Dead on side of road. AGAIN! Need advice
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Tourer
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 357
Likes: 2
From: NC
Dead on side of road. AGAIN! Need advice
I took my 80 sportster in for service exactly 2 weeks ago today. It left me stranded on the side of the road. That time it was flooding out. Carb was serviced and all seemed to be good. Today, it died on the same stretch of road. This time, it's acting like a dead or drained battery. Wondering if they did not check out the charging system when it was in for service. While waiting for my wife to show up with the trailer, I checked the oil. The oil "stick" was oily but not like I would expect if it were dipped in oil. I doubt back in the 80s they had an oil level "safety thingy" to keep from burning you motor.
Any suggestions?
Any suggestions?
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 3,846
Likes: 172
From: Simi Valley, CA
You're right. They probably didn't check the charging system during a routine service. That is not part of a routine service. There's actually nothing to service in the charging system unless there's a failure.
As for the oil on the stick, look at it again very closely. When the oil is new and clean it can be hard to see it on the stick.
As for the oil on the stick, look at it again very closely. When the oil is new and clean it can be hard to see it on the stick.
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Tourer
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 357
Likes: 2
From: NC
I'm going to check again, You're probably right. Since I am new to owning a motorcycle and waiting for an owners manual. What type oil should I be using and about how much? Would they carry it at autozone, or do I have to go to HD shop?
Thanks!
Thanks!
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Tourer
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 357
Likes: 2
From: NC
Standing straight up, cold. Oil is just below the low level line. So I don't think it's an issue of not running because of "oil level". 12.46 Volts on the battery. Hmmm
What else should I be looking at?
What else should I be looking at?
Club Member
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 16,320
Likes: 306
From: Boynton Beach, FloriDuh
A fully charged battery should measure 12.8 volts, 12.0 volts is dead. With the bike running at a fast idle (~1500rpm) it should measure between 13.5 - 14.8 VDC.
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Tourer
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 357
Likes: 2
From: NC
I dropped the bike off at the shop. They had a look at my "Crane" electronic ignition. Seems that went bad. Mechanic said that was only the second one he's seen go bad in over 15-20 years. Anybody know anything about these, please chime in! There's a little red light in the corner of the module that's supposed to blink while cranking over? Mine is a solid red light, even while cranking it over.
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Tourer
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 357
Likes: 2
From: NC
Problem solved. Those darned cable connectors where the issue. They grey wire that supplies power to the start buttun/run-off switch came loose from the wire harness connector inside the headlight assembly, providing partial power supply. Just enough for the headlight to come on but not enough to start the bike. Mechanic soldered those two wires together for me. I will be disconnecting all the wires from the connector and soldering them together this weekend. It'll only take me a good hour to do the whole thing (correctly).
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Road Warrior
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 1,820
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From: Somewhere In NY
Just me but I wouln't go down that road again
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