I changed the accel solenoid I was having trouble with I found a NOS OEM HD solenoid, change it out grounded the spark plug wires together from starting, hit the start button (handlebars control changed in ’08), at first in was normal turning over after 5 seconds or so it started to lag or drag, very slow turn, I shut it off, notice I was getting a voltage reading from the starter side of the solenoid to starter (all *****) so I took off the battery ground cable from the frame, it has no contact from battery NEG post to frame of bike (FXS)

Here was when is started to get strange.

I get voltage reading when I touch the POS battery to any ground on bike ?
So I disconnected the POS battery cable for the power to the bike at the battery.

Here it gets even stranger

Battery POS and NEG cables are off the battery

Fluke VOM meter attached to POS battery post, black of meter on Primary cover also solenoid to starter cable (but not on battery side of solenoid because cable is disconnected)

I get this 12.63 V readings on any grounded or POS side of solenoid and to the starter, the starter case shows 12.6V, I get readings without a battery to frame ground connection ?

Also without any battery connections to bike, I get 12.63V reading from ground frame to battery POS post ? I am getting these readings because I am touching the battery POS post to various parts on the bike w/o a battery ground cable ?

I can sure use some help on this ?

Attached is a pic lower left shows probe on top of primary cover, the other side of the VOM meter is on the POS terminal of the battery, no connections from battery, either POS or NEG to frame of bike except for the VOM on battery post.

Any ideas ?

cj

 

Uh...your meter is messed up or there's magic afoot.
Otherwise, I got nothin'.
This IS a weird one.
How ya been man?

 

I was hoping you would answer and Rodney, d_stat

No the meter works, this is a mind screwer, believe me I don’t even WANT to
tell anyone about this, I can think how I would feel if it was said to me !!!
I should add this, after the testing for this help post, remember I did it w/o any cables on the battery to the bike, only putting one of the probes on the battery POS terminal.

Now get this, I put the POS cable from the bike on the POS terminal of the battery, just clamp it with a meter clamp probe.

Then took readings on the primary cover and things I said, yeah, you bet you azz I got readings of the battery without any ground cable to the battery ?????

Megawatt, please believe this, I am not playing any games with this.. we all have better things to do than figure this crap out !!!

And too boot I am leaving on a motorcycle trip the second week of june, I really don’t need this !!

Take care

Going out right now and all ready late : - )))

cj

 

Well here I come with my tail between my legs, for the time wasted with this post, what I had thought no cables were on the battery no POS no NEG ground cables were on the frame, but the smallest thin wire (used as a ground for an electronic device) was on the NEG terminal battery post hiding under the frame, saw it a few mins ago.

Yes stupid very stupid,

Sorry people !!

“How ya been man?”

After this ? not too good : - ))))

cj

 

Hey, ya found the reason the meter acted like that and that is good.
The original problem you mentioned sounds like a weak battery or connections, the usual stuff.
Have you considered one of those starter switches that replaces the solenoid? You know, like Rodney used on his Shovel dresser. They are pricey.
I hope it's something simple. And cheap.

 

I was going to say you had a dirty battery. My late Father used to drive an 18 wheeler for many years. He got a load of batteries from Exide once. He asked the guy at the warehouse to tell him the official opinoin about storing batteries on the ground, on concrete, etc. At the warehouse, there were many brand new batteries stored on the bare concrete floor. The dude told my Dad that the only way a battery can discharge to the concrete or earth is if it is really dirty, and there is enough moisture (acid or water) in the filth to carry the charge to the floor or whatever. Interesting, to me anyway.

Glad you got it figured out. Grounds can make some weird stuff happen, that's for sure.

RD

 

“Glad you got it figured out. Grounds can make some weird stuff happen, that's for sure.”

Man that is so true !!! and not paying attention also : - ))))


“need a wiring diagram for a 78 1/2 1340cc 75th anniversary editon ElectraGlide.”

I have one in .pdf format for ’80-84’ FXS but I have a ’78.5 – 79 FL/FLH in my shop manual, but it’s 11” x 17”, maybe a high res pic will come out, want me to take a pic of it, it has a small part of the wiring in color.

