82 FXB wont crank
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6th Gear
Joined: Oct 2011
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From: Lancaster PA
82 FXB wont crank
My 82 FXB will not crank....is it starer, points, relay, circuit breaker? It cranked once and it want to start then nothing but a click. I did smell hot wiring insulation. It ran when I put it away. If I pulled the plugs would that relieve the compression? If I kicked it over would that do anything? HELP!!!!!
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From: South Carolina
Don`t just grab the battery cables and see if they feel tight, take the connections apart and clean. Positive and Negative both.
Telling us that it ran before you put it away doesn`t tell us much...
How long has it been since the bike last ran?
How old is the battery?
Was it on a battery tender?
Telling us that it ran before you put it away doesn`t tell us much...
How long has it been since the bike last ran?
How old is the battery?
Was it on a battery tender?
Last edited by Dan89FLSTC; May 19, 2020 at 08:11 AM.
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6th Gear
Joined: Oct 2011
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From: Lancaster PA
Battery is fully charged, and I took it out and had it tested and voltage is good and cranking amps are above what the battery should be. Like I mentioned it fired up and ran for a second or 2. Then I went to start it again i got a single click but not from the battery. It was last ran in October of last year. I tried to start it in February but I wore the battery down before I could get it to start. All connections are clean and tight. I appreciate all you comments.
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....tried to start last February but wore the battery down....as in you kept cranking on it even though it would not start to the point the battery finally gave up? Wondering if your battery is toast. May show fully chraged but won't pull under a load.
...smell of burning insulation...Time to check your connections, battery positive and negative, main circuit breaker, circuit breaker for iginition, ignition switch hot wire ("B") & wires running off the top and bottom of your coil. Then check terminals running off the starter motor, starter solenoid and relay
Not sure it is a great idea to continually run the ignition and press the starter button to the point of battery failure.
...Click but not from the battery.... almost seems as if the ignition circuit breaker or the main circuit breaker kicked in, which means they are doing the job of preventing you from frying the wires by continually cranking the motor.
How & where was it stored over the winter? Corrosion can build up on wires if stored in a semi-damp environment. Its the white crud you see on terminals
NOTE: Just saw that you also posted in pjb's 1981 FXB Sturgis section mentioning the same problem as this post. You asked if your bike is a "points" system. In 1978-1/2 HD switched to the V-1 electronics ignition and around 1980 to the V-2 electronics. The pic you provided looks like the bike is pretty much stock? If it is the electronic ignition system you can pull the cover and see if you melted the module inside the cone. It will be obvious.
...smell of burning insulation...Time to check your connections, battery positive and negative, main circuit breaker, circuit breaker for iginition, ignition switch hot wire ("B") & wires running off the top and bottom of your coil. Then check terminals running off the starter motor, starter solenoid and relay
Not sure it is a great idea to continually run the ignition and press the starter button to the point of battery failure.
...Click but not from the battery.... almost seems as if the ignition circuit breaker or the main circuit breaker kicked in, which means they are doing the job of preventing you from frying the wires by continually cranking the motor.
How & where was it stored over the winter? Corrosion can build up on wires if stored in a semi-damp environment. Its the white crud you see on terminals
NOTE: Just saw that you also posted in pjb's 1981 FXB Sturgis section mentioning the same problem as this post. You asked if your bike is a "points" system. In 1978-1/2 HD switched to the V-1 electronics ignition and around 1980 to the V-2 electronics. The pic you provided looks like the bike is pretty much stock? If it is the electronic ignition system you can pull the cover and see if you melted the module inside the cone. It will be obvious.
Last edited by panz4ever; May 19, 2020 at 11:25 AM.
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6th Gear
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From: Lancaster PA
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A- try and start the bike with the kicker (after checking for loose wires) If it starts and runs, that eliminates a bunch of your questions
B- people chase their tails a lot with bikes not starting after the winter, 9 out of 10 times, your battery is shot. I don't care what the idiot at Pep Boys says after he tests the battery, even the dealership idiot, if it is 4 years or more old, that is your problem. Battery tender is only going to get you that many years, 6 on a good day. After that you are chasing your tail, good luck.
B- people chase their tails a lot with bikes not starting after the winter, 9 out of 10 times, your battery is shot. I don't care what the idiot at Pep Boys says after he tests the battery, even the dealership idiot, if it is 4 years or more old, that is your problem. Battery tender is only going to get you that many years, 6 on a good day. After that you are chasing your tail, good luck.
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