Weird electrical gremlin
Road Warrior
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 1,437
Likes: 80
From: currently an Okie
Gremlin
1. a loose connection or a loose ground will not blow a fuse (at least not in a resistive circuit)
2. The speed sensor will not blow a fuse.
Don't make the mistake of ignoring a very important symptom. A blown fuse indicates a short circuit. Do not run the bike with an oversized fuse. your wiring will be the fuse then.
Pull the fuse you replaced (during daylight hours) and see if it will idle then. If it does, forget anything these guys are telling you about they had the same problem. They may have similar symptoms, but very different problems can have similar symptoms.
2. The speed sensor will not blow a fuse.
Don't make the mistake of ignoring a very important symptom. A blown fuse indicates a short circuit. Do not run the bike with an oversized fuse. your wiring will be the fuse then.
Pull the fuse you replaced (during daylight hours) and see if it will idle then. If it does, forget anything these guys are telling you about they had the same problem. They may have similar symptoms, but very different problems can have similar symptoms.
Thread Starter
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Intermediate
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 26
Likes: 0
OK, here goes. SoI finally get to looking at it, and one of the first things I notice when I take the seat off is that my battery posts are almost melted off. Theres melted lead that had dripped down into my battery tray. So I take the battery out and start running down wires looking for anything worn and whatnot. My engine ground cable that goes from the engine to the frame right under the seat had buldsged out or worked itself out far enough to touch the header of the rear cylinder. Not sure how as thats a pretty stout cable that doesn't move easily, and it was an inch away, but it obviously had made contact as it was melted through and there was a rough spot on the header where it had made contact. So, I replace the ground cable, get a new battery installed, and it fires right up. Now, whats different this time is that just what rinja64 says, the check engine light comes on like normal, goes out, I start the bike, then 10 seconds later it comes on for about 5 seconds, and goes off again. seems to be running fine. Put a voltmeter to the battery posts and at idle I'm getting 14.3v, and revving it up it'll go to 14.5 or so. Now whats new that I noticed it the speedo needle will tick up a little when I move the bike, as in rocking it forward or backwards? I wouldn"t think movement slower than a crawling pace would move the needle let alone moving backwards. As for the bike running without that fuse, it did when it happened, just that the lights went out. Anything I'm missing or any other thoughts? Haven't had it down the road yet to see if the cruise works or how it does on the road to try and ellicit another problem.
2nd Gear
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
From: Inwood WV
Checkers took the words outta my mouth..or letters off my keyboard....I have an 01 Sporty and the battery terminals are always coming loose. The speed O will act wierd when the positive is loose , next time the lights will go out-blown fuse when the negative terminal come loose.
OK, here goes. SoI finally get to looking at it, and one of the first things I notice when I take the seat off is that my battery posts are almost melted off. Theres melted lead that had dripped down into my battery tray. So I take the battery out and start running down wires looking for anything worn and whatnot. My engine ground cable that goes from the engine to the frame right under the seat had buldsged out or worked itself out far enough to touch the header of the rear cylinder....<snip>
glad you found it, or at least part of it
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Thread Starter
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Intermediate
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 26
Likes: 0
I'm not 100% warm and fuzzy about it all. Why the engine light? Will that self clear or do I have to go in and have something re$et? It goes off soon after comming on when it first fires up but still, I don't think thats SOP. Calling the service dept, they say that the speed sensor has nothing to do with the bike running, only the speedo, but it needs power too right? So maybe a loose terminal just threw everything out of whack?
Road Captain
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 634
Likes: 8
From: Plum & Nearly
The check engine light is indicating a historic code probably set by your initial problem. It is indicating that you had a problem but it is NOT active now. The light will quit acting the way it is in about 50 ignition switch cycles. If the light stays constantly illuminated then you do have an active code and need to check into it.
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 3,968
Likes: 34
From: Lockport Township, IL
If somebody already said this, forgive me. I did not read all the posts. Get that 20 amp fuse outa there. If the circuit is designed for a 15 amp fuse, never put in a higher amp fuse!!! The fuse may not blolw if you do, but the wiring on that circuit is designed to carry no more that 15 amps. You could smoke the wiring by having a 20 amp fuse in there. You need to find the source of the problem and fix it, but not simply stick in a higher amp fuse.
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Road Warrior
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 1,437
Likes: 80
From: currently an Okie
OK, here goes. SoI finally get to looking at it, and one of the first things I notice when I take the seat off is that my battery posts are almost melted off. Theres melted lead that had dripped down into my battery tray. So I take the battery out and start running down wires looking for anything worn and whatnot. My engine ground cable that goes from the engine to the frame right under the seat had buldsged out or worked itself out far enough to touch the header of the rear cylinder. Not sure how as thats a pretty stout cable that doesn't move easily, and it was an inch away, but it obviously had made contact as it was melted through and there was a rough spot on the header where it had made contact. So, I replace the ground cable, get a new battery installed, and it fires right up. Now, whats different this time is that just what rinja64 says, the check engine light comes on like normal, goes out, I start the bike, then 10 seconds later it comes on for about 5 seconds, and goes off again. seems to be running fine. Put a voltmeter to the battery posts and at idle I'm getting 14.3v, and revving it up it'll go to 14.5 or so. Now whats new that I noticed it the speedo needle will tick up a little when I move the bike, as in rocking it forward or backwards? I wouldn"t think movement slower than a crawling pace would move the needle let alone moving backwards. As for the bike running without that fuse, it did when it happened, just that the lights went out. Anything I'm missing or any other thoughts? Haven't had it down the road yet to see if the cruise works or how it does on the road to try and ellicit another problem.
I've been wrong before and will probably be wrong again, but I'm not so sure you found the root of your problem yet.
Thread Starter
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Intermediate
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 26
Likes: 0
[quote=rkoivisto;10022571]The header making contact with the ground cable would not cause the problem. The header and the ground cable are at the same potential. They are both at chassis ground. It's possible you had a bad connection on the negative cable, but I still don't buy it that a bad connection could cause a fuse to blow. I could see it in an inductive circuit (starter), but the lights should be resistive and there will be no inrush.[quote]
Thats what I was thinking, the engine ground grounding to.....the engine? Just came across it and fixed/replaced it. When I parked the bike it died on me and I coasted into my parking spot, didn't try to re-start it until I had replaced the battery and the ground and tightened everything up. I'll run down some more wires and see if theres anything worn down, rubbing where it shouldn't be, loose and so on. Maybe my speed sensor is just crapping out at the same time and masking other symptoms.
Thats what I was thinking, the engine ground grounding to.....the engine? Just came across it and fixed/replaced it. When I parked the bike it died on me and I coasted into my parking spot, didn't try to re-start it until I had replaced the battery and the ground and tightened everything up. I'll run down some more wires and see if theres anything worn down, rubbing where it shouldn't be, loose and so on. Maybe my speed sensor is just crapping out at the same time and masking other symptoms.