Unedited: Adding a second relay to fix the dreaded click
#131
08-14-2012, 08:33 AM
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I think I'm starting to get the dreaded click this week. I push the start button, hear the click, and nothing happens. I can push the button several times and eventually it will bump the starter.
Today though, I went through the same procedure and saw a little puff of smoke come up from beneath the seat. I haven't been able to tear into it yet, but has this happened to anyone?
From the op:
Mine is an '89 softail. Is this the procedure I should follow to narrow down my problem? Any advice is greatly appreciated because I'm dumb with solenoids and relays.
Today though, I went through the same procedure and saw a little puff of smoke come up from beneath the seat. I haven't been able to tear into it yet, but has this happened to anyone?
From the op:
However on 1989-1993 FLHS, 87-94 FXLR, 86-94 FXR, 86-92 FXRS/con/sp, 95-98 FLHR, FLHR-I, 1999 FXR2 and FXR3 and older Soft Tail and WideGlide models, You could just hook up a heavier gauge, fused wire from battery positive directly to the original starter relay's "30" tab. When you connect the new wire, disconnect the original wire from the "30"tab and tape it off. You don't need to worry about the additional relay. You might also benefit from running a heavier gauge wire with fresh connectors from the original relay's "87" tab to the solenoid's input. These bikes use either a standard type of relay or if using a switched style, they just don't use the "87a" tab for anything.
#132
08-14-2012, 03:10 PM
#133
08-20-2012, 06:37 AM
Cruiser
#134
08-22-2012, 03:17 PM
I started to get the click again. The other morning when I was heading out to work, I got a click on the first press of the starter button, then it worked fine on the second press. When I went to come home from work, it did the same exact thing. Today I looked into it and I discovered a couple problems unrelated to the relay; The solenoid plunger was gummed up(the grease had turned sticky) and the contacts were carboned up again. It has been probably a year since I was inside the solenoid last and several thousand miles ago.
I cleaned everything up and polished the contacts up and put it all back together. No more click again. Just let this serve as a reminder, the added relay or wire does help, but it doesn't replace the need for routine maintenance on the rest of the starting system!
I cleaned everything up and polished the contacts up and put it all back together. No more click again. Just let this serve as a reminder, the added relay or wire does help, but it doesn't replace the need for routine maintenance on the rest of the starting system!
#135
08-22-2012, 07:30 PM
Cruiser
#137
08-23-2012, 05:20 AM
Cruiser
#138
08-23-2012, 07:56 AM
Disconnect the battery first. It doesn't hurt to make sure you're in neutral as well. When you go to slide the plunger out of the housing, there is a spring and a little ball that might come out with it and try to roll away. If you keep the bike on the jiffy stand, the ball will probably stay put or at least drop into the plunger's housing so it wont go to far. I used brake cleaner on a rag to clean up the contacts and the plunger ring, then some sandpaper to smooth them out. Then brake cleaner again to clean off the sandpaper dust. Make sure the shaft is all nice and clean of any old grease and put a light coat of slick grease on the shaft as you put it back together. While you have the battery disconnected, you ought to go ahead and use the sandpaper- brake cleaner rag on the battery connections as well then put a light coat dielectric grease on them before reconnecting the battery.
#140
08-23-2012, 02:01 PM
