Need Help With a Starter Problem

[Kirbo]

A wire in one of my HD fog lamps on the crash bar grounded out and fried the bulb. Since then when I go to start, I hit starter button and most times theres nothing, hit button couple more times and nothing, hit it again and starter turns over slow but keeps going and bike starts. Its been doing this for about a month and hasnt gotten any worse. What do you think is most likely the culprit probably caused by the grounded light wire, starter button, starter, alternator or battery? Battery is about 5 years old and always been on a battery tender in winter. The symptoms started because of the grounded wire I'm sure. Thanks in advance.

[Kirbo]

I forgot to add, when I turn key on to start in morning, its dark here in the morning, my lights are bright but dim when engine turns over.

[Mule]

 Sounds like you may have multiple things going on. First it sounds like a bad starter relay, then your five year old battery may be a problem holding a load. After all a five year old battery is at the end of it's life expectancy. You should also check the battery cables, as they carry the load. I wouldn't think a shorted light would have caused this, if any thing it would have tripped a circuit breaker.  Mule...

[Kirbo]

I think I will invest in a set of Yooper Cables now and replace battery in spring. Its supposed to be in the 70s around here for a day or 2 longer then winter settin in so I really dont want a new battery just sittin all winter.
Another thing I dont know if its related or not but the other day I was warming the bike up in the morning when I inadvertantly reached too low and touched my spark plug cables at the coil and got zapped. They are brand new last spring from an Indie and they werent loose that I could tell. I just twisted them a little and pushed them in but didnt notice any movement.

[racerat]

Hi, I've seen this problem before..( I think) Even without a problem of lights and so... I think first thing you have to check is solenoid wire. On the right side (under the oil tank) there you find the pentagon sidecover of the solenoid with 3 metric bolts. Before you open this side cover, be sure to disconnect negative wire on battery !!!!!!!!!!! Remove side cover, remove inner solenoid magnet with spring carefully(don't break the spring). Look very good at the copper wire coming from the solenoid coil or the other side copper wire to the starterbolt. It happens a lot that one of these wires is broken (mostly coil side wire(s)), and sometimes it makes contact with the coil or starterbolt and sometimes not.(when you least expect it) You have to look very carefully, sometimes you almost can't find the fracture in the wire. Feel it with a Small screwdriver ..but CAREFULY please... don't brake the fragile wire yourselves at this moment. If a fracture is the cause of your starting problem, you can solder the wire, but take care the wire or the cored solder don't contact the solenoid housing when finished.
Hope it's only this. If not,.. check your handlebarbuttons. with some electroclean, and some air pressure blowing through you can make miracles happening sometimes...
PS: I did forget to read your entire text, I m using a nice beer for the moment...   to your health...but I saw you got a starting problem once and once not..., So I lovved to help some... 8)and don't forget to vote for the wright one, over there in the US of A...
Best regards and Belgian greetings,
Fil.

[Kirbo]

Thanks Racerat...I'll check it out tonite when it cools off alittle, I just got home with it. I'm always up to getting into another part of this bike which I havent been to yet. Someday I'll know this thing inside and out.

[racerat]

Succes... that's the way to live it...

[boscoe]

While you have the starter solenoid cover off (the 3 screws racerat mentioned) there will be a piston and spring with a large copper washer.  Notice the copper washer surface and the copper contacts it touches (cables attached to the contacts.)  There will probably be pitting on both the surfaces, smooth / clean these surfaces with light filing.  If they are too bad to clean up , replace them.  You can get the parts from a starter rebuilder or a Japanese car parts counter.  I chased this problem for years, replacing swithces, relays, batteries, cables, and the starter until I discovered the starters seldom go bad, this area is the weak link.     

[Phu Cat]

Kirbo, Did ya disconnect the fog lights, eliminating one of the variables?  Is the starting problem still the same?

PC

[99flsts]

I know I'm stating the obvious, but I have to ask... you did check the battery terminals to make sure they are tight, right?

A couple days after I picked up my 99 I went out to start it one morning and the lights came on but as soon as hit the starter - nothing, no lights, no nuthin'.  Turn the ignition switch off and back on - the lights come on - hit the starter - same thing.  I put my battery charger on it, hit the starter and it starts.  Didn't trust riding it that day so I picked up a new battery and when I got home that evening I was preparing to remove the old battery and noticed that one of the screws attaching the cable to the battery terminal was loose!!!  Tightened it up and it started right off.  Now, unless I remember to tighten it occasionally, it will work itself loose after about a 1000 miles or so.

If the cables are all tight, then I would try jumping it off a known good battery before tearing the starter all apart.  It could very well end up being the starter solinoid but start with the easy stuff first.

[Kirbo]

So far all I had time to do was check all wires and connections. Nothing wrong there, this afternoon when I left work it turned right over and started imediately. Lights are always nice and bright before hitting start button, then go dim until it starts. I tried with the foglights on and off and its the same. Both lights are nice and bright before and after starting. Battery connections are tight.

[racerat]

Hi again Kirbo,
I don't know if you checked the solenoid jet, otherwise don't forget this reply also, from Boscoe:

While you have the starter solenoid cover off (the 3 screws racerat mentioned) there will be a piston and spring with a large copper washer.  Notice the copper washer surface and the copper contacts it touches (cables attached to the contacts.)  There will probably be pitting on both the surfaces, smooth / clean these surfaces with light filing.  If they are too bad to clean up , replace them.  You can get the parts from a starter rebuilder or a Japanese car parts counter.  I chased this problem for years, replacing swithces, relays, batteries, cables, and the starter until I discovered the starters seldom go bad, this area is the weak link.   

You replied that you checked al wire contacts... Did you also check the contacts,fixed on the frame, under the fuel tank ?
Sometimes you can have bad contact overthere and must clean and tighten up the little wiring harness sockets vs the soccet pins, inside the wire connectors.
Best Regards,
Fil.

[Kirbo]

Are you refering to the connections in the frame? No those I havent had a chance to look at. Was hoping to find something easier to get at. I'll be looking in the solenoid cover either tonight or Friday night. Always something popping up around here to get at my stuff. The weather turned for the worse around here today so it doesnt look like I'll be doin too much ridin in the near future so I'll be able to concentrate on finding the problem.

[psyco369]

I had a similar problem with my 94 it turned out to be the ignition switch (key)

[rbjohnsn]

A five year battery is long beond it life span. First thing to do is get a new one. Also check the starter relay located under the right chech panel.

[Herbstr]

I had a simular problem with my 97 dwg in 98, I had the shop fix it, they replaced the spring and copper washer in the solinoid, a few months before I had had the started replaced, due to a bent shaft causing drag. I had hit the start button by accident while running. THe other thing is I bought a tube of Harley Electrical grease hte stuff in your light socets and put that on all the grounds through out the bike. I also had problems with the negative cable making connection to the frame.
H

[Kirbo]

Thanks for the info...I got delayed AGAIN from looking into these things, I'm hoping to delve into it tonite. I'll keep ya all posted.

[racerat]

  also check this out :HarleyTechTalk > History > The Original HTT > Starter Problems by Samuel