HEY EVERYONE. MY FIRST POST AND IT'S A BRAINTEASER . AT LEAST FOR ME. I'VE RECENTLY BOUGHT A 73 SHOVEL(FLH STRIPPED DOWN). HAD TO REPLACE THE ALT. AND CLUTCH. GOT IT BACK RUNNING AND CHARGING, THEN SAT FOR A WEEK OR TWO. NOW IT WONT TURN OVER?? IT'S NOT LOCKED UP, IT CAN BE TURNED BY HAND WITH SOCKET. WTF.TORE PRIMARY DOWN A COUPLE OF TIMES LOOKING FOR THE PROBLEM. CAN'T FIND IT. SAT HOUR AFTER HOUR LOOKING AT PRIMARY SIDE SEARCHING IN DISBELIEF WHILE PRAYING TO THE HARLEY GODS. NOTHING. GOT HOT WIRE WITH ON/OFF SWITCH DIRECTLY TO SMALL STUD ON SOLENOID. BATTERY POS. CABLE HOOKED UP ONLY TO SOLENOID TOP POST, GROUNDED THRU FRAME, BATTERY CHARGED TO 12.5 VOLTS. WILL NOT CRANK OVER MOTOR(SPARK PLUGS OUT). NEW ALL ***** STARTER, NEW SOLENOID, NEW BATTERY. SOLENOID ACTIVATES, STARTER SPINS. WHEN I DISCONNECT PRIMARY CHAIN, AND START IT, IT SPINS THE CLUTCH BASKET THE WAY IT SHOULD. BUTT HOOK UP THE PRIMARY CHAIN AND THE STARTER DRIVE MESHES WITH RING GEAR(AND BINDS) BUTT WILL NOT TURN OVER MOTOR. MY LAST DIAGNOSE IS OIL IS TO THICK AS I ADDED LUCAS HEAVY-DUTY OIL STABILIZER, THE ADDITIVE FOR CARS NOT CYCLES??? ANY HELP PLEASE. I WANT TO RIDE!!!!

 

A FEW PICS TO REFRESH THE MEMORY

 

you need the outer primary on to support the jackshaft or it will bind the starter gear. also make sure you are getting 12 volts to the starter and you have a good ground, the battery could have 12 volts and still not pass a load test

 

Your wiring is
battery to top post of solenoid ( LOND stud)
Then solenoid bottom post to starter (Short Stud)
then Hot switched to small post
Ground the starter housing to frame
Ground the battery to frame

Support both ends of the jack shaft
Also: check the bearings on both ends of the starter jack shaft before you put the primary side cover back on.
( Requires removing the jack shaft and gear for inner bearing inspection )

With the Jackshaft and Gear removed
You can try to spin the starter over ( listen to it )
( IF Oil shield is present Don't test it Can't remove gear)

If it still fails after all this
Then you have a major starter issue and may need to pull it and do a bench test
May need to replace the starter brushes and clean up the motor armature
May also be the starter end spline is damaged and gear to jack shaft

The list of things that can go wrong with this system isn’t very long.
But they all affect it and all can cause damage and or major head aches