just bought a nice bike... now it won't start :(
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 2,486
Likes: 695
From: Huntington Beach, CA
Makes sense. Good luck and let us know!
Thread Starter
|
Advanced
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 71
Likes: 0
From: England
i had a nightmare with the bike last night!!! the optimate harness on the bike had a different connection to the one i had bought so i had to install my new harness. the only problem was, i got in to a bit of a pickle because i noticed that the original harness had the negative connected to a bolt on the back of the engine block and i wasn't sure why. i didn't realise at the time that the negative terminal on the battery was directly connected to that bolt, so i chose to remove the old harness and connect mine direct to the terminals (both positive and negative). as you know, the battery's quite difficult to work on, and whilst installing my new harness i made the school boy error of disconnecting the positive first, which caused a few sparks and a whirring noise from somewhere under the fuel tank??? anyway, by about 11:45pm i was done and i had a sleepless night waiting for the battery to charge and wondering if i'd caused any damage to the bike 
fortunately, it fired up straight away this morning - no problems at all - so obviously the battery just needed charging
but i do have a couple of quick questions...
- is the optimate harness ok hooked up directly to the battery terminals?
- do you think i could have caused any problems by disconnected/connecting the battery terminals in the wrong order?
thanks
fortunately, it fired up straight away this morning - no problems at all - so obviously the battery just needed charging
but i do have a couple of quick questions...
- is the optimate harness ok hooked up directly to the battery terminals?
- do you think i could have caused any problems by disconnected/connecting the battery terminals in the wrong order?
thanks
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 2,488
Likes: 30
From: Maryland near DC
[quote=rotherdrummer;12726843]i had a nightmare with the bike last night!!! the optimate harness on the bike had a different connection to the one i had bought so i had to install my new harness. the only problem was, i got in to a bit of a pickle because i noticed that the original harness had the negative connected to a bolt on the back of the engine block and i wasn't sure why. i didn't realise at the time that the negative terminal on the battery was directly connected to that bolt, so i chose to remove the old harness and connect mine direct to the terminals (both positive and negative). as you know, the battery's quite difficult to work on, and whilst installing my new harness i made the school boy error of disconnecting the positive first, which caused a few sparks and a whirring noise from somewhere under the fuel tank??? anyway, by about 11:45pm i was done and i had a sleepless night waiting for the battery to charge and wondering if i'd caused any damage to the bike
fortunately, it fired up straight away this morning - no problems at all - so obviously the battery just needed charging
but i do have a couple of quick questions...
- is the optimate harness ok hooked up directly to the battery terminals?
- do you think i could have caused any problems by disconnected/connecting the battery terminals in the wrong order?
thanks[/quot
OH NOO...the bike will never be right now..your best bet is to sell it before it completely burns up....just kidding it should be fine as long as it started up...and are you sure you didn't leave the key on acc..it is easy enough to do....also you may still need a battery (if I understand you right and you just charged the old one)...just because you charged it does not mean it will continue to maintain a charge...
fortunately, it fired up straight away this morning - no problems at all - so obviously the battery just needed charging
but i do have a couple of quick questions...
- is the optimate harness ok hooked up directly to the battery terminals?
- do you think i could have caused any problems by disconnected/connecting the battery terminals in the wrong order?
thanks[/quot
OH NOO...the bike will never be right now..your best bet is to sell it before it completely burns up....just kidding it should be fine as long as it started up...and are you sure you didn't leave the key on acc..it is easy enough to do....also you may still need a battery (if I understand you right and you just charged the old one)...just because you charged it does not mean it will continue to maintain a charge...
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 2,706
Likes: 14
From: Near Frankenmuth, MI
The tick, tick, tick means you do not have enough current reaching the starter solenoid to roll over the starter.
Harley's are notorious for having battery terminals corrode and loosen up and cause this issue quite often. Also those main cables from the battery connect to frame ground and the starter solenoid, and a main line from the solenoid to the actual starter motor. If any of these are loose or corroded they will block the proper voltage / current from turning the starter, giving you a click, click, click. You must check these connections before you do anything else!
Next would be having the battery tested under load at a auto repair parts or service dealer.
As a rule I always put my battery on a trickle charger overnight, every night, so it's at peak performance everyday. The slightest draw from a radio or clock operating (even in the off position) will lower the batteries ability to spin the starter.
And lastly ... removing the key does not stop the bike from being in the on position or the auxiliary position, unlike a car. The key can be removed in the on / aux. position, so maybe you left the bike on and ran the battery low overnight.
Harley's are notorious for having battery terminals corrode and loosen up and cause this issue quite often. Also those main cables from the battery connect to frame ground and the starter solenoid, and a main line from the solenoid to the actual starter motor. If any of these are loose or corroded they will block the proper voltage / current from turning the starter, giving you a click, click, click. You must check these connections before you do anything else!
Next would be having the battery tested under load at a auto repair parts or service dealer.
As a rule I always put my battery on a trickle charger overnight, every night, so it's at peak performance everyday. The slightest draw from a radio or clock operating (even in the off position) will lower the batteries ability to spin the starter.
And lastly ... removing the key does not stop the bike from being in the on position or the auxiliary position, unlike a car. The key can be removed in the on / aux. position, so maybe you left the bike on and ran the battery low overnight.
Thread Starter
|
Advanced
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 71
Likes: 0
From: England
thanks johnnyc - i now know what you mean about the key in the ignition. i will be careful not to leave it on. i can't say whether or not this was what i did when my battery died because it's been on the optimate ever since and it's been working fine, but i'll certainly make a note not to leave the key 'on'
i take it there's no issue having the optimate harness hooked up direct to the battery terminals then? rather than the negative going to the back of the engine block?
cheers
i take it there's no issue having the optimate harness hooked up direct to the battery terminals then? rather than the negative going to the back of the engine block?
cheers
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 2,706
Likes: 14
From: Near Frankenmuth, MI
I must have some how missed some of the questions and the fact you had it start up after it was charged. I sometimes open up several (posting) windows and then respond, and sometimes I miss what's happened in between.
Just checked out an "optimate". It's the name of your charger...lol
It's perfect to connect your harness directly to the battery. Be certain that ground lead connection to the engine is back on very securely. I'd even wire brush any corrosion of the area for the best contact. These are the parts that loosen and corrode, and then give you issues.
The order you must take the connections off are ground first so you can't short it and arc a spark. But it should not effect anything except the surge of the short might effect the radio, or an electronic ignition module. It's running again so the module is working fine.
Good to hear you got it running.
Just checked out an "optimate". It's the name of your charger...lol
It's perfect to connect your harness directly to the battery. Be certain that ground lead connection to the engine is back on very securely. I'd even wire brush any corrosion of the area for the best contact. These are the parts that loosen and corrode, and then give you issues.
The order you must take the connections off are ground first so you can't short it and arc a spark. But it should not effect anything except the surge of the short might effect the radio, or an electronic ignition module. It's running again so the module is working fine.
Good to hear you got it running.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
brenth
Ignition/Tuner/ECM/Fuel Injection
5
Sep 12, 2011 06:32 PM
adp1723
Ignition/Tuner/ECM/Fuel Injection
0
Jul 13, 2011 06:29 PM
