Hey all, I've been having a problem off and on that seems to reappear every three or four weeks with my 2006 Dyna Lowrider.

I will be riding at a stable speed and revs when the engine will hiccup and I will lose power for a split second. I at first through it was a fuel issue, but I recently noticed that before this happens the headlight will go dim or flicker for a few seconds before it dies. That leads me to believe that it is a voltage issue.

I used a voltmeter and got the following at the battery terminal:

Turned off: 12.72
Key turned to ignition: 12.22
Lowest load during start sequence: 10.3
At idle (30 seconds): 14.2
On rev: 14.2
With high beams on and holding brake lever in: 14.17


These don't seem abnormal, I am thinking it is a ground issue. I don't have any aftermarket electronics except for a brake-run light module.

It dies and comes back to life relatively quickly, but it has happened twice while at speeds above 50 mph and I lost speed very quickly when the engine died. It also happened while cruising around 45 mph.

Can anyone point me in the direction of grounds that usually come loose? I've checked as many connections as I could find.

I conducted a full tug-test from the front harness all the way to the back with the engine running and wasn't able to replicate the problem. It also didn't have problems going over speed bumps, it only happens when either running at a steady pace or accelerating.

The spark plugs were changed after the first time it started creating the problem and it continues to have issues. From the voltage readings I don't think it's the battery. The battery connections are tight, and I replaced all fuses and coated them with dielectric grease.

I know that 06 Dynas have stator issues, but I don't know what the signs would be that the stator is going vs. just having a bad ground or a bad voltage regulator.

Is there something simple that I could be missing? Do the voltages look normal? This problem has plagued me for the last two months, and I'm getting tired of it.

Help!

 

I had a similar problem . turned out to be a bad ignition (key) switch . Start the bike and wiggle the key and try to get it to die without turning key off

 

Do the voltages look normal to you?

 

the regulator output looks good. (14.2vdc) If the regulator had an intermittent transient fault (not a dead short) the problem would be transparent because the battery would take the load. Sounds like an ignition problem IMO.

 

I see you put this in two locations, so I'll put my answer here too.

When you say it dies that doesn't explain a lot. Does all the electrical go dead or is it just the ignition dieing? (you wrote in this post that the lights dim or flicker, this is a condition where the short or break is effecting the entire electrical system.)

I'm going to say you still haven't located the bad / corroded / loose connection, and it sounds as though it might be heat related. Places to look would be where the positive from the battery connects to the solenoid, or where the ground connects, often the frame or starter housing.

It could be a shorting stator. Open up the primary like your checking the oil level and smell. If the odor is bad like burning transformers that's where I'd start. Next could be a faltering Voltage Regulator, perhaps due to corrosion at it's mounting points. A loose or poor connection at the stator connection, or a bared wire between the stator to the regulator, or even a break in the wire that can't be seen, like at a vibration point where the wire is being held to gether by the insulation. Heat the insulation and the broken wire stops making contact because the insulator is hot and stretches. Often the wires coming out of the regulator rub the frame and break or short.

Could be a faltering ignition switch, or ignition module too.

Do you have an official Harley "SERVICE" manual for your bike? The back pages have complete wiring diagrams.

And on your readings ... They appear to be exactly what they should be. In regards to the battery they do suffer internal shorts leading to "on the road" failure, or intermittent issues based on road surface.

 

Readings look good. You have a transient problem. It's either an intermittent ground (or Battery Voltage) or an intermittent short. Ground problems are more common, so I'd start there.

Make sure the battery connections are good. Then check the Positive connection to the starter solenoid and the main grounds. Not sure about your bike but Bat neg. usually grounds to the frame near the starter. Most problems are in this area.

 

Thanks, will start looking at grounds over the weekend. Yes I do have a manual and have been trying to trace the diagrams with the ground circuit. Just wanted to make sure I wasn't wasting my time if the issue was simpler to fix...hopefully I can track it down!