Hello everyone,

Ok, so I am cruising around and my check engine light goes on. I have a '03 Ultra Classic, so it is a pain to check the code....

About an hour and half later, the speedo gets stuck at 35, the gauges start acting wierd and then the engine starts caughing, spitting and backfiring, then the bike quites.

I let it sit for twenty minutes at the gas station while I called around and someone to come get me.

Before loading it, I tried to start it, click click click click.

I charged it over night and it started back up. I bought a new battery and put that in.

Anyone have this problem? Is it my charging system?

Thanks.

 

Sure sounds like it is. If your bike is EFI then the EFI will basically shut down when the volts get below 9 volts or so.
What voltage were you running (volt meter) when this happened?
If you have a bad voltage regulator or a fouled stator then you battery will eventually crap out. As on a car once the engine is running and the charging system is functioning properly the car is powered by the alternator/generator and keeps the battery at a fully charged level. If the charging system is dying then the bike is running on battery only...which will not last too long especially on a ultra. A new battery will help for a while. However if your alternator is not charging then eventually the new battery will die as well. Also a properly working alternator will not charge a bad battery (bad cell).
Basically see what the volt meter is charging at idle and at 2000 rpm or so. It should be 14 - 14.5 at 2000 rpm. If the volt meter is not regestering then check with a multimeter straight from the battery post.

 

okay i will check with a multi-meter tonight. thanks.

 

4 or 5 years on a battery...that's about right. Save some money and buy Powerstride AGM instead of the HD.

 

I put a multimeter on the battery terminal and I am getting 11.88 V DC.

Is that bad?

 

Wahl, that depends on the rpm's - if you wuz idlin', an' had the high beams on, then that might be 'bout right. Run her up ta 1500-2000 rpm, an' see what she does. If she moves on up ta 13 volts or so, then yer likely okay, an' jest had a battery what wuz ready ta retire....

 

If that's your original battery from 2003 I'd say you got your money's worth! and that would be your problem in my opinion. I had a similar problem with my electrical.

 

are you getting 11.88 volts with the motor running?