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Fat-tire Mayhem
Member
Hey guys- Haven't posted anything in a longtime in here which usually means i have not had any "issues" with my 2005 Big dog Mastiff.
I have had a series of issues with a knee surgery, walking etc.. That cut way back on the riding time, so the bike has sat up on the lift waiting to run.
I always kept the bike on a tender but when i went to fire the bike up, it had a dead battery . I put a new battery it is . Yuasa i believe is the name with 320 CCA. Charge up the cells put it in the bike and all i get is click. The click honestly sounds like it is in the front on the bike, maybe in the regulator area. A few post and searches said there usually isn't too many issues with the regulators( mine is an original). I have checked the fuse under the seat, checked the power(Direct heavy wire), the green wire and they all show right around 12 volts.
It seems to me, and i could be wrong but if it was a regulator issue i would not have 12 volts at the green wire, or maybe the regulator has no effect on on the output to that wire.
I did take the cap off the solenoid, turned on the key, pushed the "run" button, bottomed out the plunger on the solenoid and pushed the "start" button.. Nothing
I have not run a heavy gauge jumper to force the starter to crank. Would you suggest that so i can verify the starter does work and further isolate the problem to the solenoid? It may not ultimately matter because i think they are a unit and if the solenoid is bad you have to replace both pieces, starter and solenoid, is that correct
Any suggestions or other tests to run would be greatly appreciated, there isn't that many components involved but i don't wanna be fixing shit with the by guess, by golly approach either.
Happy Monday from Washington state (<<<<----Don't hold it against me..
?
I have had a series of issues with a knee surgery, walking etc.. That cut way back on the riding time, so the bike has sat up on the lift waiting to run.
I always kept the bike on a tender but when i went to fire the bike up, it had a dead battery . I put a new battery it is . Yuasa i believe is the name with 320 CCA. Charge up the cells put it in the bike and all i get is click. The click honestly sounds like it is in the front on the bike, maybe in the regulator area. A few post and searches said there usually isn't too many issues with the regulators( mine is an original). I have checked the fuse under the seat, checked the power(Direct heavy wire), the green wire and they all show right around 12 volts.
It seems to me, and i could be wrong but if it was a regulator issue i would not have 12 volts at the green wire, or maybe the regulator has no effect on on the output to that wire.
I did take the cap off the solenoid, turned on the key, pushed the "run" button, bottomed out the plunger on the solenoid and pushed the "start" button.. Nothing
I have not run a heavy gauge jumper to force the starter to crank. Would you suggest that so i can verify the starter does work and further isolate the problem to the solenoid? It may not ultimately matter because i think they are a unit and if the solenoid is bad you have to replace both pieces, starter and solenoid, is that correct
Any suggestions or other tests to run would be greatly appreciated, there isn't that many components involved but i don't wanna be fixing shit with the by guess, by golly approach either.
Happy Monday from Washington state (<<<<----Don't hold it against me..
?
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The regulator has no bearing until the bike is running. Do you have a jump pack to hook to your new battery to add extra juice? The solenoid can be rebuilt without replacing the starter if your situation ends up in that area. Hope you figure it out. Lots of great help here. Hopefully you’ll be up & riding in 2026!Hey guys- Haven't posted anything in a longtime in here which usually means i have not had any "issues" with my 2005 Big dog Mastiff.
I have had a series of issues with a knee surgery, walking etc.. That cut way back on the riding time, so the bike has sat up on the lift waiting to run.
I always kept the bike on a tender but when i went to fire the bike up, it had a dead battery . I put a new battery it is . Yuasa i believe is the name with 320 CCA. Charge up the cells put it in the bike and all i get is click. The click honestly sounds like it is in the front on the bike, maybe in the regulator area. A few post and searches said there usually isn't too many issues with the regulators( mine is an original). I have checked the fuse under the seat, checked the power(Direct heavy wire), the green wire and they all show right around 12 volts.
It seems to me, and i could be wrong but if it was a regulator issue i would not have 12 volts at the green wire, or maybe the regulator has no effect on on the output to that wire.
I did take the cap off the solenoid, turned on the key, pushed the "run" button, bottomed out the plunger on the solenoid and pushed the "start" button.. Nothing
I have not run a heavy gauge jumper to force the starter to crank. Would you suggest that so i can verify the starter does work and further isolate the problem to the solenoid? It may not ultimately matter because i think they are a unit and if the solenoid is bad you have to replace both pieces, starter and solenoid, is that correct
Any suggestions or other tests to run would be greatly appreciated, there isn't that many components involved but i don't wanna be fixing shit with the by guess, by golly approach either.
