Reoccuring problem, very expensive...
Reoccuring problem, very expensive...
Let me start by giving you the specs on the bike. 2003 FLHTCI Electra Glide Classic, Screaming Eagle air cleaner, Full Sac true duals, Vance and Hines bagger slip on's, 525 Fueler cams with the hydraulic tensioner set and a Thunder Max tuner.
October of last year was on a trip. The day I left the battery was low (not dead) so I charged it, stared the bike and left thinking the ride would charge the battery. Got 30 miles down the road and all my instrumentation flashed, tach and speedo pegged and the bike shut off. Traced the damage and found the TSM/TSSM failed, blew every light bulb in the bike, shorted the stereo, the Thunder Max, the speedo and the tach. Replaced all these part ($1500.00in parts) and a new battery the bike has run fine till this past Saturday and it did it again.
Has any one ever heard of something like this happening? The schematics show only 2 common wires that go to all these locations are a 12 volt memory line (15 amp fuse) and the serial port line. I'm open to ideas as to why it happened and where to look to stop it from happening again. Please help if you can...
October of last year was on a trip. The day I left the battery was low (not dead) so I charged it, stared the bike and left thinking the ride would charge the battery. Got 30 miles down the road and all my instrumentation flashed, tach and speedo pegged and the bike shut off. Traced the damage and found the TSM/TSSM failed, blew every light bulb in the bike, shorted the stereo, the Thunder Max, the speedo and the tach. Replaced all these part ($1500.00in parts) and a new battery the bike has run fine till this past Saturday and it did it again.
Has any one ever heard of something like this happening? The schematics show only 2 common wires that go to all these locations are a 12 volt memory line (15 amp fuse) and the serial port line. I'm open to ideas as to why it happened and where to look to stop it from happening again. Please help if you can...
Last edited by ChewySav; Apr 13, 2015 at 02:34 PM. Reason: Removed a picture
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2009
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From: East Tn Foot of The Dragon
Also Harley has had issues with fender tip lights shorting internally, the rear being more an issue then the front. This can short out several components without blowing fuses. I would unplug the rear fender tip light after repairs and try it.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 6,086
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From:
You have not mentioned a review of the charging system.
Please review the charging system.
Reads like an over voltage situation.
A fuse is used to protect a circuit from a short or if too much amperage is run though wires.
A fuse will not protect against over voltage from a faulty regulator.
Based on the minimal information available it would read like a voltage regulator.
Replacement of broken /damaged parts without investigation of cause could prove costly.
For it to blow so many electrical components would lead me to think the regulator failed big time and was allowing way over 14+ volts DC.
The bad regulator probably cooked the original battery slowly causing it to become damaged and give the dead/low reading.
You will repeat this expensive cycle if the electrical system is not checked.
Please review the charging system.
Reads like an over voltage situation.
A fuse is used to protect a circuit from a short or if too much amperage is run though wires.
A fuse will not protect against over voltage from a faulty regulator.
Based on the minimal information available it would read like a voltage regulator.
Replacement of broken /damaged parts without investigation of cause could prove costly.
For it to blow so many electrical components would lead me to think the regulator failed big time and was allowing way over 14+ volts DC.
The bad regulator probably cooked the original battery slowly causing it to become damaged and give the dead/low reading.
You will repeat this expensive cycle if the electrical system is not checked.
You have not mentioned a review of the charging system.
Please review the charging system.
Reads like an over voltage situation.
A fuse is used to protect a circuit from a short or if too much amperage is run though wires.
A fuse will not protect against over voltage from a faulty regulator.
Based on the minimal information available it would read like a voltage regulator.
Replacement of broken /damaged parts without investigation of cause could prove costly.
For it to blow so many electrical components would lead me to think the regulator failed big time and was allowing way over 14+ volts DC.
The bad regulator probably cooked the original battery slowly causing it to become damaged and give the dead/low reading.
You will repeat this expensive cycle if the electrical system is not checked.
Please review the charging system.
Reads like an over voltage situation.
A fuse is used to protect a circuit from a short or if too much amperage is run though wires.
A fuse will not protect against over voltage from a faulty regulator.
Based on the minimal information available it would read like a voltage regulator.
Replacement of broken /damaged parts without investigation of cause could prove costly.
For it to blow so many electrical components would lead me to think the regulator failed big time and was allowing way over 14+ volts DC.
The bad regulator probably cooked the original battery slowly causing it to become damaged and give the dead/low reading.
You will repeat this expensive cycle if the electrical system is not checked.
Exactly. That's what happened to the customers bike I had that did the same thing. Voltage regulator was putting out to much.
When the battery was replaced the output was 14.2 or less. That was checked by a Harley tech. Already ordered the regulator and the TSM/TSSM. It seems that the speedo is no longer available, any advise there?
Last edited by ChewySav; Apr 14, 2015 at 11:30 AM.
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From:
It would be a shame to replace parts and not test items or systems.
There is a step by step wiki on the forum in order to test the electrical system with a simple digital voltage meter.
In regards to the speedometer: consider review of Ronnies HD parts finder for part number....if you are OK with used then go to e b a y or if not you can go to a local harley dealer and they can review the national data base to see if someone has a new mileage recalibrated unit that was not picked-up by customer..
The speedometer will probably arrive with miles that will not match your dash if that is important to you.
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Joe Kucinski
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Joined: Sep 2014
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Likes: 1,325
From: DeLand, Florida
Regulator needs to be checked under load. Sometime electronic don't fail completely them fail under conditions like load, heat, vibration, etc. a good battery will absorb a lot until it goes bad and then it sounds like your bike electronics absorbed either an over voltage or most likely AC that the regulator passed without rectification. If Harley can't put a load on it, pep boys or autozone can.
Information provided is rather short.
It would be a shame to replace parts and not test items or systems.
There is a step by step wiki on the forum in order to test the electrical system with a simple digital voltage meter.
In regards to the speedometer: consider review of Ronnies HD parts finder for part number....if you are OK with used then go to e b a y or if not you can go to a local harley dealer and they can review the national data base to see if someone has a new mileage recalibrated unit that was not picked-up by customer..
The speedometer will probably arrive with miles that will not match your dash if that is important to you.
It would be a shame to replace parts and not test items or systems.
There is a step by step wiki on the forum in order to test the electrical system with a simple digital voltage meter.
In regards to the speedometer: consider review of Ronnies HD parts finder for part number....if you are OK with used then go to e b a y or if not you can go to a local harley dealer and they can review the national data base to see if someone has a new mileage recalibrated unit that was not picked-up by customer..
The speedometer will probably arrive with miles that will not match your dash if that is important to you.