'02 FLHT won't start sometimes
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Road Master
Joined: Jan 2010
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From: peoria, az
'02 FLHT won't start sometimes
I'm having a problem with my bike not starting occasionally. possibly 2 separate problems. a couple weeks ago, I jumped on the bike to go to work. hit the start switch and nothing. full battery power, lights on, just nothing when I hit the switch. no crank, no click. nothing. I tested the switch itself and it was working, put it back together and put a jumper wire on the starter solenoid to the battery lead. it cranked but didn't start right away. after a little bit it started up. it started and ran fine after that for several days. then I went to start it one day and it just cranked and cranked. checked for spark. no spark. read a bunch of stuff online and decided to replace the crank position sensor. fired right up and ran great. I thought I had the problem(s) fixed.
yesterday I went to go to work. when I hit the start switch I got nothing again. I checked the fuses in the fuse box. I swapped the 2 relays under the seat, I know one is the start relay, not sure what the other one is. nothing changed. I had already called work and told them I was going to be late. I was just about to go in the house and wait for my wife to get home with the truck but I tried to start it one more time. it fired up. I jumped on and went to work.
I'm thinking I have a short or a bad ground i just don't know where to look. I don't know all the components involved. I know I have power to the start switch but I don't know where it goes from there. there is a security system, start relay, and I don't know what else between the start switch and the starter solenoid.
anybody have advice on where to start looking? thanks for any help.
jim
yesterday I went to go to work. when I hit the start switch I got nothing again. I checked the fuses in the fuse box. I swapped the 2 relays under the seat, I know one is the start relay, not sure what the other one is. nothing changed. I had already called work and told them I was going to be late. I was just about to go in the house and wait for my wife to get home with the truck but I tried to start it one more time. it fired up. I jumped on and went to work.
I'm thinking I have a short or a bad ground i just don't know where to look. I don't know all the components involved. I know I have power to the start switch but I don't know where it goes from there. there is a security system, start relay, and I don't know what else between the start switch and the starter solenoid.
anybody have advice on where to start looking? thanks for any help.
jim
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 3,784
Likes: 100
From: Pasadena TX
Sounds like an intermittent ground perhaps. One goes to a stud under the seat, another to the bolt that secures the starter. Verify they are clean and tight. When you say full battery power, what does that mean? Try reading the voltage at the starter when attempting to start. Reading 12v across the battery when at rest doesn't mean that's what you're getting at the starter. If you get it started, read across the battery while it's running. Report your findings so we will have better info to try and help.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 3,183
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From: KMHT KFMY
test light at the solenoid to see if you are getting power down there when you hit the switch, if that is showing voltage, and you know the battery is good, and the connections are clean and tight, then you might have a starter issue.... you could put 12v via a jumper cable to the starter connection (thick cable) and see if the starter spins .
the brushes/armature could be smoked.... mileage?
the brushes/armature could be smoked.... mileage?
Thread Starter
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Road Master
Joined: Jan 2010
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From: peoria, az
The starter cranks fine if I jumper the solenoid to the battery. It just doesn't fire. Today I tried to start it. It cranked but didn't fire. I got a ride to work. When I get home it will probably fire right up. That's how it's been acting. I'm going to check the grounds mentioned earlier.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2012
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From: North Florida
I'm having a problem with my bike not starting occasionally. possibly 2 separate problems. a couple weeks ago, I jumped on the bike to go to work. hit the start switch and nothing. full battery power, lights on, just nothing when I hit the switch. no crank, no click. nothing. I tested the switch itself and it was working, put it back together and put a jumper wire on the starter solenoid to the battery lead. it cranked but didn't start right away. after a little bit it started up. it started and ran fine after that for several days. then I went to start it one day and it just cranked and cranked. checked for spark. no spark. read a bunch of stuff online and decided to replace the crank position sensor. fired right up and ran great. I thought I had the problem(s) fixed.
yesterday I went to go to work. when I hit the start switch I got nothing again. I checked the fuses in the fuse box. I swapped the 2 relays under the seat, I know one is the start relay, not sure what the other one is. nothing changed. I had already called work and told them I was going to be late. I was just about to go in the house and wait for my wife to get home with the truck but I tried to start it one more time. it fired up. I jumped on and went to work.
