Did you already mention good battery cables and spotless connections?

Dang, I hope you get this fixed soon...

 

Yeah, me and dat dremel tool been making sweet contact cleanin' luv! Dem contacts, clean... sho nuf!

"monkee screams for a ride"
GM

 

The '85 FXR a rubber mount? How's the ground cable from frame to engine?

Sure relay is on right (sorry, have to ask).

Smoked a nice after market HD tachometerwhen I tried jumping my bike with a car.... $150 mistake.

Keep us informed on the diagnosis, ehhh???

-P

 

check easternperformance.com if you need a new starter.

 

One thing you have to know Voltage isn'tas big a deal many believe it is, its not voltage thats turning over you motor its amperage. You can put 9 AA batteries together and get 13.5 volts but it will never start you're bike. But if they did a load test on the batteries that should eliminate that as a problem. The ideas that every one else have suggested covers about any thing else that could be a problem. But if those still don't fix it I have a question you said you've been working on the bike, did you happen to have the primary cover off? If so try loosening the screws on the top and about half way down the back of the primary cover it doesn't have to be much just so they are loose enough to spin with you fingers. Now try the starter again. I have seen were the wrong sizewasher was placed on the end of the Bendix shaft by mistake and when the motor was buttoned up and then tried to be started it would ether turn over slowly or just click and not turn over at all. With a spacer that is to thick the Bendix will extend and then lock the starter motor or drag it down, by loosening the screws it will take that bind off the starter and show you if that was the problem.

 

Well, it's been an interesting saga so far. I've completely replaced my ignition system now. New relay, selenoid and starter. Comes down to the moment of truth, I hit the starter button and SHAZAM! It works, except.... it won't STOP working. Yeah, I take my finger off the starter button and it's still turning, hit the kill switch, still turning, turn off the key, and it's STILL turning! After a second of amazement, I disconnect the ground wire on the battery. Yes, it finally stops then. (or else I would be posting to the exorcism board today!) Since it was late Sunday when I came to this, I called it quites for the weekend. Haven't hooked the battery back up, wanted to see what you guys thought before I did. What would cause this? Stuck relay? (I bought it from an autoparts store. Same bosch unit from the look of it. Same circuit printed on it anyway) Perhaps a bad solenoid? (bought new from HD). Some other gremlin?

Any thoughts? Other than the bike wants to ride as much as I do?

GM

 

Either the relay or the solenoid. If you momentarily reconnect the battery cable without doing anything else, does it continue to crank? Disconnect the relay from the circuit and try again. My money is on the solenoid sticking. You could also check this with an ohm meter across the two big cables at the solenoid. If it has any appreciable continuity, the solenoid is stuck and needs to be replaced.

 

Interestingly, the "All *****" starter that I put in had a small metal "puck" that they suggested be inserted into the plunger shaft of the selenoid. I don't think this is the problem, but... I did notice that the small activator wire (between the two large post on the back of the selenoid) had wiggled over to the battery side of the solenoid connectors. I'm didn't think much about it, as it is well insulated, but then I started thinking... if this carries a low voltage signal to activate the selenoid, then perhaps, with the higher amperage of the battery/starter connections, it could carry enough electricity, in a non-conductive way, to keep the selenoid activated. Could a couple of millimeters make that much difference? With all that amperage flying around, could the proximetry to those large connections cause it to "permanently" activate the selenoid? I guess I could see how the other parts of the system (kill switch, ignition key) wouldn't make a difference once that connection has been made.

Ah well, guess it's a good thing I like tinkering. I certainly learn a lot everytime I start this sort of thing. I've always thought that was one of the better parts of owning a HD, learning how it works. I got this scoot over 15 years ago bacause it was something that could be kept on the road for many years to come. I don't see too many jap bikes this old out there. Most scoots out there now are "disposable". I can remember when I started riding (over 30 years ago!) people worked on their stuff. Now they just throw it away and get new ones. Don't beleive me? Try and buy parts at a dealership now. I swear I'm gonna strike the next 20 year old poser behind the counter that tells me they don't carry parts for my "old school" stuff, but the can "order" it. What makes them think that I can't "order" it? Pftt! If I wanted a t-shirt, I'd go to Wal-mart. Mark my words, if they don't start to encourage us "old school" guys, the youngster's won't learn to keep this old stuff on the road. No history on the road, no advantage to HD over a friggin' shadow-davidson. Sorry for the rant!

 

Put the puck thing in there. It is possible that something is different with your new fancy starter and not having the puck means the solenoid is pulling something in too far, which might cause it to lock on such as you are experiencing. Just guessing here, but if they went through the trouble of putting the puck thing in the kit, there's going to be a reason, so try that first. That's why I like to stick with OEM stuff. On the control wire of the solenoid, as long as it isn't touching bare to other wires, you should be OK. Keeping them separated never hurts. And it is all low voltage (12v), both the control wire and the wires going to the starter/battery.

 

You never said it worked now, I assume it did. I don't recall ever having any of my bikes worked on by a shop either, I love the challenge, its like a puzzle game.
What makes you think they want our type anymore, The Vrod crowd is the next generation, when it breaks out of warranty, just buy another. Why bother getting all greasy, it's just a motorcycle, right? Hopefully there are enough of us around to keep the aftermarket in business. Our Airheads are all becoming "Classics".