start up issues

KaptinAmerika · Jan 9, 2019

The clicking your hearing, is it the compression releases or the actual starter clicking.
If your hearing the comp releases clicking and the starter is engaging randomly it is likely the starter button.
Start button issues, on 04 and newer, are common on the Big Dogs.
04 issues are usually related to the first revision board BD used which was junk for the most part.
In 05 they jumped to a revised board that uses small stainless clicker buttons.
Generally it requires pulling the board, pulling the back tape, cleaning the backs of the buttons and the contact surfaces and then assembling the board back together with some new optically clear PTFE tape.
Testing the board before assembly is advised to insure proper operation.
Otherwise purchasing a new PCB board kit is the other option.

Reddickracing · Jan 9, 2019

Mine was doin something REAL similar to what you are describing. My trouble was the start button wore out. clicking sometimes, sometimes starting, took apart put a couple pieces of electrical tape behind both buttons to "shim" it up. Works perfect now. Don't know if that's your prob but worth a try.

pknowles · Jan 9, 2019

THMPR you should be able to put your finger on the top of it and feel it move when you hit the start button. Good luck with your chopper mastiff :oldthumbsup:

Post up some pictures when you get time :hi:

Rottweiler · Feb 27, 2019

Take a jumper cable from battery negative to starter bolt, then hit start button. Could have a bad ground? Also the contacts in the starter solenoid are prone to pitting, have you check them?

awg · Feb 27, 2019

I don't think its your EHC. They get blamed for everything. Have you checked your battery cables and grounds? Could be a loose wire.

41bigdawg · Feb 27, 2019

Hey Ted, where you at in Tennessee?

KaptinAmerika · Feb 27, 2019

Ted Eiserman said:
hey i really thank you for the feedback so i changed
pcb switches and boards. bike has new battery
new starter comp. releases are working but just
click click click during start up very frustrated
do you know where to go next am willing to
replace ehc with the rip is there anything else
i should go ahead and replace money not issues
just want the bike to respond to my demands.
have done nothing but upgrades since ive owned
the bike. my 117 is a real bad ass just need to fix
my problems. thanks so much THMPR

Make sure the bike is in neutral and stable.
Remove your Starter Solenoid Cover, small cap with 3 screws holding it on.
Remove your negative cable from the battery and clamp it on with a spring loaded clamp, just in case your plunger tries to lock up on you.
Take a hammer handle or screwdriver handle and push the solenoid plunger in firmly.
Does the starter motor spin up?

If the starter spins up freely then you either have a dirty or loose connection on the starter or battery, not likely, or the safety feature portion of your OEM EHC has been damaged, more likely. BD designed a safety feature into the EHC so if there is a low voltage situation etc the EHC will sense it and the EHC will refuse to send the correct voltage to the terminal switch on the starter. If that portion of the EHC is damaged then it is junk and you will have to replace it to get things straightened out.
You have your choice of replacements out there but the easiest, and best as far as we're concerned, is the Electronik EHC.
The wiring system in your bike is already high end aerospace grade materials so it makes no sense changing it out unless it has been seriously damaged and even then we have OEM replacements for the OEM harnesses.

Electronik EHC

KaptinAmerika · Feb 27, 2019

The plunger test is pretty much a dead give away for the EHC issue.
The other thing to make sure of is when you installed the positive cable to the starter you didn't inadvertently twist the lug.
What, happens in some cases, is when you get on the nut to tighten it the lug ends up turning which can cause the contact plate inside the solenoid to twist. This can lead to the plunger not getting good contact and not powering up the starter motor.
In your case though if all your hearing are the comp releases activating and your not hearing the starter solenoid click, clunk or anything else then it is most likely the issue with the EHC I described earlier.
We don't bash others products but we have experience with most and we have settled into using the Electronik EHC for all of our in house customers as well as selling it retail. We sell it to numerous shops globally and provide continuous support to those shops for the installations as well as many other aspects of Big Dogs. The manufacturer is top notch and doesn't hesitate to cover warranty issues that may arise. Over the years we have sold hundreds and only had a handful of failures, majority of which were installer error and not product issues. Any failures related to product issues have been addressed by both the manufacturer and us to improve the product and it's accompanying instructions etc and all of the failures were replaced with a new EHC under warranty.

