ok guys....i just bought a 97 fatboy this last summer and my starter is having problems.....i go to start it and and it sounds like it is engaging but it wont turn motor over, like it is a grinding sound and if i keep hitting the switch sometimes it will grab.Now the question is i am pretty sure i can get it off on my own but how do i go about rebuilding it? where can i get the kits and are they cheaper than a new one.....because i priced some of them and they were every bit of 200.00 to 300.00 dollars.....now here was the problem, we went to florida in october to the bikefest and everything was ok till i got home then i went to start it and it wouldnt start and i ran the battery down trying to start it so i hooked the charger up to it and tried starting it but come to find out my plugs were fouled and i think i fried the starter trying to start it......lol....i am new to this harley thing so bare with me,now back to the first question.....can i get a rebuild kit for it and from where and the other question is what kind of plug should i put in.....or what one do you guys recommend??????

 

right im no brain surgeon on starters as ive had some headaches myself slow turn over ect but if you take starter out you have large batt + terminal and small one that starter relay goes to. place wire to these put big terminal to batt+and earth out body on say car batterty get a friend to help if you struggle then place small wirethat goes to relay terminal on starter and touch + and if it spins over quickly it may be your relays a bit doofed , or take off back of starter cover the round one with two long bolts in it and undo strap to other part of starter half inch nut and rubber cover on it lift it out carefully and you will see carbon brushes they may be worn or not making contact properly give em a clean and also very lightly clean up rotor head the big copper bit with splines on it and you can also check for continuity with a multimeter on all brushes see how you go hope this will be some help to you cheerz gazzr

 

Do the procedure for removing the outer primary cover. You may see something broken right away like broken teeth. If not try the starter then and get a good look at what is happening. The starter shaft actually rides in a bearing (bushing) on the outer cover so if it comes out and hits the gear, no worries, the shaft would be held in place with the bearing in the outer cover.

 

ok ...i will try these easy steps first and see what is going on then i will get back to you on this

 

ok i have gotten the starter off and when i put 12 volts to it i can hold the shaft in with my fingers like it dont have enuff power to kick it out.......should i be able to hold that shaft in or should it be able to push my hand out??????It seems to me like it should have enuff force to push my fingers out and spin.....please help guys?????

 

I think the tell-all of your problem is where you ran the battery down & tried to jump start when your plugs were fouled. A starter motor is a short-time use motor. If you crank it for too long without letting it cool, you can fry the windings.

With the starter motor out and 12v applied, are you saying you can stop the shaft from spinning? If so, it's definitely toast, and needs either/both stator and rotor windings. It is possibly a brush problem, also. I've seen brushes that were worn and even overheated to the melting point.

Something to remember on an engine starter is that it's a series DC motor. That means the stator and rotor windings are in series and all starter motor current goes through both. It also means that with no load on the starter (not turning the engine over) the speed will keep increasing the longer it is run. Run it long enough with no load and it will mechanically fail, as in slinging the rotor windings out, exploding, or some other undesirable mechanical mayhem.

While I see plenty of windings and rotors for older starters, I see nothing for the newer models such as yours. Check with the dealer for parts, vice a whole new starter.

 

Buy A new starter 1.4k or better. "Spike" are good ones, also when you put on your new starter replace the long screw, lock washer & gasket washer, torque to 15 in lbs ( most times that screw will fail in time If not replaced).
Also run A ground wire from the - post on the battery to one of the starter bolts.

 

ok guys thanks for all the helpful info......just one question on the ground wire from the battery to the starter bolt....why do that??? does it help with the starter life or what???? and pococj....i couldnt find parts either so i bought a 1.4k from the hd dealer for 235.00....i was looking at the spike but they were to high. I am only going to keep this bike for 2 or 3 years then i am going to get a newer one!!!!!

 

The wire will give you A good ground for the starter motor.
The starter can overheat if the ground is not "positive".
I do this anytime I get A chance, you can't dapend on A goog ground from the motor/trans/starter to frame.
All of the rubber mt. bikes should have this system.
The last SE Ulta I had in the shop had A large ground wire from the starter to the batt. then A smaller wire to the frame.