Hi all. This is not only my first Harley, but also my first bike altogether (info in the sig). Back story: 2 weeks ago we took a ride to Gettysburg and back (about 48 miles round trip). On the way home, the bike threw a check engine code for 0562 but never gave me any issues and cleared on its own. I figured it was due to speed/RPMs I was running that it wasn't high enough for the charging system (read that on the forum last year when it happened to me). Did some local running since then (less than 15 miles with no check engine light or issues). Today, I fired up the bike to take a ride. Got out on the straight away and opened her up. This time I got the check engine light again but shortly thereafter, the bike went "dark", shut off and I was coasting @ 60 mph. Once I came to a stop, the ignition would not turn the odometer on, but if I pressed the odometer button, the mileage would display. I put the bike in N and turned around. I turned on the key, put the bike in RUN and started coasting down the hill. I put it in 1st and released the clutch and the bike fired right up. I didn't have any check engine light on. Rode it straight home and parked it in the garage. Need some help to at least start looking at possible issues. Can't afford mechanic time so the bike would have to sit. TIA for reading, ride safe

** One thing I did notice on the bike after I got it home, the POS battery term screw was not finger loose, but could take 2 full turns with a wrench to tighten it. I can't image that like bit would cause this issue........ **

Leon
2009 HD Sportster Nightster 1200
41K miles
V&H Short Shots exhaust, Fuel Moto Micro EFI Tuner
Everything else is stock

 

Why refer to the battery term screw as a POS?

If it really took 2 full turns to tighten one of the terminals on the battery then that could well be your problem.

Not sure what that is supposed to mean but any terminal loose in the electrical system is liable to cause problems especially the way these bikes vibrate.

Once air gets at surfaces they are liable to oxidise. You should redo that loose connection by cleaning the mating surfaces and after putting back on cover it with some silicone grease.

 

Check all your termanal fittings and negative ground points on the frame. Check the battery with a volt ohm meter and see what voltage it is. Charge the battery but do not leave it on a "trickle" charger unless it has a battery maintainer function. Sounds like you found your problem.

 

I checked the ground connections, good and tight (no corrosion). Removed both battery connections, cleaned them, and reconnected. Checked the ignition switch and connections. Checked the 2 relays at the fuse block, both were good. Just fired the bike and it sounded normal and no codes (of course due to the battery removal). I'll run it in a bit to see what happens. Also, its always plugged into a Battery Tender


POS = Positive side
NEG = Negative side

 

**UPDATE** After I got everything back together, took it for a ride this evening. First thing I noticed right away was the starting was strong, didn't sound weak like the battery was dying (like before). Rode about 16 miles and no shut off or anything

One new item that I did notice, after I restarted the bike, I noticed the engine light came on for about 2 secs and went back out....

turned on ignition, flipped the switch to RUN, engine light on, engine light off, started the bike, engine light on for 2 secs, engine light off and nothing came back on after that

is this normal that it did a system check of some type after starting????

Leon

 

You never stated what year the bike is. My Wife has an 04 1200 Custom (carb not efi) and the usual start up procedure is turn on gas, pull choke, turn on ignition, WAIT FOR ENGINE LIGHT TO GO OFF, hit starter. I replaced the ignition module after the OEM unit took a dump with a Dynatek TC88. No more check engine light on start up.

 

Well the signature suggests it is a 2009

2009 HD Sportster Nightster 1200


Check for historic DTC stored - use link for how to do it - https://www.fuelmotousa.com/p-29661-...M%20XL%201200C

 

As far as the loose battery bolt you found:

Sportster battery connectors have been coming loose for decades now, it's a well know problem with them (mostly the neg. terminal. Once they get loose they start arcing which causes all the heat it needs to melt the batter terminal. You need to replace that terminal connector on that wire with one that has a hole ever so slightly bigger than the bolt. If you face the wires connector properly you don't need any spacers between the batter and the connector. But only if you are using the OEM battery from HD. HD, OEM batteries have terminal that are flush with the face of the battery. Most after market ones do not extend to the face of the battery and they need spacers. If the hole on the wires connector is to big then you are actually tightening the bolt to the battery but the connector really isn't as tight as the bolt unless you have a washer next to the bolt head that just barely slips over the bolt shaft.If and when it comes loose, arcing will occur and cause a build up on the wires connector that acts like an insulator. If you just re-tighten the bolt without sanding/scraping/ grinding or filing that coating off the fact of the wire connector, your creating a huge amount of resistance right at the battery terminal which will also cause a huge amount of heat right at that battery terminal causing the lead terminal to melt or soften enough to start pulling the female thread part that is inside the terminal to start pulling through the lead part of the terminal, thus, causing the bolt to be loose without the bolt turning at all. That being said, if you have a lot of extra stuff connected directly to your battery, then it could also be pulling to much current through that connector and also cause the lead terminal to heat up pulling the "nut' in the terminal out towards the bolt too.I have seen this same type of problems with the tightness of the bolt on Sportsters since about 2003 models. That's one of the reasons I carry a wrench and some sandpaper with me on my rides. Wrench to pull off the loose bolt and the sandpaper to sand off the black coating arced onto the face of the wire connector. Hope this helps in understanding why this may be happening to yours.