Let me know by PM or here

Ride safe

cj

 

megawatt

“Hey, ya found the reason the meter acted like that and that is good.
The original problem you mentioned sounds like a weak battery or connections, the usual stuff.”

Yeah the reason for the meter, it turns out to be the jerk that was handling it, aahhh that would be me !!!

I can give you excuses why it happen, the biggest is not paying attention, I am sure many of us went through something in our lives, doing something and not really paying attention : - )) at least those that admit mistakes : - )))

Bill a friend of mine came over late afternoon looked at the battery connections and said everything is disconnected as you said, walking around and looking eye level with the frame and battery under it, smiled and said me, except that little thin wire you have on the battery NEG terminal ?

What f-ing wire to the battery ???, that one !!!

The moment of instant smacked a$$ look come over my face : - ))))) yeah something I just put on a wire to the battery maybe last month, I never at any time almost 30 years ever used the NEG post at the battery to ground anything always the frame, except that thin 22 ga wire, why because I didn’t want to splice and add to that thin wire length !!! DUH !!!!!


“Have you considered one of those starter switches that replaces the solenoid? You know, like Rodney used on his Shovel dresser. They are pricey.”


That is a sweet set up, I almost tried that set up even was going to the info that Rodney put on here great stuff, I said almost because I found a NOS OEM solenoid in Wabash, IN I thought going to try this, because if could be the starter new or not, the Accel solenoid sometimes would click and not ?

“I hope it's something simple. And cheap.”

Thanks, but it turns out that the All-***** starter I brought, is out to lunch in 3 years !!!

Now do I get another one ? get a OEM ? or Tech Cycle starter ?
This is where I am at right now, taking the damn thing out and getting something in before June 8th

Take care,

cj

 

That's drag about the starter.
I hope you post up what you replace it with and why.
I bought one of the All-***** starters and Odyssey battery after you got your set up working.
I have not been able to ride for many months and probably won't until the end of the year (maybe even a little beyond then).
Carpal tunnel syndrome. I have had the surgery on both hands now and I am recovering VERY slowly.
I've had the bike's battery on the fancy charger Odyssey sells so hopefully it will fire right up when I am ready.
I hope you find something that suits your needs.
You take care too.

 

“megawatt”
“That's drag about the starter.

“That's drag about the starter”

Yeah that is about it : - )) it drags…….

"I hope you post up what you replace it with and why.
I bought one of the All-***** starters and Odyssey l battery after you got your set up working.
I have not been able to ride for many months and probably won't until the end of the year (maybe even a little beyond then).
Carpal tunnel syndrome. I have had the surgery on both hands now and I am recovering VERY slowly.
I've had the bike's battery on the fancy charger Odyssey sells so hopefully it will fire right up when I am ready.”

Man sorry to hear about the medical problem, I know a person who has that it’s no picnic, get better and I hope faster…….

Dude I thought I had it made with that set-up the extra push of the starter 1.4kv vs .7kw OEM HD and backed up with that battery ! yeah had it made, looking back maybe not so, I’ll try to keep it short : - )

The battery I notice it didn’t have the shelf power I thought it would like the HD gel mat type, damn that was a great battery got that in 2000 so in beginning of ’06 and before getting the new engine and trans I figured, get a new battery this one is a few months of 6 yrs old, I never had a m/c battery lasting more than 2 to 2-1/2 years a new HD battery, then the new engine and starter !! hence the Odyssey, with the HD battery I used to put the bike away sometime in later Dec all charge up at 12.80 in the spring it read 12.77, this Odyssey never came close to that and they are noted of keeping a standing charge, I brought their battery charger that is nice if one after hooking it up pushs the charge button if not it won’t start to charge !!! anyway I had Odyssey on e-mail a ways back we are still going back and forth on this, it dosen’t keep a standing charge after a few weeks it’s down to say 12.65 after 12.80

So in my case I am not happy with the Odyssey or the All-***** starter that lasted 5,000 miles !

“I hope you find something that suits your needs.
You take care too.”

Same here, looks like down to two of them a Tech Cycle or SPYKE starters, both are big bucks !!!

I hope you have better luck with that All-***** starter I saw great reviews, except for one and I though yeah one out of a 100, but I got number 2 : - ))))

Hope you get better !!!

c j