Occasionally when I go to start my 2004 Heritage Softail the solenoid just makes a "click" sound when I depress the starter button and then "thunk" upon release. This has been going on for over a year and I am thinking of setting fire to the thing just to get some relief. The battery is about a year and a half old (O'Reilly's, not HD) and I just installed a new starter relay. Two weeks ago I removed the solenoid plunger and found the contact points to be considerably corroded, so I cleaned them off to near stock condition. The problem abated for about 6 starts, then came back with a vengence. When this happens I usually cannot jump start, but I can jump power to the starter side of the solenoid which activates the starter, but not the engagement clutch. I can then use the starter button to start as normal. Initially I suspected windings in the armature, but it turns every time when I bypass the solenoid, so I doubt it is a starter motor problem. Any suggestions would be GREATLY appreciated.

 

First check your main frame ground, make sure it is free off corrosion and is tight. If those are OK and your battery is good and fully charged the trouble is in the solenoid contacts, some times they may look OK but replacing them should cure your starting troubles. The solenoid does two jobs, it engages the starter drive and supplies power to the starter motor. Good luck

 

OK...checked the ground and it is clean and tight. When the problem occurred yesterday the FIRST time, I checked the battery and it had 12.65 volts with no load. When the starter button was depressed it went to 11.75 while the button was depressed. When I let off the button the voltage only rebounded to 12.03 volts, but remained there on subsequent attempts to start. I applied voltage to the starter side of the solenoid enough to energize the starter and the bike then would start as normal with the starter button. Do these voltage readings indicate a battery with insufficient power (cold cranking amps)??? The bike starts EVERY SINGLE TIME using the starter button AFTER rotating the starter. Does this STILL indicate faulty solenoid contacts or does it point to armature/brush problems in the starter motor?

 

First off, a good battery should have a minimum of 12.2 standing volts so the battery is probably good. It is very rare for the actual motor part of the starter to give issues, This still sounds like a possible bad cable or connection. Are the battery connections clean and corrosion free? Is the main power cable connection at the starter clean, corrosion free and secured properly. Is the main ground to the frame clean and secured properly? If you are hearing the starter or solenoid trying to engage this should eliminate the switching part of the circuit and the problem is probably in the contacts.