I don't get it...
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Cruiser
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 106
Likes: 0
I don't get it...
Something really weird is going on with my 89 FLHS. I just did a 1,000 mile road trip from Boston to Augusta GA. Everything was great until I got just under a 10 mile radius from my destination and the weather broke loose on me. So the bike got wet, but nothing major.
However, since then, weird things are happening. The bike will idle roughly at 500-600 RPM and miss quite a bit when I rev it up. After a while, it settles down. But even weirder is that for a while, anything I operate the turn signals or the high/low on the headlight, the RPM's will drop and come back up. When the turn signal is on it will drop RPMs in synch with the light. Like, WTF? The charging system is fine. batterys good. I have a Kuryakin trailer wiring kit that I installed and has been working perfectly and this happens with the trailer hooked up and without.
What in the wide, wide world of sports could be causing this? When I ride it for a while eventually it settles down, but this is annoying. Why would the turn signals and headlight switch be causing an RPM drop and running rough?
However, since then, weird things are happening. The bike will idle roughly at 500-600 RPM and miss quite a bit when I rev it up. After a while, it settles down. But even weirder is that for a while, anything I operate the turn signals or the high/low on the headlight, the RPM's will drop and come back up. When the turn signal is on it will drop RPMs in synch with the light. Like, WTF? The charging system is fine. batterys good. I have a Kuryakin trailer wiring kit that I installed and has been working perfectly and this happens with the trailer hooked up and without.
What in the wide, wide world of sports could be causing this? When I ride it for a while eventually it settles down, but this is annoying. Why would the turn signals and headlight switch be causing an RPM drop and running rough?
Road Master
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 794
Likes: 1
From: Alvin TX
sounds like it got water into something , it's shorting out when you use the switches , or just you have a wire rubbing raw & it all happened at the same time , just dry it out ,I would pull the switch housing & start there if dry move on after you put them back together drying it out is the key here
It definitely sounds like a ground issue... Check all grounds. Run a separate ground wire from one of the bolts from your turn signal housings to the handlebar ground wire on the trees. Do one from the rear tail light/light bar to the frame also. Those grounds will save your turn signal module. I had similar issues with turn signals on my 91 FLHS.
What is happening is bad connections/lack of ground. Check all your connectors for corrosion. Clean with electronic contact cleaner. Put Dielectric grease in them.
You have to use a good ohm meter to check resistance on all circuits. I had a 12.5 battery. Was getting 12.5 to the Ignition switch. 10.5 everywhere out of the switch. Cause was oil/grease from the switch melting down onto the connections and causing resistance. Clean them with electronic contact cleaner. dielectric grease it.
Hope this stuff helps. Let us know! Trucker Gary
What is happening is bad connections/lack of ground. Check all your connectors for corrosion. Clean with electronic contact cleaner. Put Dielectric grease in them.
You have to use a good ohm meter to check resistance on all circuits. I had a 12.5 battery. Was getting 12.5 to the Ignition switch. 10.5 everywhere out of the switch. Cause was oil/grease from the switch melting down onto the connections and causing resistance. Clean them with electronic contact cleaner. dielectric grease it.
Hope this stuff helps. Let us know! Trucker Gary
Road Master
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 957
Likes: 2
From: Carlsbad Springs Ontario
Ditto all replies ., as a bike ages , the wiring is usually the first thing to cause trouble.
Your trip through rainy weather and resulting elec. symptoms are a heads up to pay some TLC to your elec. system . Look first to any component that can hold standing water or condensation to first fix. After that i would suggest you check the wiring system by doing wiring checks and procedures i have listed on this site.
Pay particular attension to wiring grommets, block connectors , ground points , dirty switches and also the section of wiring harness that bends as you steer.
Your trip through rainy weather and resulting elec. symptoms are a heads up to pay some TLC to your elec. system . Look first to any component that can hold standing water or condensation to first fix. After that i would suggest you check the wiring system by doing wiring checks and procedures i have listed on this site.
Pay particular attension to wiring grommets, block connectors , ground points , dirty switches and also the section of wiring harness that bends as you steer.
Thread Starter
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Cruiser
Joined: Aug 2012
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All of this makes perfect sense. I'm heading back from Georgia to Boston on Sat morning but I'll spend an hour or two checking this out before I leave. I may have to check out both switch assemblies and maybe blow some clean compressed air into the ignition switch. Dont have the tools to take everything apart here...
THANKS!
THANKS!
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 2,747
Likes: 419
From: Vermont
Go the easy route first .Pull the batt and clean all the connectors. It sounds like a ground for sure. Get some sand paper and clean the frame ground studs. Make sure cables are clean. Dont just spray some cleaner on. If you can charge batt up full and test while your doing the cable maintenance. When more than one component f up its usually a ground. Have a good ride back up here...great weather all week on this end.
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Cruiser
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 192
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From: Lake Butler, FLA
miss
Not exact same but dang near, my control module was going on mine. changed it no prob since, the gel like that the electrics are in
was deteriorated and apparently letting moisture get in if it got wet. If i switched lights to on, or hi/low beam or turn signal, it would drop rpm then later meaning week or so, start missing
was deteriorated and apparently letting moisture get in if it got wet. If i switched lights to on, or hi/low beam or turn signal, it would drop rpm then later meaning week or so, start missing
Last edited by billzflhtc; Aug 16, 2013 at 01:30 PM.
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Thread Starter
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Cruiser
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 106
Likes: 0
Not exact same but dang near, my control module was going on mine. changed it no prob since, the gel like that the electrics are in
was deteriorated and apparently letting moisture get in if it got wet. If i switched lights to on, or hi/low beam or turn signal, it would drop rpm then later meaning week or so, start missing
was deteriorated and apparently letting moisture get in if it got wet. If i switched lights to on, or hi/low beam or turn signal, it would drop rpm then later meaning week or so, start missing
Thread Starter
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Cruiser
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 106
Likes: 0
Well, it's not grounding. The bike starts up and idles low. It gets better then I rev it up. Every time I go back to idle it starts running rough at 500 rpm or lower. For a while after I start driving, high/low beam or right/left turn will cause it to drop RPM's, or start running rough. Settles down after a while.
How does one test the voltage regulator? I already tested the ground at the base.
How does one test the voltage regulator? I already tested the ground at the base.