I'm thinking I have a short or a bad ground i just don't know where to look. I don't know all the components involved. I know I have power to the start switch but I don't know where it goes from there. there is a security system, start relay, and I don't know what else between the start switch and the starter solenoid.
anybody have advice on where to start looking? thanks for any help.
jim
yesterday I went to go to work. when I hit the start switch I got nothing again. I checked the fuses in the fuse box. I swapped the 2 relays under the seat, I know one is the start relay, not sure what the other one is. nothing changed. I had already called work and told them I was going to be late. I was just about to go in the house and wait for my wife to get home with the truck but I tried to start it one more time. it fired up. I jumped on and went to work.
I'm thinking I have a short or a bad ground i just don't know where to look. I don't know all the components involved. I know I have power to the start switch but I don't know where it goes from there. there is a security system, start relay, and I don't know what else between the start switch and the starter solenoid.
anybody have advice on where to start looking? thanks for any help.
jim
Are you getting juice through the run switch, both sides?
Do you have a manual with a skematic?
Do you have a volt meter or test light to see if you are getting 12v to the starter relay?
Last edited by Harleycruiser; Mar 19, 2015 at 07:18 PM.
Thread Starter
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Road Master
Joined: Jan 2010
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From: peoria, az
On/off and start switches are functioning correctly. I checked them with a test light during a time that the bike wouldn't start. I'm pretty confident they are not the problem. I think it's a short or a bad ground or something. 95% of the time it starts and runs fine.
I am not getting voltage to the starter solenoid during the times it doesn't crank. Other times it cranks but there is no spark. I have 2 relays under the seat. I'm not sure which on is the start relay but I swapped them and nothing changed.
I have a FSM but it's hard to find info in it for my bike. Everything is for fuel injection. I'm sure schematics are in there somewhere. It's just hard to navigate.
I am not getting voltage to the starter solenoid during the times it doesn't crank. Other times it cranks but there is no spark. I have 2 relays under the seat. I'm not sure which on is the start relay but I swapped them and nothing changed.
I have a FSM but it's hard to find info in it for my bike. Everything is for fuel injection. I'm sure schematics are in there somewhere. It's just hard to navigate.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 2,938
Likes: 30
From: North Florida
On/off and start switches are functioning correctly. I checked them with a test light during a time that the bike wouldn't start. I'm pretty confident they are not the problem. I think it's a short or a bad ground or something. 95% of the time it starts and runs fine.
I am not getting voltage to the starter solenoid during the times it doesn't crank. Other times it cranks but there is no spark. I have 2 relays under the seat. I'm not sure which on is the start relay but I swapped them and nothing changed.
I have a FSM but it's hard to find info in it for my bike. Everything is for fuel injection. I'm sure schematics are in there somewhere. It's just hard to navigate.
I am not getting voltage to the starter solenoid during the times it doesn't crank. Other times it cranks but there is no spark. I have 2 relays under the seat. I'm not sure which on is the start relay but I swapped them and nothing changed.
I have a FSM but it's hard to find info in it for my bike. Everything is for fuel injection. I'm sure schematics are in there somewhere. It's just hard to navigate.
Here is a layout of the relay and the socket pins.
you need to find out which relay is the starter relay. It will be in your manual somewhere, the schematic is in the back of the book.
My relays are marked on the cover of the fuse box.
pull out the relay and Use your test light and put the test light wire on a ground.
30 should be hot when the ignition switch is on.
86 should be hot when you press the starter switch.
85 is a ground that comes from the tssm, (turn signal module, there is a lean indicator in there so if the bike falls over it keeps the bike from starting.)
To check this I would use a vom and put the red lead on the + side of the battery and black in the 85 socket you should get 12 v.
87 will also be hot when the starter switch is pushed but you need the relay in to test this so pull it out just a little and put your probe on it, this wire goes to the starter solenoid.
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Thread Starter
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Road Master
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 791
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From: peoria, az
Thank you for the relay info. I was just talking with my coworker about the checking the relays when I get home tonight. That info is going to come in handy.
I tried to check the codes before I I bought the crank position sensor and failed. In my FSM I found instructions to check the codes for FI but not for carb. I found a procedure on a google search, I followed it but the lights didn't flash like they should have. They just flashed 10 times or so, paused for a second and repeated.
I tried to check the codes before I I bought the crank position sensor and failed. In my FSM I found instructions to check the codes for FI but not for carb. I found a procedure on a google search, I followed it but the lights didn't flash like they should have. They just flashed 10 times or so, paused for a second and repeated.
