Wierd electrical problem
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Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2007
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From: Blairsville GA
Wierd electrical problem
With the crappy weather we had this past winter, when I could ride, I wanted to ride something with a windshield. My 2003 Night Train sat from November until April. Of course when I got ready to ride it the battery was completely flat. Since it was the original battery I decided to buy a new one. With the new battery in place the bike starts right up and runs perfectly.
Except: no speedo, no odometer and the turn signals don't auto cancel. The light in the gas gauge works, but not the one in the speedo. After checking the fuses, I'm thinking loose connection or bad speed sensor. Except that now the bike starts and runs with the ignition switch in the accessory position as well as in the on position. The last time I had an ignition switch go the bike just wouldn't start, what's up with this?
Anyone have an experience like this?
Except: no speedo, no odometer and the turn signals don't auto cancel. The light in the gas gauge works, but not the one in the speedo. After checking the fuses, I'm thinking loose connection or bad speed sensor. Except that now the bike starts and runs with the ignition switch in the accessory position as well as in the on position. The last time I had an ignition switch go the bike just wouldn't start, what's up with this?
Anyone have an experience like this?
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Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 17,625
Likes: 1,665
From: Blairsville GA
Its your ignition switch, you can replace it or better still... flip the dash over and remove the switch, spray it with WD-40 and work the switch through all its positions. Afterwards spray it again, only this time use white lithium grease, or better still lube it with dielectric grease.
A quick way to confirm this is the problem... turn the switch on and then nud it a little to get out of the detent... you should see the speedo come to life etc.
A quick way to confirm this is the problem... turn the switch on and then nud it a little to get out of the detent... you should see the speedo come to life etc.
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Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2007
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From: Blairsville GA
I have some more information on the problem. I swapped the ignition switch with a known good one. Same problem with the other switch. Back in it's own bike the good switch works fine. In the Night Train, no speedo, no odometer, no cancel to the turn signals, no speedo light, and the bike runs in either acc or ign position.
I figure that since the other switch didn't fix the problem, it's not a switch problem. That makes me think about the VSS again. What link is there between the VSS and the speedo light and especially to the acc position of the switch? Very confusing.
I figure that since the other switch didn't fix the problem, it's not a switch problem. That makes me think about the VSS again. What link is there between the VSS and the speedo light and especially to the acc position of the switch? Very confusing.
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Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2007
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From: Blairsville GA
I was going to pull the sensor out today but I got busy. I've replaced a few of these over the years (it's a bad design) but I can't figure out how the VSS could possibly be making the ignition switch act the way it does. It may just be one of those HD mysteries.
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Extreme HDF Member
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From: Blairsville GA
Now we're getting somewhere. Where does the speedo ground on a Night Train, and would a bad ground make the bike run with the ign switch in the acc position?
Thanks.
Thanks.
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May our Moderator Rest in Peace
Joined: Sep 2006
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From: Rochester, NY
Bad grounds can cause all kinds of strange and flat out weird problems.
But for the life of me I can't see how a bad speedo ground would relate to the bike being able to run in the acc position.
My best guess would be that you probably have more than one problem and your confusing the symtoms of one problem with another.
If that's the case the only way your going to get to the bottom of it all is to stick to one single issue to the end then go to work on the next one.
First place to start is to check and clean every connection you can get at (including the ECM connector) then see what's still screwing up when your done.
Good Luck
But for the life of me I can't see how a bad speedo ground would relate to the bike being able to run in the acc position.
My best guess would be that you probably have more than one problem and your confusing the symtoms of one problem with another.
If that's the case the only way your going to get to the bottom of it all is to stick to one single issue to the end then go to work on the next one.
First place to start is to check and clean every connection you can get at (including the ECM connector) then see what's still screwing up when your done.
Good Luck
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Thread Starter
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Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 17,625
Likes: 1,665
From: Blairsville GA
Bad grounds can cause all kinds of strange and flat out weird problems.
But for the life of me I can't see how a bad speedo ground would relate to the bike being able to run in the acc position.
My best guess would be that you probably have more than one problem and your confusing the symtoms of one problem with another.
If that's the case the only way your going to get to the bottom of it all is to stick to one single issue to the end then go to work on the next one.
First place to start is to check and clean every connection you can get at (including the ECM connector) then see what's still screwing up when your done.
Good Luck
But for the life of me I can't see how a bad speedo ground would relate to the bike being able to run in the acc position.
My best guess would be that you probably have more than one problem and your confusing the symtoms of one problem with another.
If that's the case the only way your going to get to the bottom of it all is to stick to one single issue to the end then go to work on the next one.
First place to start is to check and clean every connection you can get at (including the ECM connector) then see what's still screwing up when your done.
Good Luck
May our Moderator Rest in Peace
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 11,386
Likes: 35
From: Rochester, NY
Even if it seems a bit strange, its one of the reasons I always recomend that people always keep a tender on the bike if its not going to be ridden for any length of time.
As long as you can keep some kind of electric power in the bike, the electrical connections will stay relativley free of corrosion.
Once the power fails however connections start to corrode and after that you can count on having all kinds of strange and nasty little problems till you clean them up.
As long as you can keep some kind of electric power in the bike, the electrical connections will stay relativley free of corrosion.
Once the power fails however connections start to corrode and after that you can count on having all kinds of strange and nasty little problems till you clean them up.