How to troubleshoot starter??
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Road Warrior
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,995
Likes: 2
From: Land of 10,000 lakes
How to troubleshoot starter??
I walked out of the Subway shop about an hour ago and turned the ignition on to my 09 StreetGlide. The usual fuel pump noise and I hit the starter button and nothing. I had just shut it off 10 minutes before after a short ride to Subway. I managed to get it to a hill and bump-started it and made it home. After removing the sidecover I can hear the starter relay activate but the starter doesn't make a sound. The starter is only a month or so old and has worked fine up to now. I have uplugged the starter connection and replugged it to no avail. Any ideas??
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 14,744
Likes: 402
From: Phoenix '53, '88, '09 Big Twins
yup check your cables at both ends ( tight and clean) and that battery is fully charged, then:
the green wire at the solenoid comes from the stater relay.
with a test light or meter you should see 12 volts there when the starter button is pressed.
if not
then the problem is in the wiring, relay, starter button/ kill switch, and on newer models maybe a neutral, or clutch switch too
but you can hear the relay clicking so all that is probably good, if you have no power at the green wire when you hear the relay, then try swapping relay ( on many models the relay is a simple auto part store swap).
if you see 12 volts at the green wire and the starter is not operating, then you have to check the solenoid
the solenoid is easy to service, if you ever did a chevy, the H-D is much the same.
mike
the green wire at the solenoid comes from the stater relay.
with a test light or meter you should see 12 volts there when the starter button is pressed.
if not
then the problem is in the wiring, relay, starter button/ kill switch, and on newer models maybe a neutral, or clutch switch too
but you can hear the relay clicking so all that is probably good, if you have no power at the green wire when you hear the relay, then try swapping relay ( on many models the relay is a simple auto part store swap).
if you see 12 volts at the green wire and the starter is not operating, then you have to check the solenoid
the solenoid is easy to service, if you ever did a chevy, the H-D is much the same.
mike
Thread Starter
|
Road Warrior
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,995
Likes: 2
From: Land of 10,000 lakes
yup check your cables at both ends ( tight and clean) and that battery is fully charged, then:
the green wire at the solenoid comes from the stater relay.
with a test light or meter you should see 12 volts there when the starter button is pressed.
if not
then the problem is in the wiring, relay, starter button/ kill switch, and on newer models maybe a neutral, or clutch switch too
but you can hear the relay clicking so all that is probably good, if you have no power at the green wire when you hear the relay, then try swapping relay ( on many models the relay is a simple auto part store swap).
if you see 12 volts at the green wire and the starter is not operating, then you have to check the solenoid
the solenoid is easy to service, if you ever did a chevy, the H-D is much the same.
mike
the green wire at the solenoid comes from the stater relay.
with a test light or meter you should see 12 volts there when the starter button is pressed.
if not
then the problem is in the wiring, relay, starter button/ kill switch, and on newer models maybe a neutral, or clutch switch too
but you can hear the relay clicking so all that is probably good, if you have no power at the green wire when you hear the relay, then try swapping relay ( on many models the relay is a simple auto part store swap).
if you see 12 volts at the green wire and the starter is not operating, then you have to check the solenoid
the solenoid is easy to service, if you ever did a chevy, the H-D is much the same.
mike
Thread Starter
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Road Warrior
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,995
Likes: 2
From: Land of 10,000 lakes
Well I pulled the starter and took the end cap off the solenoid. Everthing looked fine and clean. I decided to take it to the local starter repair guy. He put a 12V clamp on the big stud and the other clamp on the starter flange. He jumped from the 12v clamp to the solenoid connection and it spun to life. Nothing wrong with the starter. Reinstalled the thing and reconnected all the wires and battery. I hit the starter button and it works. I'm not sure what I fixed if I fixed anything at all but my guess is either the ground or the hot from the battery. I'm nervous everytime I go to start it now although I did throw a short piece of #12 solid copper in the saddlebag to jumper the thing if I have to.
Cruiser
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 180
Likes: 3
From: Jasper, GA
Time to buy one of the plunger end caps. I have had one on all my bikes as far back as I can remember. Peace of mind from just the problem you described. You can also drill hole in the end of the solenoid switch. stick a rubber plug in it. Then all you have to do is pull the plug and stick a screwdriver in and push the plunger
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Road Warrior
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,995
Likes: 2
From: Land of 10,000 lakes
Time to buy one of the plunger end caps. I have had one on all my bikes as far back as I can remember. Peace of mind from just the problem you described. You can also drill hole in the end of the solenoid switch. stick a rubber plug in it. Then all you have to do is pull the plug and stick a screwdriver in and push the plunger
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Road Master
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 1,221
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From: Annemasse (border of Geneva-Switzerland) facing Mt-Blanc.
Sometimes new starter motor brushes are a bit too thick or their corners too sharp. You can rub them against fine sandpaper or use a metal file to adjust the play.
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Cruiser
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 180
Likes: 3
From: Jasper, GA
This cover allows you push in the plunger to engage the starter.
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