Yup, I turn on the ignition, hit the run switch, and the bike starts without ever touching the start button. If I have it in gear and the ignition and run switches are on, it starts as soon as I pull the clutch without ever touching the start button. Worse yet the starter keeps trying to engage even after the bike has started making an awful banging sound down by the primary. Not good.

I've done some research on this forum about it and others have had similar problems with some of the 2008 and later Dynas especially the Streetbob, and Fatbob. But none ever came back and said what the fix was.

Took my electrical caddy apart, cleaned up and inspected all the connectors, ECM, TSSM, starter relay, fuses, etc because I had it open earlier to install a GPS but that wasn't it.

I bench tested the starter relay and that was fine, however when I put a meter to the starter relay's coil input on the electrical caddy, it showed 11.75 volts when I flipped on the run switch.

After reviewing the electrical diagram it looks as though I have a short in the start switch. Hopefully its right at the switch and not somewhere inside the handle bars. There is supposed to be a 3-wire connector that the start and run switches connect to but not sure where it is. Anybody have any ideas, or had a similar problem and know what the fix is?

 

Heard a few rumors of this happening when the start switch gets wet.

Not sure what you can do with this info but a change in the switch was the remedy. There were a lot of starters replaced and the self start continued.

That's about all I know... it's never happened to me.

 

Something is shorting the starter circuit. The Clutch interlock switch is normally open until you pull the clutch lever. this closes the interlock switch, completing the circuit, and engaging the starter.

It could be as the Wiz says, water causing the short.

 

Well I'm making some progress. Took the right side switch housing apart and found the run and start switches are both sealed. Cut the two leads for the start switch to remove it from the circuit, turned on the ignition, flipped on the run switch and behold, the bike didn't automatically start this time. Tried it several times with good results. Shorted the two leads for the start switch and it fired right up. Put the start switch on the bench, metered it and found it has about 20K Ohms across it in the open position. Evidently that's still enough to pass current to fire the starter relay. So heading down to pick up a new switch in the morning. Although I don't think it was water in the switch since its sealed, I'm definitely going to be more careful how I spray it down. I did take the bike up a washboard gavel road last time I rode and that may have been it. Thanks for the replies guys.

 

If there was only one thing I learned while working with electronics it is... there's no such thing as a sealed rocker switch.

Glad that worked out. I would also like to know if the old switch was grounded. It if was then your 20k ohm across circuit wasn't the culprit.

 

Nope switch wasn't grounded because I metered it after removing it from the switch housing. Bought a new start switch from HD and metered it before installing and it showed an open loop while the switch was off as it should. Installed the new switch and problem solved. Rode it all weekend and no more issues. PITA to solder and jab the new one back in there though.

 

Thanks for the feedback.