Engine rolled on then snap
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2nd Gear
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 6
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From: Lee's Summit, MO
Engine rolled on then snap
I have a '99 FXSTC with an 80 CU engine stock. This morning when I went to ride the bike, it initially turned over one or two times then there was a snap and it went dead immediately. I have checked all of my connectins. Took several apart and cleaned. The battery when sitting has 12.75 volts. When I turn the switch to accessory I have 12.75 volts. With the the Ignition switch to ignition and the kill switch off or on I have 12.15 volts. When I push the starter, I get a snap sound and everything goes very dim very fast. There is no turnover and the battery drops to 2 to 3 volts. Turning the ignition switch off then back on resets my lights and voltage. I am thinking either the solenoid has gone bad or the starter is grounded out. Hoping to find out if I am on the right path before I teear into it. I will add that over the past 8 years that I have owned the bike that it has been started quite a few times (I stop and take a lot of pictures). Any help or ideas will be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
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Joined: Oct 2010
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From: Near Frankenmuth, MI
Sure sounds like a dead short when attempting to roll over the starter. Be careful there is a heavy electrical load involved and could melt a wiring harness or explode the battery.
If you had just tore down the starter system I'd say you placed a hot terminal on the ground side. But odds are good there's an internal short in the solenoid, or the starter windings / brushes.
And of course the POP was the noise of arcing high current.
Be certain your main terminals from the battery are connected and clean on both ends. Check to be certain the braided chassis ground has not rusted off.
I'd remove the lead from the solenoid to the starter and give it another quick jab of the stater switch. If it lets out another pop or dims the lights then it's starter solenoid must be shorted inside.
You may need to tear apart the outer primary case along with pulling the clutch, compensator and primary chain in order to be able to unbolt the starter so it can be removed and benched tested.
Do you have your repair manual for this bike?
If you had just tore down the starter system I'd say you placed a hot terminal on the ground side. But odds are good there's an internal short in the solenoid, or the starter windings / brushes.
And of course the POP was the noise of arcing high current.
Be certain your main terminals from the battery are connected and clean on both ends. Check to be certain the braided chassis ground has not rusted off.
I'd remove the lead from the solenoid to the starter and give it another quick jab of the stater switch. If it lets out another pop or dims the lights then it's starter solenoid must be shorted inside.
You may need to tear apart the outer primary case along with pulling the clutch, compensator and primary chain in order to be able to unbolt the starter so it can be removed and benched tested.
Do you have your repair manual for this bike?
Last edited by JohnnyC; Jun 2, 2013 at 12:53 PM.
Road Captain
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 574
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From: AB Canada
I have a '99 FXSTC with an 80 CU engine stock. This morning when I went to ride the bike, it initially turned over one or two times then there was a snap and it went dead immediately. I have checked all of my connectins. Took several apart and cleaned. The battery when sitting has 12.75 volts. When I turn the switch to accessory I have 12.75 volts. With the the Ignition switch to ignition and the kill switch off or on I have 12.15 volts. When I push the starter, I get a snap sound and everything goes very dim very fast. There is no turnover and the battery drops to 2 to 3 volts. Turning the ignition switch off then back on resets my lights and voltage. I am thinking either the solenoid has gone bad or the starter is grounded out. Hoping to find out if I am on the right path before I teear into it. I will add that over the past 8 years that I have owned the bike that it has been started quite a few times (I stop and take a lot of pictures). Any help or ideas will be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
Tourer
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 251
Likes: 8
I think this is a good point. If the snap is the electrical arc as mentioned above it could be very bad (short to ground as mentioned) or is it a mechanical kind of snap?
May sound funny but is there an odor? That much current may smell when it ionizes the air.
May sound funny but is there an odor? That much current may smell when it ionizes the air.
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2nd Gear
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 6
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From: Lee's Summit, MO
Thank you for responding. It is definitely an electrical sound. I have checked all my connections. Not really looking forward to pulling the starter out, but it will give me an opportunity to do some other maintenance on it. I will pull the lead to the starter and see what happens. This has always been in the back of my mind since I do stop quite a bit. It has been through a lot of start ups. Thanks again.
Tourer
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 251
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I don't have my book with me and honestly haven't studied the wiring diagrams enough to answer this question but it seems like any MAJOR short to ground has a fuse to blow to protect the battery. Wouldn't the main fuse blow on a short to ground?
That would pull WAY too much current for the main fuse.
That would pull WAY too much current for the main fuse.
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From: navarre ohio
my 01 EG was doing that exact same thing last week.. it was a loose battery cable. everything worked fine till i hit the starter button, then it arced with a pop and acted like a real dead battery, turn off ignition and it would reset. check all the connections and i bet it will fix the problem. a bad sticking solenoid could do it, but not as likely.
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I'd remove the lead from the solenoid to the starter and give it another quick jab of the stater switch. If it lets out another pop or dims the lights then it's starter solenoid must be shorted inside.
The problem still could be anywhere between the solenoid and the relay, or between the relay and the switch.
How old is the battery?
Tourer
Joined: May 2010
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my 01 EG was doing that exact same thing last week.. it was a loose battery cable. everything worked fine till i hit the starter button, then it arced with a pop and acted like a real dead battery, turn off ignition and it would reset. check all the connections and i bet it will fix the problem. a bad sticking solenoid could do it, but not as likely.