Does anyone else have this issue with the early Evos. The blinkers on my bike refuse to work unless the revs are up around 2k. Also sometimes I really have to mash the button. Was wondering if there is standard fix for this. Could it be a flasher problem, dirty connection or is it just an issue of bike gettring old (92)......I've recently replaced my stator when I had the primary off but that didn't make a diffeence either. Also when they come the Volt gage swings wildly....

 

sorry don't have an answer just more questions. when you push the turn signal button does the bike sputter? how about the horn also? mine is doing same thing (except sputters when turn signals or horn are used no matter what rpm) 87 fxrc

 

What's you guys' voltage at the battery at idle and at 2-3K? Next, put your DVM on the main breaker and what's the voltage? Then turn on the turn signal and check. There's like a dozen connections between the battery and the turn signal, any of which can get dirty. Some are internal to the breakers, some external. It helps a lot on these issues to take the connections off the breakers, clean everything with a wire wheel in a Dremmel type Moto-Tool, reassemble with some grease. The problems you describe are symptoms of low voltage/high resistance in the various accessories/ignition circuits. You just need to find where the bad connection is.

 

Thanks Dr. Guess next time I get some downtime, I'll start disconnecting and cleaning/greasing. Any ideas on where best to begin, in case I can't to them all.

Also, HDBILL, No mine doesn't sputter. Doesn't seem to affect running.

 

the stock flasher i had in my 85 was rectangular shaped. i just replaced it with a 552 round auto flasher. auto parts store was cheep, if i remember right it was about $3. that might be the cheepist and fastist thing to replace first.

 

The unit on my 1990 FLHS gave similar problems. I eventually replaced it with a new one, which cured the problem. Mine has the auto time/distance switch-off feature. It is very expensive compared with 3 bucks!

 

Use the higher priced "electronic" flasher from the parts store.

Remember, if you have a switch for 4-way blinkers, there will be 2 flashers and you need to replace the right one.... learned that one the hard way over the course of several years - I was SO embarrased!

 

Fellows-
where, exactly, is the flasher located on the flht? I've a 91, so we're in the same epoch. Do I have to remove the front of the batwing fairing, or can I reach in through the radio opening? thanks, tom

 

The reason why your voltmeter is all over the place is because it reads off the most remote area of the bike, electrically. You're seeing the accumulation of every voltage drop through the entire electrical system.
one problem is that every terminal the factory installed is crimped on, yet not soldered. after the first decade or so, corrosion starts to build up in the terminal crimps and in breaker contacts and switch contacts,,, etc until it all stacks up and you don't have enough voltage left to run your signal module.
You need to get some fresh power up there. Start with the grounds, replace the lugs on your battery cables and solder them. Same for the ground jumper cables from the frame to the starter, and from the neck to the triple tree. Reposition your main circuit breaker to feed directly off the positive battery terminal. Replace every terminal and solder them as you follow the power along the circuits. Install a new 50 amp breaker. Replace the main power wire in the harness, it's probably got a strand or three broken up by the steering neck by now. Use a 30 amp relay to bypass the ignition switch.
use another 30 amp relay to feed your passing lamps directly off the main breaker. Freshen up every wiring harness ground. turn everything on for a few minutes and nose along the harness with an infared thermometer, looking for hot spots anywhere. If you find heat, you've also found voltage loss.

Good luck!

Hogdoctor

 

Tom,
The flasher is under the faring. You might be able to reach it with just the headlight out, but I think you really need to pull the faring off. HINTS: A 7/16" box end gear wrench makes it go really, really fast. On assembly, put some silicone sealant on the big flat washers that go up against the faring, gluing them in place. Makes it a whole lot easier to get back together.
Good advice, Hogdoctor, and those are the same conclusions I reached. I counted over a dozen connections between the battery and the starter solenoid. Bypassing the ignition switch with a relay is a good idea, and I'd do that way before replacing the switch, which is probably unobtainium now anyway. I added an auxiliary relay under the seat to switch +12v to the starter relay, bypassing everything but the relay and solenoid when starting. No more CLICK-nothing.