Hello,

I'm having a strange, inconsistent electrical problem with my 1990 Electra Glide Classic.

Occasionally, the bike will not start. It acts like the battery is low (when I push the starter button it makes a weak click but will not turn over). It does not do it all the time. The battery is only about a year old and is kept on a battery tender.

Here's are some of the weird symptoms: I rode on and off all winter and did not have a problem once. Now that the weather is getting warmer, it seems to pop up intermittently, but never the same way twice. For example. I went for a ride to a car show, walked around for an hour or so, and the bike wouldn't start. When I hook up jumper cables from a car, it fires right up. I then rode for about 45 minutes and stopped for lunch. When I got to my destination I shut the bike off, waited a few seconds, and it started right up. I went in and ate lunch. When I came back out, it wouldn't start. Hooked up jumper cables and it fired back up. I rode home and shut the bike off. A few seconds later it fired right up. I hooked up a voltmeter: it's charging at 14.4 volts. Shut it off, wait a while, it won't start. I waited another hour or so, and it fired right up! No jumper cables or bettery charger!

The only things that are semi-consistent: it only seems to do it in warmer weather; it only seems to happen after the bike sits for a little while and is hot; it always fires right up with a jump start.

Any thoughts?

Thanks in advance...

 

Diagnose the problem, probably the solenoid. Take a jumper cable and the next time it doesn't start cross the big wire and little wire at the solenoid and se if that does it. Eliminate one thing at a time.

 

Here's a good read for you.
https://www.hdforums.com/forum/evo-c...ded-click.html

 

Dirty or corroded wiring connections can cause those symptoms. Clean and check both ends of all wiring to the battery and starter.
Use a real charger, not trickle, to charge the battery then check the voltage 1 hour after it's been off the charger. Or better still, have it load tested - even if it'snot that old.
Check the starter solenoid for clean contacts, both wiring and internal if it comes apart.

 

May father-in-law's 1991 was doing the same thing. We found that the main frame ground had worked itself slightly loose. We cleaned it up and put a lock washer on it and it's been fine since. He does recheck it occasionally to make sure it doesn't vibrate loose again.

 

No need for a second relay. I ran a wire from the battery to the 12 supply on the stock relay. Problem solved. But also check the frame ground connections.