friend hit the 'start' button, which then threw the jack shaft and started the bike.

Is this normal? Shouldn't the bike have started without pushing the 'start' button?

At our next gas stop, the bike started normally, by pushing the 'start' button. At our stop for lunch, the bike would not start normally and I had to use the jumper cables, along with hitting the 'start' button.

This erratic behavior occurred throughout the trip. It does not appear to be related to heat, moisture, or anything that I can pinpoint. Switching out the new starter relay with the old one, produced the same erratic behavior. A couple of times, the bike would start by pressing the 'start' button 3 or 4 times.

My charging system is brand new, since replacing the stator and regulator in February. As I said, the battery is perfect.

I believe I am running the original starter. (I believe it's a 1.2W) Prior to re-installing the starter from my stator replacement, I performed the "in-out" tests, per the Service Manual. I also installed new terminal contact points and the copper ring in my solenoid.

Before buying (or rebuilding) a starter, I wanted to check with you to gather your opinions. Is my problem with the starter?

Someone suggested that I need a new starter clutch. Is it worth rebuilding this old starter, or would I be better off getting a newer 1.8W or 2.0W starter? If a new starter is in my future, what brands should I stay away from?

 

Starter will spin when jumping ,but solenoid is not going to engage unless it to is jumper-ed. Try jumping hot side to solenoid terminal next time it doesn't start and see what happens then.Check all connections.

 

Not following you.

I only have 3 connections to starter/solenoid. One terminal connects to battery, another terminal connects the starter to solenoid. There is a third connection to solenoid - a brown wire with flat connector. I believe this wire come from starter relay.

 

Try a pushbutton starter cover....

 

What he is saying is to jump the battery to starter cable(the heavy lug on the side of the starter that connects to the battery) to the flat, brown wire's terminal on the solenoid. That should engage the solenoid strongly enough to engage the starter. Ignition on first, then jump the lug to the flat brown wire's terminal on the solenoid and the starter should kick in and start the bike. If it does, see the dreaded click thread stickied above. If not, there is something else going on...


***Edit: also, when you replaced the contacts and copper ring in the solenoid, did you clean and lightly lube the shaft on the solenoid's plunger? It might have gotten thick and sticky and congealed on you, making the solenoid coil's job that much more difficult to close the circuit...

 

+1 At least that'll get you by until the real problem is solved.

 

Thanks for the replies.

1) Would love to install a push button cover. It has been impossible to find one for a 1990 starter/solenoid. Everything I've seen is for 1991 and up. Would like to find a plain cover to see if I could fabricate my own.

2) Interesting comment on the solenoid's plunger. I previously mentioned buying a solenoid repair kit. In re-inspecting the new solenoid plunger from All *****, I noticed a small difference. While the All ***** plunger is the same height as the original, the copper ring on the original plunger, sits slightly closer to the copper contact points.

Since I put back the original plunger, I have started the bike 4 times without any problems.

 

I got the same problem with my 1990 FXR. I install the starter cover button on mine and it worked for awhile. But now it is not working either. I have replaced the starter with rebuilt one, changed the relay, nothing helps.

 

This thread is 3 years old and most of the people who posted in it haven't been around for a while.

You need to start a new thread and tell us everything you have done up to this point so that we can help you.

Welcome to the forum.

How old is your battery?
How old are your battery cables?
Have you checked your battery connections?