Big electrical issue?
Thread Starter
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Tourer
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 347
Likes: 2
From: South Central PA
"Hemroid Harley" is my bikes new name. I had the thing checked out and the battery, I was told, was bad. Well looks like that is not the charging problem. There has to be somethng simple going on here with this hemroid.
What would cause a charging issue at the same time the speedometer stops working? I am at a loss and ready to just push the thing into a landfill and get a Honda.
What would cause a charging issue at the same time the speedometer stops working? I am at a loss and ready to just push the thing into a landfill and get a Honda.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 2,706
Likes: 14
From: Near Frankenmuth, MI
Your quite possibly dealing with an issue that is well known in the world of Harley ... Corroded connections. This can cause odd intermittent issues with electrical devices.
I'd at least remove each of the battery terminals and clean any and all corrosion from the battery terminal and the terminal lugs. Polish them up with a wire brush. Next follow the main battery leads to their connection point. Hot should lead to the starter solenoid and the ground could go to the starter case or a frame / engine bolt. Clean these connections too.
Be certain to have a HD service manual for you ride. All the specs and troubleshooting info is really important to have if you wrench your own bike.
Best wishes finding the gremlins.
I'd at least remove each of the battery terminals and clean any and all corrosion from the battery terminal and the terminal lugs. Polish them up with a wire brush. Next follow the main battery leads to their connection point. Hot should lead to the starter solenoid and the ground could go to the starter case or a frame / engine bolt. Clean these connections too.
Be certain to have a HD service manual for you ride. All the specs and troubleshooting info is really important to have if you wrench your own bike.
Best wishes finding the gremlins.
Last edited by JohnnyC; Apr 18, 2013 at 01:26 PM.
1st Gear
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
From: Mileup, CO
If your speedo is intermittent, your signals don't cancel and you occasionally have a poor idle your VSS is bad or has a bad ground. Clean your fuses/grounds but my bet is you just have two problems that occurred at about the same time, bad battery and bad VSS. If you've messed with ANYTHING recently that is the first place I'd start looking.
Thread Starter
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Tourer
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 347
Likes: 2
From: South Central PA
Not sure why I did not think of this before?
About a week or two before this issue started I noticed this. I started my bike and pulled it outside. When I was putting on my gloves I noticed that the headlight was bright then dim. It was happening about every three to five secounds. It would go dim for for three to five, bright for three to five. My speedometer did stop working that morning, but started working again. I blew it off and didn't think much of it till now.
About a week or two before this issue started I noticed this. I started my bike and pulled it outside. When I was putting on my gloves I noticed that the headlight was bright then dim. It was happening about every three to five secounds. It would go dim for for three to five, bright for three to five. My speedometer did stop working that morning, but started working again. I blew it off and didn't think much of it till now.
Thread Starter
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Tourer
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 347
Likes: 2
From: South Central PA
Thanks.
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Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 2,706
Likes: 14
From: Near Frankenmuth, MI
Good find!
I see you found the root cause. I thought (later, after my above post) that the VSS was going to fix it.
Because of that I deleted a few paragraphs of my comments above that I thought didn't apply yesterday. In one of the deleted paragraphs I had wrote all about the possibility of the stator and the stinking fluid. Guess I shouldn't have second guessed my original list of possibilities.
I see you found the root cause. I thought (later, after my above post) that the VSS was going to fix it.
Because of that I deleted a few paragraphs of my comments above that I thought didn't apply yesterday. In one of the deleted paragraphs I had wrote all about the possibility of the stator and the stinking fluid. Guess I shouldn't have second guessed my original list of possibilities.
Last edited by JohnnyC; Apr 20, 2013 at 03:45 PM.