**2004 Big Dog Starting Issue, Please Help...

KaptinAmerika · May 18, 2014

Age old issue with Big inch EVO motors and if you do a search here you will find loads of info.
First and fore most NEVER, NEVER, NEVER try to jump any Big Dog with a jump box or another vehicle that is running. The electronics in these bikes are very sensitive and they do not like voltage and amperage spikes.
If you need to jump your bike due to a low battery use one of these
Micro Start XP
2nd go through all your major connections that involve your battery and your starter and make sure they are clean and tight. Any type of major connection that is loose is causing voltage and amperage spikes, refer to my first statement, and will affect the operation of you ride.
3rd if the battery is dying that quickly it is a piece of crap, I don't care if its brand new, get rid of it and buy any battery you want as long as it is made in the U.S. and produces a minimum of 310cca. U.S. made batteries, in my experience, are the only ones that last any amount of time on Big inch EVOs. 270cca is just not enough to easily and readily start a 107 with no compression releases. Having said the above make sure you go through and test your charging components as a defective charging system will kill any battery before its time.
And last but not least do yourself a tremendous favor and install a set of S&S compression releases. They will save your starter, battery and your sanity over time.

HMAN · May 18, 2014

FWIW...my 04 Pit came stock with compression releases. You may want to check to ensure they are functioning correctly. With the motor cold, push down on the rubber caps and feel for them to click into the down position. Just a thought....

liferider · May 18, 2014

1st commandment of owning a Big Dog: thou shall not ever jump start thou dog! Commandment #2 : Thou shall install compression releases or thou shall install many Spykes starters that cost more than the compression releases!

liferider · May 18, 2014

HMAN said:
FWIW...my 04 Pit came stock with compression releases. You may want to check to ensure they are functioning correctly. With the motor cold, push down on the rubber caps and feel for them to click into the down position. Just a thought....

Lot of dogs like mine were built in 03 with out compression releases but have the tapped head but were vin #ed as a 2004. It's not hard at all to install them. I did mine with a broken arm with a cast and managed to finish in 3-4 hrs! Just get a chrome braided line or a flat black heat resistant 1/16 cable guard and run your wires through that to make it look clean and one wire goes to the grd, the other to the starter relay.

KaptinAmerika · May 18, 2014

Look for a white bulb in the hole in the middle of the rocker cover.
Deka EXT-16 is a good battery

Breeze · May 19, 2014

Hi
I was having the same problem on my 03 Chopper(slow or no turning over to start) After reading a bit on the forum I went with a High Torque Starter form Wildsteedworx..It has been a difference of night and day !!That bad boy spins engine no problem Thanks again on the starter Curtis!!!

pauldeepsea · May 19, 2014

liferider said:
1st commandment of owning a Big Dog: thou shall not ever jump start thou dog! Commandment #2 : Thou shall install compression releases or thou shall install many Spykes starters that cost more than the compression releases!

Don't use spike!!! I like the ultima starters have 2 installed on both my bikes! Knock on wood no problems with either!!!!

Mr. Wright · May 20, 2014

I had a slow turning starter a couple months ago. I pulled the starter to clean and regreese it, and found that the wire coming from the solenoid to the starter motor, (the little 3'' long wire, about 3/8'' in dia.) I found that cable connector corroded. After a good cleaning, it spins over great, and that's with only one compression release working.

Mr. Wright · May 20, 2014

If you take the starter apart, don't loose the little ball bearing.

Dakotabos · May 20, 2014

starting our 04 bikes

Turn off the choke :bang: dont use it to start the bike it will bog it down
if you have to use it open just a touch but try to start it with no choke

Give the dog a quick turn of the throttle, Turn key on, hit stop button, hit run button, hit (hold) start. Is it alive?

If it turns over hard check the battery volts

In the early years of the site alot of guys were cranking the engine with the choke all the way open. Its not needed

My .02 cents

Good luck.... :cheers:

Marky-Marc · May 20, 2014

bigdogvegas said:
:angry:Thank you all for your replies... Still no progress as I recharged the battery that read 13.2 volts prior to install. I then removed one spark plug and it still barely turned over... I removed the right side panel to access the starter easier and noticed the housing of the starter to be very hot. In addition, had a wierd smell to it... Starting to think its the starter... Can someone please tell me how to remove the starter assembly safely and then advice on what to do from there? Thank you!

This may help you:
http://www.bigdogbiker.com/forums/help-wanted/20421-oil-leak-starter-removal.html

NZBigDog · May 20, 2014

KaptinAmerika said:
Age old issue with Big inch EVO motors and if you do a search here you will find loads of info.
First and fore most NEVER, NEVER, NEVER try to jump any Big Dog with a jump box or another vehicle that is running. The electronics in these bikes are very sensitive and they do not like voltage and amperage spikes.
If you need to jump your bike due to a low battery use one of these
Micro Start XP
2nd go through all your major connections that involve your battery and your starter and make sure they are clean and tight. Any type of major connection that is loose is causing voltage and amperage spikes, refer to my first statement, and will affect the operation of you ride.
3rd if the battery is dying that quickly it is a piece of crap, I don't care if its brand new, get rid of it and buy any battery you want as long as it is made in the U.S. and produces a minimum of 310cca. U.S. made batteries, in my experience, are the only ones that last any amount of time on Big inch EVOs. 270cca is just not enough to easily and readily start a 107 with no compression releases. Having said the above make sure you go through and test your charging components as a defective charging system will kill any battery before its time.
And last but not least do yourself a tremendous favor and install a set of S&S compression releases. They will save your starter, battery and your sanity over time.

Hi Curtis, Do you know if my 02 Mastiff will be able to use these?

KaptinAmerika · May 20, 2014

Your 02 should have the plugs in the head for the compression releases.

Your starter is held in by the jack shaft bolt. You have to drain the primary, remove the primary cover and loosen the jack shaft bolt to be able to remove the starter.

05chop · May 20, 2014

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0V_zrvUK8M]2005 Harley Dyna FXDX starter replacement - YouTube[/ame]

05chop · May 20, 2014

Bad grounds will get a starter hot so check it.Checking starter draw 12.8 to 9.5 ok next you said it cranks over slow with the spark plugs out yes?

**2004 Big Dog Starting Issue, Please Help...

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