Dead Bike
Thread Starter
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Tourer
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 403
Likes: 44
From: Montana
Dead Bike
Hi all,
Bike 99 FLHRC-I
I rode home from Belgrade MT to Whitefish in a heavy rain last Friday. When I went to start bike sat morning I get nothing, no lights, no fuel pump nothing. I put it on battery tender and in a short time it shows battery at 80% with flashing green light. An half-hour later its at full charge, I turn ignition switch and it starts up all good. I had checked the battery post bolts and one may have been ever so slightly loose so I tightened it . Battery was new this spring and is a Deka 400cc, all cables and terminals are clean. I rode sat, sun and Monday. So today same thing except after charging still nothing when turning switch. Battery shows 13.05 after charge, starter terminal is 13.05, main fuse in front of Positive battery terminal shows 13.05 as well. The post below which is ECM (3 yellow wires) shows 13.0 as does middle post in ignition switch shows 13.0. Last Sat I put some Dielectric in ignition connectors. I'm going to pull battery and get it load tested but at 13.05 volts it should power lights and fuel pump. I did replace the main fuse a couple years ago, I can't remember how that was caused. I have a spare relay and tried it in all 4 plugs with no change.
Help.............thanks..........goldie
Bike 99 FLHRC-I
I rode home from Belgrade MT to Whitefish in a heavy rain last Friday. When I went to start bike sat morning I get nothing, no lights, no fuel pump nothing. I put it on battery tender and in a short time it shows battery at 80% with flashing green light. An half-hour later its at full charge, I turn ignition switch and it starts up all good. I had checked the battery post bolts and one may have been ever so slightly loose so I tightened it . Battery was new this spring and is a Deka 400cc, all cables and terminals are clean. I rode sat, sun and Monday. So today same thing except after charging still nothing when turning switch. Battery shows 13.05 after charge, starter terminal is 13.05, main fuse in front of Positive battery terminal shows 13.05 as well. The post below which is ECM (3 yellow wires) shows 13.0 as does middle post in ignition switch shows 13.0. Last Sat I put some Dielectric in ignition connectors. I'm going to pull battery and get it load tested but at 13.05 volts it should power lights and fuel pump. I did replace the main fuse a couple years ago, I can't remember how that was caused. I have a spare relay and tried it in all 4 plugs with no change.
Help.............thanks..........goldie
Last edited by goldie; Aug 19, 2014 at 12:20 PM. Reason: correction
Thread Starter
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Tourer
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 403
Likes: 44
From: Montana
Update
After going back out and rechecking voltages and unplugging & replugging ignition switch it lights up. Battery is now at 12.85 so I'm going to let it sit another hour or so and see if that voltage remains constant or continues to drop.........goldie
thoughts?
thoughts?
Thread Starter
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Tourer
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 403
Likes: 44
From: Montana
Voltages
Thanks Journeyman,
here's what I read
ignition off 12.91
ignition on with headlamp on low
12.43 but it goes down about 1 tenth every 2 seconds or so
Running voltage is 14.0 at idle but goes to 14.35-14.42 @ 1500 rpm or so, no tach. When belt was replaced 3 years ago I did read on stator "High Output"
After it ran for 3 minutes I went in to post these results. 5 mintes later I just rechecked voltage with switch off and its 13.10
here's what I read
ignition off 12.91
ignition on with headlamp on low
12.43 but it goes down about 1 tenth every 2 seconds or so
Running voltage is 14.0 at idle but goes to 14.35-14.42 @ 1500 rpm or so, no tach. When belt was replaced 3 years ago I did read on stator "High Output"
After it ran for 3 minutes I went in to post these results. 5 mintes later I just rechecked voltage with switch off and its 13.10
Last edited by goldie; Aug 19, 2014 at 01:09 PM.
Thread Starter
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Tourer
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 403
Likes: 44
From: Montana
Update
After sitting all nite voltage is 12.86 rather than 12.91 as it was before I went to bed. Would that be a normal amount of voltage loss or am I losing some thru a short?
Ignition is still working at this time. Rainy out so might just let it sit for a bit
Thanks.........goldie
Ignition is still working at this time. Rainy out so might just let it sit for a bit
Thanks.........goldie
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 2,488
Likes: 30
From: Maryland near DC
the battery dropping fairly fast with the headlight on leads me to want to have the battery load tested...also the voltage dropping over night that small amount may just be from the battery cooling off, or the battery may be going bad or you may have a minor short causing a current draw...first step to me would be to have the battery tested as even new ones do crap out some times...
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Road Master
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 934
Likes: 54
From: SE Wisconsin
Thanks Journeyman,
here's what I read
ignition off 12.91
ignition on with headlamp on low
12.43 but it goes down about 1 tenth every 2 seconds or so
Running voltage is 14.0 at idle but goes to 14.35-14.42 @ 1500 rpm or so, no tach. When belt was replaced 3 years ago I did read on stator "High Output"
After it ran for 3 minutes I went in to post these results. 5 mintes later I just rechecked voltage with switch off and its 13.10
here's what I read
ignition off 12.91
ignition on with headlamp on low
12.43 but it goes down about 1 tenth every 2 seconds or so
Running voltage is 14.0 at idle but goes to 14.35-14.42 @ 1500 rpm or so, no tach. When belt was replaced 3 years ago I did read on stator "High Output"
After it ran for 3 minutes I went in to post these results. 5 mintes later I just rechecked voltage with switch off and its 13.10
Those readings look normal.
I'd recheck the connections, don't forget the ground.
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Thread Starter
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Tourer
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 403
Likes: 44
From: Montana
Update
Hi all,
Thanks to all that have helped thru their suggestions. I'm thinking its the ignition switch. That's the only constant part of this. After cycling it several times and waiting it will light up. Went to dealer yesterday and they had a replacement ignition switch that someone had ordered in 2011 so the general manager gave me a 50% discount. I never lock it anyway so a different key doesn't matter to me. It fired right up and voltage was 12.85 before removing it. I cleaned all connections when I took battery out to have it tested, which it passed with flying colors. Hopefully this ends this current dilemma.
Thanks to all.......goldie
Thanks to all that have helped thru their suggestions. I'm thinking its the ignition switch. That's the only constant part of this. After cycling it several times and waiting it will light up. Went to dealer yesterday and they had a replacement ignition switch that someone had ordered in 2011 so the general manager gave me a 50% discount. I never lock it anyway so a different key doesn't matter to me. It fired right up and voltage was 12.85 before removing it. I cleaned all connections when I took battery out to have it tested, which it passed with flying colors. Hopefully this ends this current dilemma.
Thanks to all.......goldie