OK heres my problem,, I finshed the the complete rebuild on my 77 sporty, I get to putting the battery in and I have no clue what wires go where. From the starter to the battery, from the regulator to the batery, battery to the starter relay, from the regulator to the relay, regulator to the batery, ughhhhhhh... Iam not the brightest when it comes to electrical stuff, I have 3 wires comming off the starter solenoid, two large black wires,(one is connected to the startmotor) and two smaller ones, one red and one green, two from the regulator, one red and one green. on the relay there are four posts, two large and two small, the small ones have an I next to one small post and the other has a S next to it. ( starter and ignition?) some of the wires have large connector ends and some have smaller connector ends, (Iam assuming the small connectors go to the small posts, and large to the large posts?) Then there is the ground strap, Wheres that go? The regulator was never completly removed so all the other wires are still connected. From the regulator the black wire has a small connector, (I belive that wire is comming from the starter button) The red wire has a large connector. From the battery all three wires (Red Green Black) have large connectors) A buddy of mine helped with the disassembly, he is overseas at the moment, so no help to me here. I tried to follow the wire diagram in the haynes manual, I cant seem to understand it, And the HD manual is like looking at a flight plan. Not good at all. Sorry this is so long but I wanted to give as much info as I could. OH yeah there is also a black wire comming from a bolt in the motor I assume another ground ( to the relay?) Is there anyone who could help me with this. I appreciate all the help. Thanks..

 

If you can't read a wiring schematic, your kind of screwed. The only thing I can think to tell you is go to a local bike night and try to get some close up photos of other peoples 77 sportsters. If you ever do that again, label all the ends of the wires with masking tape and take pictures as you go.

 

When ever I have a complicated wiring diagram I take a set of colored pencils or highlite pens and trace the lines with them.

There will be wire colors on the Harley Schematics. They might be abreviated but they should be on there. As long as somebody hasn't changed the wires you should be able to follow it.

Do one thing at a time. Get the starter mounted and do the wires for that first. You will have one wire (large) going from the motor to the solenoid. Then another large wire from the solenoid that should go to to the battery.

Now you have to do the wires that pull in the solenoid. One if not both will go to the starter relay. That is what you need to use the schematic for.

If you can copy the pages in the manual and post them I am sure you can get all the help you will need. You can message me with them and I will be glad to help.