Need a little help PLEASE

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Green10

New Member
Well I got stuck int the rain teh other day and now my 2005 BD Pitbull wont start. The blue headlight blinks and the headlight doesnt turn on but all the other lights work. I read the owners manual cover to cover and dont see any info on what that blinking light would mean. Im wondering if the headlight is out if the bike wont start. i know it sounds stupid but I have no clue what else it could be.

Thanks for any help,
Eric
 
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wyatt580

Well-Known Member
try opening your hand controls and dry them if need be and apply dieelectric grease to them..start small then look at your wiring for a short...maybe even a loose wire at the battery...something simple..i'm sure someone with more knowledge will chime in....
 
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Green10

New Member
Ok so everything is dry and the battery is good. The high beam indicator just blinks and the bike wont even turn over. I heard it could be related to an EHC or something? Just wondering if anyone has had that issue before and where I could purchase the part?
 
BigDogBro1

BigDogBro1

Made in the USA
I think a blinking HIGH beam indicator means a totally bad bulb HI/low beams are BOTH gone.

Open the headlight bucket and check bulb and the connections. The bulb socket could be melted also. Not uncommon.

I think I have heard that the EHC won't let the bike start if both HI/low bulb filiments are bad.

Normally the EHC switches to the HIGH beam when the low beam goes out. If you attempt to switch to a burn't out HIGH beam the EHC will go back to the low beam setting.

There are tiny setscrews under the HL bucket that need to be removed for both the outer trim-ring and the inner lens retaining ring. Both rings UNSCREW counter-clockwise to remove. A tool is normally needed to unscrew the inner retaining ring.

I recommend you replace the the plastic H4 bulb holder with a ceramic version while the headlight bucket is disassembled. Search for "H4 Ceramic bulb socket" here and on the internet.

Do a cut, strip, solder and shrink tube repair vs. the plug to plug adapter fix for reliability reasons. There is a BLACK coiled GROUND wire in the bucket attached to the bulb socket........DO NOT REMOVE IT FROM THE CIRCUIT!

I made one of these spanner tools to have it available when needed. Worked fine but dowel pins are a bit weak due to extended length to clearance lens curvature. This was the least expensive machinable design I could come up with that was stronger than the BDM tool. It worked fine for us last time we needed it.


 
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krkostecki

Active Member
Considering it is illegal to drive a motorcycle without a headlight, I think BigDogBro1 is on the right track and that this was done intentionally by Big Dog. However, it sure would be nice (if this turns out to indeed be the issue) if the owner's manual would state such.
Best of luck, Green 10.
 
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krkostecki

Active Member
And to piggy-back on my last statement, I suppose your light may have went out during the ride but the bike doesn't shut down when you lose a headlight so you can at least get to where you're going - it just won't start once you turn it off. Pretty clever, really.
 
BadBrad

BadBrad

2005 Pitbull
One last note. Once you replace your bulb, I've always used a little anti-seize on the headlight bucket inner ring to make it easier the next time I had to take it off.
 
BigDogBro1

BigDogBro1

Made in the USA
Green10 said:
Ok so everything is dry and the battery is good. The high beam indicator just blinks and the bike wont even turn over. I heard it could be related to an EHC or something? Just wondering if anyone has had that issue before and where I could purchase the part?
Click to expand...
Don't forget to report the final results of your problem.
 
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Green10

New Member
I will do that today. It does make sense as I noticed the high beam indicator blinking while I was driving in the rain. I got home, cleaned the bike and wanted to go for a ride the next morning and nothing.

Thanks for the help I will let you know


Green
 
Thors

Thors

Active Member
You got your bike wet??? Oh man, good luck!! :D :D

j/k - Never heard of the dead headlight/start disable feature. Please do report back so we know.
 
moog5050

moog5050

Active Member
You can use the end of a screwdriver to carefully tap the notch on the inner retaining ring if you don't have the tool to get it moving. I have done in several times without a problem. I agree with brad on the antiseize. You may also considering disconnecting the battery, wait a minute and reconnecting if you haven't tried it yet.
 
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Green10

New Member
Well i'm getting closer. You were 100% correct. Both high and low beams were out and the socket melted. I replaced those then the headlight indicator light quit blinking and the bike will now attempt to start. Just a short click and then goes dead. Battery show good volts but when I load tested it, it failed. I going to put in another battery. If that doesn't take care of it is there anything else you might have heard of that could be wrong? When the socket melted is there anything else like a relay or fuse that may have shorted out or maybe even a starter? Im so bummed, we have been having some of the BEST riding weather of the summer and I can't ride plus bike week at Lake of the Ozarks is only a month away. I'll put the battery in this morning but if you know of anything else for me to check please let me know.

Thanks
Green 10
 
BigDogBro1

BigDogBro1

Made in the USA
Green10 said:
Well i'm getting closer. You were 100% correct. Both high and low beams were out and the socket melted. I replaced those then the headlight indicator light quit blinking and the bike will now attempt to start. Just a short click and then goes dead. Battery show good volts but when I load tested it, it failed. I going to put in another battery. If that doesn't take care of it is there anything else you might have heard of that could be wrong? When the socket melted is there anything else like a relay or fuse that may have shorted out or maybe even a starter? Im so bummed, we have been having some of the BEST riding weather of the summer and I can't ride plus bike week at Lake of the Ozarks is only a month away. I'll put the battery in this morning but if you know of anything else for me to check please let me know.

Thanks
Green 10
Click to expand...
Making progress!

The "SHORT CLICK" is either from a poor battery that broke down internally OR a corroded/dirty cable/wire connections at the battery terminal post. A poor cable connection will BLOW OPEN (and can remain OPEN) what LITTLE electrical contact it may have had under a HIGH CURRENT SURGE when you try to crank the engine.

NO fuses or relay in the circuit that I'm aware of. Get an 2004 wiring diagram for your records.

You can't harm the starter from a melted/shorted headlight connector. You can possibly harm the EHC internal circuitry if left in disrepair.

There's a good chance that a GOOD....FULLY CHARGED BATTERY will finish the job and get it running.

Charge the NEW BATTERY before using it. It should read 12.8 volts or better after a FULL charge and OFF the charger a good hour.

Make ABSOLUTELY sure that the battery terminals are CLEAN AND TIGHT and place the larger wire cables nearest the battery terminal LUG. DON'T CRANK on the battery terminal so hard that you break it off.

When I say "CLEAN" I mean .... wire brush or fine sandpaper clean.
 
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PROFLYER

PROFLYER

SWOLE
There was a recall on the headlight harness on some bikes. I know my 06 K9 had it replaced. If it was melted I would replace it. Also running a high watt bulb will melt it so go HID or go stock.
 
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