Fried
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Stage IV
Joined: Mar 2024
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From: maryland
Fried
Hoping to get some help from the experts on this forum. So I'm in the process of resurrecting my deceased brother in laws 81 low rider for my nephew. Got the bike delivered to my house non running with no keys. Got a new switch wired up for it and turned the key the dash and headlight lit up and the engine turned over when I hit the button. So far so good. As I was threading the switch around the frame and fender to it's mounting bracket the hot lug on the back of the switch contacted the frame and shorted out with a nice spark display. Got the switch mounted in place but now when I turn the key to either position there's nothing. Dead. Couldn't find any fuses? How bad did I screw up. I'm disgusted with myself for not disconnecting the battery first. I should have known better.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 22,999
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Sir you need a service manual for it. And a place to lock it up . You are not ready for this task yet. Not saying you can't but you need a lot of reading and study time.
This will help get you started FX 1980-83 wiring first look at upper right.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1TWE...UP0HhCubL/view
This will help get you started FX 1980-83 wiring first look at upper right.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1TWE...UP0HhCubL/view
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Stage IV
Joined: Mar 2024
Posts: 4
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From: maryland
Thanks for the quick response Smitty. I will order a replacement 30amp main breaker. The rest should be straight forward as this was a running well maintained machine that was stored for 5 years before it came to me. Again thank you for the information.
Road Master
Joined: Sep 2021
Posts: 759
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From: Under the affluence of incahol.
Back in that era, many Harleys had a circuit breaker wired in between the battery and the ignition switch. It should reset itself. If not, it is faulty. There is usually a set of three or four small square breakers under the seat or sidecover somewhere, depending on model. One is the main 30 amp breader going to the main switch, the others are 10 amp for ignition circuit, lights and accessories such as turn signals.
Other models some years in that era used a fusible link instead of breaker. It looks just like a regular piece of wire going to the battery positive terminal, but is made of low melting point metal. It melts like a fuse if there is a short. Sometimes the insulation stays intact so it is hard to see the link had fused.
You cant work on these old bikes without a factory service manual and factory parts book. You might as well spend the money for them now as later. Then go through the wiring circuit with a multimeter and follow the voltage from the battery until you find the point where there is no more power. There is where youir problem is at.
Other models some years in that era used a fusible link instead of breaker. It looks just like a regular piece of wire going to the battery positive terminal, but is made of low melting point metal. It melts like a fuse if there is a short. Sometimes the insulation stays intact so it is hard to see the link had fused.
You cant work on these old bikes without a factory service manual and factory parts book. You might as well spend the money for them now as later. Then go through the wiring circuit with a multimeter and follow the voltage from the battery until you find the point where there is no more power. There is where youir problem is at.
Last edited by PeterB; Mar 13, 2024 at 07:54 PM.
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Stage IV
Joined: Mar 2024
Posts: 4
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From: maryland
Thank you for the response Pete. So the bike I'm working on has a 30amp breaker directly at the positive post of the battery and 3 more mounted to the rear fender as you described. I will replace the main and hopefully be back on track.
Road Captain
Joined: Jul 2020
Posts: 521
Likes: 635
From: Gainesville FL
Did you test the 30 amp breaker to determine if it is indeed faulty? It's easy to fire the parts cannon at electrical issues, but harder to diagnose the actual problem and fix it without guessing.
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Road Master
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 1,161
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From: Potter County, PA
If you are pretty sure you have no groundings going on from fried wires, you can place a jumper wire with alligator clips across each breaker to see if the breaker is good or bad. Be prepared to quickly unhook the jumper should a ground out appear. Try to start each time you jump each breaker. If it starts while a breaker is jumped you know that breaker is bad. You may have Fried the new Ignition switch internally.
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