I rode my 1975 FLH today for 15 miles, parked it in a grocery store parking lot, went in, made a purchase and came back out 10 minutes later.

I got on the bike, hit the starter, and started to drive away. I heard a grinding noise, and thought I failed to pick up my kick stand. I pulled in the clutch and hit the brakes to stop, but the bike kept pulling. The starter was going crazy, and pulling the bike. Fortunately I was in a big parking lot so I let out the clutch, and held both brakes at full lock. The engine died, but the bike kept pulling via the starter.

I turned off the key, no luck, I hit the kill switch, no luck. I could not get off the bike and disconnect the battery because it would just pull away on its own.

I held on long enough till the battery died, and I thankfully got off the bike. I switched the ignition back on, returned the kill switch to run, avoided the starter button like the plague, thanked the Lord for my kick starter, gave it a kick, and rode home with no further issues.

It should be noted that i got the bike out of the shop last Saturday, after having the transmission rebuilt, because of a worn out main output shaft. I have not had a chance to ride the bike until today, save for the uneventful ride home from the shop.

I had no starting issues prior to having the transmission overhauled, the only problem I had was a giant oil leak that is now thankfully gone.

Any ideas on what could have gone wrong in the reassembly process at the shop to cause this, or was it just my time for the starter to go nuts?

Thanks in advance.

 

Several things can cause the starter to run on.

The old starter configuration has a solenoid that uses a one piece shaft.

When you release the start button, power is interrupted to the solenoid coil, and it should retract.

The problem is that there is a fair amount of friction between the pinion gear and the ring gear on the clutch.

If the alignment is not good, these gears will stay engaged, which keeps the plunger in the solenoid from retracting, and the starter continues to run.

A weak battery or poor connection can also be the cause.

As the engine passes the compression stroke, the pressure on the ring gear and pinion gear relaxes just a bit, and that is when the pinion gear will retract from the ring gear.

But low voltage will cause the starter to crank slower, and the pressure on the gears is more constant so they stay engaged, the solenoid shaft stays extended, the starter continues to crank.

 

this is a very common issue with some bikes but not all - we convert the starter realy system to a total kill to the starter when the bike is not being started - instead of the direct connection to the starter and solinoid 12 volts full time - this stops if from ever happening again

you use an early ford mustang type starter relay and connect it so the 12 main line only connects the system when the button is engaged for starting - its an easy convert i can picture up the way its done if you need

 

^^ Good advice. This is actually a Common Occurrence.

 

K, I am a bit bit of a late bloomer to E-start systems since up until 15 years ago I had owned only one E-start so pardon the question and diversion from the OPs question.

Isn't the suggested solution just a diversion around the problem? Like maybe an electrical grounding issue? The OP says he turned off the ignition, hit the kill and the starter was still running. He also indicated that before he took the bike in to have the seal fixed, it was not an issue.

So wouldn't it be worth it to figure out the problem rather than just going around it.

 

^ Yes ...Sort of.
The Cheap *** Solenoids available today are the real blame.
Especially at lower voltage [=higher amps] the washer welds itself to the studs....Even temporarily..is Bad news.
New solenoid time, same cheap solenoid..problem recurrs.
Keeping voltage Up [and as stated Good Grounds] helps avoid it..but, It is Sort of Inevitable, unless due vigilance is exercised!!!
Hence...it is a Common Problem.

 

John, I'd like to see your fix whenever you can get the time.

 

Many Moons ago after seeing a few shovels burn to the ground we looked at this and the moco had a sporty mod that is almost the same and we tryed it, and found it does the job well // since those days sure the original system would be the best BUT as was said china has bentover on the shovel parts and we have to take what we get today, any questions please ask as this mod is done on all the shovel electric start bikes that become customers

 

Sometimes the solenoid can be freed up by a sharp rap with the back of a screwdriver or the hilt of your knife. But if it happens once it will happen again so the above fix is the answer.

 

thank you JZ