on my new 1979 flh

when i turned the ignition on and run to run, then I hit the starter button (which is a push button mounted on the frame under the seat for some reason) everything went dead. I have no lights, no power anywhere, battery reads 12.7 volts and makes no change when I turn the ignition switch

The other day I turned on the ignition switch and it sounded like a light bulb popped. I turned it off and tried it again a few minutes later and worked fine

The bike has been hiccuping or cutting out while riding, but just for a split second then runs fine. I thought it was a carb thing but am thinking now it may be an electrical thing.

So please advise on where to start. I have a multi meter and a service manual. When I check for continuaty on the switch it seems to show continuity in the on and off and lights setting which doesnt seem right. but im not sure im doing it right.

I dont see any fuses anywhere and not really sure how the circuit breakers work.

 

 

I'w restoring a 72 FX that was originally kick start but it's going to be electrically a 74 FXE kick and electric start. If you're 79 is like mine you should have a 30 amp main circuit breaker on the battery + terminal. You should also have 3 - 15 amp brakers either mounted to the rear fender by the oil tank, mounted to the speedometer mounting plate or possibly in the headlamp housing. There should be no fuses that i'm aware of on your bike. Cicuit breakers have contacts that when an overload (short) occurs the contacts open to stop current flow. When the contacts cool down they will close and if the overload is still there the contacts open again and the cycle continues.

Your start switch should be in the right handlebar control, not on a switch under the seat. Sounds like you may have some creative wiring going on. Get yourself a wiring diagram for your bike and start checking. The popping sound could have been one of the breakers giving up the ghost.

The shovelhead wiring is basic and simple compared to the CVO Road Kings wiring it shares the garage with.

Go over your wiring and you may find a shorted wire caused by Bubba getting creative.

I just looked at your photos and you definitely have some wiring issues, that Scothlock wire splice, the type of ring terminals on your ignition switch and the lack of a potective sleeve on thw wire loom running down the center of the frame say someone's been in there cutting and splicing. The red wire to your coil should have a sleeve over it, there's a lot of unprotected wire there.

 

pinched wire somewhere that is grounding, making the circuit breaker pop
Who know what's in there.
I would probably rewire the whole bike

 

I just started wiggling wires starting at the battery and when i wiggled the wire from the positive terminal to the seliniod the switch started working

 

I would second rewiring the bike. It's actually not that difficult at all.

My 78 FLH left me stranded on the side of the road with similar issue. I chased every wire til I finally said F* this. I crossed the posts on the circuit breaker and searched for the smoke.

(NOTE:would not recommend this as a viable trouble shooting method)

However, it did work, I found a exposed wire going to the tail lights. A little electrical tape and off I went. On the bright side, I ordered a new wiring harness and rewired the entire bike. It's only 11 wires so all in all in took a little bit to get things routed properly but was done in a day.

 

I really would like the wiring to be as simple as possible on this bike. I would even like to eliminate some of it. I don't plan on having blinkers or passing lamps and maybe eliminate the horn.

 

there are a few simplified wiring diagrams on the web - can't help you from work - but it's not rocket surgery...

 

That is exactly what I did. Seemed like every circuit on the bike had to make a trip through the headlamp before going to where it needed to. Bought automotive primary wire in factory colors, lots of shrink tubing, a selection of terminals and built my own. That was almost 30 years ago and have never had another problem with wiring that left me on the side of the road, in the middle of nowhere, in the dark, using a bic lighter to hunt down an intermittent short. for other reasons, yes, but not wiring! Ah, the good old days...

 

the second best thing i ever did to my ironhead was take it to a shop and have them rewire it completly. They used an automotive style ignition/starter switch and eveything else is just basic, basic, basic. I may do the same or similar thing here. I did most all the work on that bike except the wiring, for some reason my mind just blamks out when it comes to wires. It cost me like 200$ plus the switch.