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I do understand that volts do matter and not to use 24v on a 12v system, or 12v on a 6v system. But I thought that amps do not matter and that your bike/car&nbsp\\;will only use what&nbsp\\;amps are&nbsp\\;needed.&nbsp\\; I have used a car to jump my bike many times. Including my Shovel, Pan, lawn mower, etc.&nbsp\\; On my car I try to&nbsp\\;replace with&nbsp\\;high amp batteries for better starts, am I wrong?
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What could happen with high amps?

 

right on 89fxrs

 

Update.....i went out to the bike tonight to try and figure the starting circuit. static voltage was 12.3 volts. Ign on dropped it slightly. when i hit the start button it cranked immediately (yesterday was click...click!!) I noticed the voltage dropped to around 10 volts, but still cranked it. I didnt start it because I didnt want a hot bike to work on(pulled carb), but I thought maybe I have a hot start problem. I pulled the solenoid cover off and had a look inside....it looks new....must be a recent starter. After cleaning the carb I ran the bike and got it hot.....started it a few times with no issues. For what its worth....guess I will replace the battery.

 

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- not correct.
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right lets clear some stuff up.
You can crank of a car battery, always conect the postive first then the earth. ALso dont conect the thing with the igntion already turned on.
If it goes click click click when you press the button yes its a flat battery.
If it just goes click once when you press the button it is not a flat battery. My dyna does it and has brand new batteries thrown at it.Evena brand new odessy battery.&nbsp\\;Fitted barnd new 1.4KW starter extra ground lead from the battery to the starter motor bolt. Still does it now and again. One trick I have found is when it does it is to let the button go and pres it again straight away like giving it a double tap, also other times just pressing it and holding works.&nbsp\\;As its like there is a&nbsp\\;slight hestitaion as the starter clicks in then turns.&nbsp\\;
&nbsp\\;I run a BDL belt drive on Mine and have found losening the jacksahft end plate cures it. So the next thing when the pirmary comes off is to have a real good look at the jack shaft to see if its binding. I am wondering if its a case of the solinoid not having the strength to fully engage the motor. But hey it starts and yes I have even managed to bump start it a couple of times, which is intresting on a 124" motor

What is making it hard is its an intermitent thing but I will get to the bottom of it.......one day.
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It may be your stator. I had to replace mine several years ago, and it is a 99.

 

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- now , THAT is interesting !!
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I have a 1988 heritage that has done this off and on for a few years now.&nbsp\\; The bike has been modified to except a 1991 starter and has a 1991 inner and outer primary.&nbsp\\; I have found that if I jump 12v from the battery to the starter to spin the starter briefly, the starter will engage and the bike will start when I push the start button.&nbsp\\; I am not sure how to check the jackshaft alignment but I think&nbsp\\;that might be my problem.

 

i wish we could give the battery thing a rest. the same thing happened to me recently. i would take the cover off of your solenoid cover and hold the plunger in the position it would be in with the cover on. If it doesn't engage the jack drive and the starter then there isn't enough energy being created to magnetically pull the plunger in to make contact that spins the starter etc. etc. Rebuild kits are available for much less than a new starter, but in all likely hood things may just need to be tightened and/or cleaned.
To be honest i don't know how i fixed mine but because when i went in there and I closed things up it just started working again but after having the problem i learned alot about what the heck happens down there.
David

 

Mine's been doing it for a couple of years also.&nbsp\\; Mostly when it is hot, like when you stop for gas and go to start it again.&nbsp\\; I bought an Accel solenoid to replace it and it was a total piece of shiite.&nbsp\\; I won't go into details, but it was junk and would have fried the starter had I left it on.&nbsp\\; I pulled the original apart and swaped the contacts over and cleaned it up and it helped, but it is doing it again.&nbsp\\; I'm thinking OEM solenoid this time, or maybe one of those rebuild kits.&nbsp\\;
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Jumping off a car battery won't hurt anything.&nbsp\\; Yeah, a car battery can put out 1000 amps.&nbsp\\; That doesn't mean your starter is drawing 1000 amps.&nbsp\\; I=E/R.&nbsp\\; If your starter is drawing enough to hurt itself, then the starter is bad.
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Oh, you can jump a 6V car off a 12V battery.&nbsp\\; Used to do it all the time on my 47 Plymouth.&nbsp\\; The electrical system was rated at "6 to 8 Volts" anyway.&nbsp\\; Things were a lot simpler back then.
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