Intermittent electrical problem
Thread Starter
|
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 2,543
Likes: 59
From: Chicagoland
Intermittent electrical problem
Long story, short version - '08 FLHX
Two times in the past month, the starter doesn't react to pressing the starter switch. Go through the standard start-up procedure: turn on the dash ****, all lights come on, press the run button and the pump cycles, hit the starter switch... nothing. Do this a dozen times, jack around with it... nothing. Move the bike, turn the bars, check the fuses, shake the wiring harness... notafawkingnothing.
(FYI - Recent mod history: This past spring, I put new bars and chrome housings on. I broke the cruise switch putting it back together and was over it, so I had the local indy replace the cruise switch.)
Anyways, the first time it happened, I tried starting it two dozen times... nothing. Was close to the indy shop, so I called him and he came over. He only brought a few tools with, but he opened the switch housing and nothing was pinched or appeared to be wrong. So he ran back, got his trailer and drug the bike to his shop. He checked the switch, it ohmed good. He checked the wiring at the starter, it checked good. He pulled the solenoid, cleaned it and it checked good. Said he had seen the relays go intermitten, but mine checked good (and the bike started by now). So I told him to put a new relay in anyways, they're cheap enough. Sometimes we just buy piece-of-mind. But I 100% trust my indy, and he swears the wiring, the dash, and the switches have all checked 100% good.
The last time (this weekend) it happened, I tried the entire starting process a couple dozen times... nothing. At 95 degrees out, this is enough to **** you off, in a millisecond. So with just one other guy around, we tried to bump-start it in second gear. Kinda' hard to get an 800 pound bike with a 250 pound rider to go fast enough (on a flat parking lot) to go fast enough to bumpstart. So after a little huffing and puffing, we parked it again and try the start switch several more times... nothing. Sit and weigh out the options for a few minutes, and say screw it. Hit the start button one more time... damn thing fires up! Get home and try to get it to act up again, by starting it several dozen times, and it works flawlessly. WTF?!
Talked to the indy, and he seems to think the starter solenoid is the culprit. Anyone else have any similar issues, or info to share?
Two times in the past month, the starter doesn't react to pressing the starter switch. Go through the standard start-up procedure: turn on the dash ****, all lights come on, press the run button and the pump cycles, hit the starter switch... nothing. Do this a dozen times, jack around with it... nothing. Move the bike, turn the bars, check the fuses, shake the wiring harness... notafawkingnothing.
(FYI - Recent mod history: This past spring, I put new bars and chrome housings on. I broke the cruise switch putting it back together and was over it, so I had the local indy replace the cruise switch.)
Anyways, the first time it happened, I tried starting it two dozen times... nothing. Was close to the indy shop, so I called him and he came over. He only brought a few tools with, but he opened the switch housing and nothing was pinched or appeared to be wrong. So he ran back, got his trailer and drug the bike to his shop. He checked the switch, it ohmed good. He checked the wiring at the starter, it checked good. He pulled the solenoid, cleaned it and it checked good. Said he had seen the relays go intermitten, but mine checked good (and the bike started by now). So I told him to put a new relay in anyways, they're cheap enough. Sometimes we just buy piece-of-mind. But I 100% trust my indy, and he swears the wiring, the dash, and the switches have all checked 100% good.
The last time (this weekend) it happened, I tried the entire starting process a couple dozen times... nothing. At 95 degrees out, this is enough to **** you off, in a millisecond. So with just one other guy around, we tried to bump-start it in second gear. Kinda' hard to get an 800 pound bike with a 250 pound rider to go fast enough (on a flat parking lot) to go fast enough to bumpstart. So after a little huffing and puffing, we parked it again and try the start switch several more times... nothing. Sit and weigh out the options for a few minutes, and say screw it. Hit the start button one more time... damn thing fires up! Get home and try to get it to act up again, by starting it several dozen times, and it works flawlessly. WTF?!
Talked to the indy, and he seems to think the starter solenoid is the culprit. Anyone else have any similar issues, or info to share?
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
HarleyDrifter
Ignition/Tuner/ECM/Fuel Injection
6
Aug 26, 2013 08:46 AM
