74 FLH electric start issue
Road Master
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 1,191
Likes: 574
In my experience, most starter issues are either a weak battery or a bad Bendix. You stated both are good so other than that, Im out of ideas. The cut out primary will allow you to actually see whats going on. Good luck.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 8,603
Likes: 3,374
From: Cental, MI
Exacerbated by folks that think 12v is a Good Battery!!!
Novice
Joined: Jul 2025
Posts: 15
Likes: 2
From: Kansas
I have a cut out primary and when I try to start it it seems like Bendix shoots out fine but it ends up hitting the ring gear the only thing I could possibly think of is that the armature that pushes the bendix might gotten bent down somehow. Thanks
Club Member
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 66,122
Likes: 51,434
From: Niles Canyon Ca.
Cables and frame ground point. Old cables corrode up inside the sheathing and inside the lug crimp, and loose or rusted dirty grounds will play merry hell with a shovel starting system and everybody over looks these. They will show voltage just fine but won't carry the load, pulls more amps from the battery across the contacts and that's arc pits them, brush's & armature in the starter start arcing & pitting and the starter starts dragging drawing more amps to do the job, eventually welds the contacts and you got a starter runaway. Low battery really sets all this off.
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