I think my solenoid is bad, just clicks when hitting the start button, replaced the button, but does the same thing. HD says '81 FXB solenoid is discontinued, anyone have any ideas or suggestions...battery is good, started doing this once in a while, now at the point it won't do anything

 

First you must make sure it’s the solenoid, believe me I just went through this, right out of the box, Accel solenoids IMO and some others are junk, I brought one or two a year ago, one at J&P two were listed one made in USA (more money) other one Accel said Imported, I had them both in my hand at once, the one from J&P and I was at an HD dealer and they had one, I took it knowing one would go back, they were both the same every detail was the same only on one box was tagged USA

Enough about accel, first off is the bike starting up ? what I am tell you is what I was told by All ***** starters..

You should have the spark plug wires off the plugs and jump together with a jumper wire, the one wire w/two little alligator clips make sure when they are hanging the spark plug boots are not on the primary cover or something that a spark will jump too if they are not jump together, when you hear the solenoid click in, it’s engaging or working, try this test take off the rubber boot off the solenoid, on the front of the solenoid there are two cables and one small wire on terminals, when looking from the front of the bike looking rearward the terminal on the right half of the solenoid is right from the POS side of your battery, the one on the left side a little lower of center is the cable that goes to the starter, the thin wire is to the starter relay the one under and close to your battery tray on the rear side.

You can use a wrench, screw driver I like to use (any carry) my old battery ground cable from the battery to the frame, the one that should have been replaces by now on your ’81 : - ))

Use a cable and put one on the side or terminal that goes from the starter side of the solenoid the other end right to the battery side of the solenoid, what should happen your starter should start turning like cranking just as you would pushing the start button, remember this test is if your solenoid is not engaging or burn up, this by-passes the solenoid good thing to know if your stuck on the road side when the solenoid goes, instead of pushing that thing by yourself to bump start, its a good idea to keep in your tool bag that old hard small battery ground cable the one that needs to be replace and a perfect size.

Now if your solenoid is engaging (clicking in) it could be your starter relay, the one on the side of the battery, by doing this test, the battery side of the solenoid jump from there to the small terminal, wire, (the one in-between), if it cranks doing this and doesn’t crank otherwise it’s the starter relay usually goes because of washing the bike and flooding this unit.

The last thing is a so - so test it only tell you if the starter can spin not that it’s good, because there is no load on it in this test, take the starter cable off the solenoid (the one left side lower then center) if the solenoid is not shorted there will be no power in this cable, but put a few shop rags under that cable as it is laying on the inter-primary case, because you are going to use a jumper (small m/c kind) from your battery POS to this cable giving direct power right to the starter but as I said it will only spin it will not engage so it will just show it’s spin with no load.

Getting a HD OEM solenoid some Harley dealers still have NOS (new old stock) ones, I just got one this pass Feb. $95 worth every penny, good news is others brands or out there All ***** for one, but they are out of them seems someone brought the whole 2000 unit stock from the maker, so they are on back order, word has it Drag Specialties brought them.

As for accel you may get lucky and get a good one, but if your running any kind of beef-up starter like an All-*****, Tech Cycle, Spyke Super Torque and Ultima to name a few, the one thing they all have is more kW or cranking power, twice your stock starter is approx .07 or .08 kW vs 1.4kW, if you get one of these you will get new battery cables and higher crank power battery.

But remember if you hear that clink of the solenoid it’s working for the most part, but even if you don’t need a solenoid maybe it would be a good idea to have a spare they only last for so long.

Good luck,

cj

PS:

So you have a '81 FXB, belt drive, just a word on that, if that tranny ever goes I hope you don’t think you can just get any old HD FX 4 speed transmission ? you can’t that input shaft is a lot longer a buddy went through that some years ago, couldn’t get a case for a rebuild can’t use a standard FX 4 speed case either he had to go 5 speed at the time 6 years ago I thing he paid 2700, treat it nice : - )))

 

Hay, oldbiker01

Where are you ? you posted this 05-24 it’s the 28th are you dead ?
I hope you have treads tied to an e-mail alert, if not check your PM

 

Looks like you have almost everything you need from cj_slowdown post. Let me just add somthing. Good grounds! Make sure all your grounds are spotless and making good contact. Just because your lights come on and the bike runs does not mean you have a good ground. The starters pull A LOT of power and a bad ground will give enough power to engage the solenoid (the clicking sound) but not enough to spin the starter. I have seen this mistake made hundreds of times over the years, guys go out and buy a solenoid then claim it was defective out of the box when all they need to do is clean the grounds on the battery, the starter and the relay. I'm betting on the ground if you can hear the solenoid click.

 

Check you e-mail Bill

 

Frog13

Thanks for picking that up as you stated grounds are so important I have 4ga really good new ground and power cables on my bike, but doesn’t really mean I am totally out of the woods with my problem, there are smaller and important grounds to worry about, I am up to my eye ***** now in them : - )) after installing a new starter relay and getting a NOS solenoid there on the small wire (relay) as I push the start button and only getting 5.7 volts instead of the 9 volts, new bars and controls in ’08 but doesn’t mean anything, except that maybe where the problem is : - ))

Take care

cj