41bigdawg · Feb 27, 2019

Ted Eiserman said:
so nice to have friends out there willing
to input on my issues im in lebanon tn.
retired firefighter out of florida.i can try the
starter jump but just purchaced the starter upgrade
from derrick and donna. will remove battery tommorrow a.m
get down under compartment and recheck connections.
possible loose or bad ground just not sure yet. so the
electronik ehc will be a better swap than the rip.
had ehc checked last year was working then just willing
to change it out.is there any other components i should check
just seems like not enough juice going to starter. not real
solid about my knowledge with these situations you gave me some
go toos ill let you guys know thanks THMPR

Lots of good help on here...Curtis is awesome and a great source for parts. You are just down the road from me...we will have to meet up sometime :chopper:

pauldeepsea · Feb 27, 2019

Ted Eiserman said:
hey curtis yes ive heard much about the
electronik ehc do i have to do any mods.
or do i plug and play lol. just saw no mods. with the rip
plugged into my OEM wiring i guess. what do i really know
however i will highly consider the electronik.anything
else i should know with the ehc on the install.
ready to purchase asap not scared to make any changes
hopefully i can do the install myself. pretty ok on my
mechanics especially trying to learn this 05 mastiff

If your referring to axles ehc, it is plug and play.
I wouldn’t jump right at replacing the ehc without eliminating other issues first

pauldeepsea · Feb 27, 2019

Ted Eiserman said:
so nice to have friends out there willing
to input on my issues im in lebanon tn.
retired firefighter out of florida.i can try the
starter jump but just purchaced the starter upgrade
from derrick and donna. will remove battery tommorrow a.m
get down under compartment and recheck connections.
possible loose or bad ground just not sure yet. so the
electronik ehc will be a better swap than the rip.
had ehc checked last year was working then just willing
to change it out.is there any other components i should check
just seems like not enough juice going to starter. not real
solid about my knowledge with these situations you gave me some
go toos ill let you guys know thanks THMPR

Also I noticed you said the ehc was tested? Was it removed from the bike? May want to check and make sure it is seated and connections are solid. Maybe cleaning and di electric grease in the connections . Your in good hands

Jersey Big Mike · Feb 27, 2019

Ted Eiserman said:
need help my 05 mastiff during cold start just click click click
117 ci S/S hard to crank. replaced the battery new tornado
starter.try the start up process again key on press run button
wait a few press run button again then start button click
click click all of a sudden starter kicks in at high speed bike
fires right up. next start up same process click click click
sometimes starter kicks in sometimes just clicks DAMN
very frustrating.if anyone can give me some help what
to try next i would greatly appreciate it.

The other thing I would try is use a hair dryer and warm up the EHC a little buit before turning on the bike and see what happens (not too hot though).
Both my ehc failed when cold only (40degrees) when warm everything was fine and it is winter still for many.

KaptinAmerika · Feb 28, 2019

All of the above are great trouble shooting tips. The only issue with testing is if the individual testing the EHC did not create a low voltage or short situation then the start function may still operate as if nothing was wrong. I have found that the safety circuit may operate normally on the test box but behave differently when installed in the bike and exposed to everything going on in the bikes electrical.

Yes, the Electronik EHC may require one hole be drilled for mounting as the foot print is slightly smaller than the OEM EHC and an inline fuse harness must be installed. The fuse harness is included with the EHC along with instructions on installing it. After that you simply plug your OEM harness in, test your functions and off you go. There are no other "mods" required. You would also do your electrical system a huge favor by going to an LED H4 replacement light. You have to be careful which one you buy if your still running the OEM EHC but just about any of them will work if you have already replaced your OEM EHC. Avoid any that have plastic mounting bases though as they do not last with the high vibration in our bikes.

Kunami61 · Mar 17, 2019

Good posts here. Fired mine up the other day and ran fine for about two miles. Then flashers randomly start flashing as I’m motoring down the road. My garage was about 50 degrees and outside temp was 30. I made it to work and she sat all day but it warmed up to about 50 and I get ready to go home and click click click. Nothing. I pulled it inside my office, went and bought new battery, installed it fired up and I’m thinking good to go, NOT! Headed home speedo freezes on 10mph and doesn’t move. I’m like WTF! Park it for the night, next day go to fire it up, nothing. Move key back and forth, nothing. Go finish my coffee, come back out, hit the key, lights and dash work. No blinkers. Click click click. Been reading posts all day. Go back this evening, turn key, hit starter, fires up. Geez this electrical bullshit is for the birds!! I noticed this whole time working on it today the EHC has no lights at all lighting up. Key on or running, no lights on EHC.
Sorry for the long story, any words of wisdom? BTW old battery was just fine, just didn’t have the tools to check it first.

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