Happy Monday from Washington state (<<<<----Don't hold it against me..
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If you have a voltmeter check battery before and while the green wire has 12 volts. If it drops below 10 might be a bad battery.
Just reading another post and here is great information from Mikeinjersey
Your battery should read approx 12.8 vdc. The horn blowing is not unusual when the battery is not up to snuff. Don't just look at your connections. Pull them and clean them and of course be sure to replace them to their original positions. Also make sure you haven't left any off (they like to hide). A new battery does not always mean its good, have it load tested to be sure it's not faulty. The EHC on these bikes can be very sensitive so be cautious when disconnecting and reconnecting. Always disconnect the NEG (-) side first and then the POS (+)side. When reconnecting do the exact opposite, connect the POS side first and then lastly the NEG side.
When you eventually get the bike running check to see the VR is working properly. It should be pushing approx 14 vdc but not more than 14.5 vdc. . Also it is a good policy to put a CB or Fuse between the battery and the EHC to protect it from a shorting battery. The stock bike only has a CB between the VR and Battery in order to protect the battery from a VR short or Overcurrent. The EHC would also be protected from the VR but if the battery shorts out ( and they do ) the EHC will smoke right along with it.
Good Luck
Your battery should read approx 12.8 vdc. The horn blowing is not unusual when the battery is not up to snuff. Don't just look at your connections. Pull them and clean them and of course be sure to replace them to their original positions. Also make sure you haven't left any off (they like to hide). A new battery does not always mean its good, have it load tested to be sure it's not faulty. The EHC on these bikes can be very sensitive so be cautious when disconnecting and reconnecting. Always disconnect the NEG (-) side first and then the POS (+)side. When reconnecting do the exact opposite, connect the POS side first and then lastly the NEG side.
When you eventually get the bike running check to see the VR is working properly. It should be pushing approx 14 vdc but not more than 14.5 vdc. . Also it is a good policy to put a CB or Fuse between the battery and the EHC to protect it from a shorting battery. The stock bike only has a CB between the VR and Battery in order to protect the battery from a VR short or Overcurrent. The EHC would also be protected from the VR but if the battery shorts out ( and they do ) the EHC will smoke right along with it.
Good Luck
Fat-tire Mayhem
Member
I have a NOCO that i keep in my pick up but have always been concerned about using those things do to the delicate nature of the EHC. ThoughtsThe regulator has no bearing until the bike is running. Do you have a jump pack to hook to your new battery to add extra juice? The solenoid can be rebuilt without replacing the starter if your situation ends up in that area. Hope you figure it out. Lots of great help here. Hopefully you’ll be up & riding in 2026!
Is there a different "jump box" you may have been eluding to?
Fat-tire Mayhem
Member
VR=? Not sure what VR stands for
Fat-tire Mayhem
Member
Voltage regulator- Drew a blank when i saw it
I have one of these. Works fine. You can jump it off of a vehicle but not RUNNING. Only the battery for current.
Fat-tire Mayhem
Member
Where is that starter replay located..I have a 2005 mastiff and have the same click sound that appear to come from the ignition cover.. Sounds very similar. However my solenoid doesnt have a slam button, i took the cap off and tried to hold the plunger in and turn on power, hit run, hit start and nothing. So from that aspect the problem is a little different but i too am thinking starter replay
Fat-tire Mayhem
Member
Just double checked the green wire on the solenoid. Red probe to female portion of blade connector on the green wire and black to the negative terminal on battery. Hit run, hit start and the value on the meter was 12.67
His bike was a 2000 it has a starter relay. Your bike is a 2005 with a EHC green wire to the starter comes from the EHC
Fat-tire Mayhem
Member
Thanks for the reply- Yes have good lights, everything sounds like it normally did when you would turn the key...lights, speedo moves but when you hit that start button a click sounds that i believe is coming from the ignition cover, I have not take that off yet because like everything else on that bike you have to remove other shit just to get to the shit you wanna work on..hahhaa Price of lookin good i guess!
Sounds like a problem with the solenoid. Some times the wires break off under the cover.
The click sound you hear when pressing the start button are the compression releases. That is a good sign.
Fat-tire Mayhem
Member
So if i am on the fence on whether i wanna rebuild the solenoid should i run a jumper off the hot side of the battery to the starter to make sure its not some kind of an issue with the starter also. Cause i dont wanna mess around with rebuilding nothing if the starter too is phucked
I wouldn't do that.
Fat-tire Mayhem
Member
You wouldn't rebuild the solenoid or run direct power to the starter...or either hahaha