Sluggish starting
Thread Starter
|
Novice
Joined: Jun 2020
Posts: 20
Likes: 3
From: England
Sluggish starting
Afternoon all.
A weird one. When I hit the starter on my 2014 Breakout, the starter engages, then clicks, then slowly (and I mean very slowly) turns the engine over to start. Almost feels like the battery is flat. I replaced the battery a few months back and it wasn’t great even after the new battery. However a week or so without use and you try to start and sure enough back to virtually no engine turn over.
Charged it Optimate charger last night and still sluggish this morning. A friend has an almost identical breakout (year etc) and his seems to turn over fine.
Any ideas from you goods folks out there?
Thanks
A weird one. When I hit the starter on my 2014 Breakout, the starter engages, then clicks, then slowly (and I mean very slowly) turns the engine over to start. Almost feels like the battery is flat. I replaced the battery a few months back and it wasn’t great even after the new battery. However a week or so without use and you try to start and sure enough back to virtually no engine turn over.
Charged it Optimate charger last night and still sluggish this morning. A friend has an almost identical breakout (year etc) and his seems to turn over fine.
Any ideas from you goods folks out there?
Thanks
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,496
Likes: 30,783
From: Pennsylvania
1. Take the battery out and have it load tested at your local Auto Store.
2. Then report back.
3. Even new batteries can have issues.
4. What battery did you buy? Harley Davidson or aftermarket?
5. How many Cold Cranking Amps (CCA)?
2. Then report back.
3. Even new batteries can have issues.
4. What battery did you buy? Harley Davidson or aftermarket?
5. How many Cold Cranking Amps (CCA)?
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 6,083
Likes: 1,127
From:
You need to put a meter at battery.
Take voltage from battery posts:
At rest
While cranking
While at idle and then high idle.
When a new battery is installed the same measurements should be taken.
Reason: You need to confirm charging system operation and just because a battery is new does not mean it is good.
Review for parasitic battery drain if battery is unable to hold a charge for a week.
Done by disconnecting negative battery cable and placing digital meter probes between negative battery cable end and negative battery post.
*Do NOT turn bike ON during this parasitic test or you can fry/damage the meter
Take voltage from battery posts:
At rest
While cranking
While at idle and then high idle.
When a new battery is installed the same measurements should be taken.
Reason: You need to confirm charging system operation and just because a battery is new does not mean it is good.
Review for parasitic battery drain if battery is unable to hold a charge for a week.
Done by disconnecting negative battery cable and placing digital meter probes between negative battery cable end and negative battery post.
*Do NOT turn bike ON during this parasitic test or you can fry/damage the meter
Thread Starter
|
Novice
Joined: Jun 2020
Posts: 20
Likes: 3
From: England
Thanks coolbreeze and IM. Will get the battery tested. It was fitted by my local bike garage (non-Harley). It was mid range aftermarket so my thoughts were whether it just wasn’t man enough for the job.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2017
Posts: 12,233
Likes: 4,943
From: England
When you got the new battery did you put it on charge before installation?
I have a DVM that has a MIN and MAX function that is ideal for seeing what the battery voltage falls to during cranking. I forgot about thea and went and bought an Optimate - TS120 Battery/Alternator Tester — OptiMate UK
The nice thing about it is it plugs into the SAE charging pigtail and it shows the min voltage whilst also showing what the alternator is kicking out with the engine running.
I have a DVM that has a MIN and MAX function that is ideal for seeing what the battery voltage falls to during cranking. I forgot about thea and went and bought an Optimate - TS120 Battery/Alternator Tester — OptiMate UK
The nice thing about it is it plugs into the SAE charging pigtail and it shows the min voltage whilst also showing what the alternator is kicking out with the engine running.
Last edited by Andy from Sandy; Nov 17, 2022 at 10:50 AM.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
