Ok guys, I need help. Starter.

[drummin777]

Ok guys I typed this long post and my internet shit on me. So here is the revised edition.

2006 Pitbull, 2800 miles, no mods

Wont start, click, click


I have memorized the starter, click, click, click thread, to no avail.

1. Took battery (stock BDM battery) off had it tested twice, both guys told me it was perfect, I keep a battery tender on it.

2. Removed solenoid cover, cleaned and smoothed all contacts, worked like a champ for a day, then quit again.

3. Removed starter, had it checked out, it is perfect also.

4. Started tapping, jiggleing and poking things as I was holding the start button to try and narrow it down. I tapped the 40a CB and the bike turned over immediately. So I replaced it. Started and stopped the bike 5-6 times. Worked like a champ. Didnt get to ride that day, it was the wife's birthday. So the next day, I go riding for a couple of hours, get back and turn it off in the drive way. All is well, I am happy, my dog is fixed. I go to pull it in the garage about ten minutes later, and....click, click.....WTF!!!! I dont know what to do. The nearest Dealer is 2 hours away and they dont have a very good reputation from what I hear. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

ps, side note just to give all the info. The second day I had it, I was polishing the triple trees with a mothers powerball mini. I got the turn front turn signal wires wrapped around it. I got it out. I noticed the next day that my front turn signals werent working. So I traced the wires under the tank. Then I removed the tank, they had just come unplugged. I plugged them back up, wrapped electrical tape around them, zipped around them and put the tank back on. My starter problem started about 5-6 days later. Not sure if it is related, but it could be I suppose.

 

[Raywood]

I would say your battery is shot. Is it the original? You need 12.8 volts to start. May not be up to the task anymore. Would also ensure all wires are tight especially on the battery. I tighten mine up weekly!

:flag:

 

[MARV]

unplug the connectors under the tank for the front turn signals. maybe there is a bare wire inside the tree that is causing a drain on the battery????

run it like that for a while to see if thats the cause.

an easy check.

 

[Gas Man]

I agree with Ray.

Further, if Marv is correct.. simply pull the access panel off the bottom of the lower tripple and check. Also, might not hurt to pull the LED turns and check behind them.

When it starts going click click.. do you check the EHC for any fault lights before turning the key off again? Also, check the batt voltage as Ray says. When its running is the voltage at the battery going up with RPMs to high 14s or so???

You said you replaced the CB... with another CB? Why not go with a 40 amp fuse like BDM did in their recall?

 

[drummin777]

I agree with Ray.

Further, if Marv is correct.. simply pull the access panel off the bottom of the lower tripple and check. Also, might not hurt to pull the LED turns and check behind them.

When it starts going click click.. do you check the EHC for any fault lights before turning the key off again? Also, check the batt voltage as Ray says. When its running is the voltage at the battery going up with RPMs to high 14s or so???

You said you replaced the CB... with another CB? Why not go with a 40 amp fuse like BDM did in their recall?

Ok Gas,
I will try these things and get some answers tomorrow. I am not aware of the fuse recall. I have only had the bike for three and a half weeks, so I am not aware of alot of things. I looked at the EHC, but to be honest I am not quite sure how to read it. I am going to go ahead an pull the tank again and check out all the wires while I am at it (if none of the other things pan out). I replaced it with a Buss 40a CB from Advanced Autoparts (temporary). If there is a short in the front turn signals, would they still work? Because they do. I am seriously loosing sleep over this. I am so damn proud of the thing, and it wont even start. Fustrating.

 

[Gas Man]

Look here for now

http://www.bigdogbiker.com/forums/how/3717-read-your-ehc-fault-lights.html

 

[Raywood]

Ok Gas,
I will try these things and get some answers tomorrow. I am not aware of the fuse recall. I have only had the bike for three and a half weeks, so I am not aware of alot of things. I looked at the EHC, but to be honest I am not quite sure how to read it. I am going to go ahead an pull the tank again and check out all the wires while I am at it (if none of the other things pan out). I replaced it with a Buss 40a CB from Advanced Autoparts (temporary). If there is a short in the front turn signals, would they still work? Because they do. I am seriously loosing sleep over this. I am so damn proud of the thing, and it wont even start. Fustrating.

A ground from your turn signals is not going to prevent it from starting if the battery is charged and capable of producing 12.8 volts. Checking a battery is not enough, it has to be load tested to ensure it can provide this voltage.

Grounds are what the lights on the EHC indicate. Turn signal lights are on the right side of the row.

I think you should save some frustration and go down to your local HD dealer and get the Softail AGM battery and see if that works.

 

[Throttle Jockey]

What i would check is the right hand comtrols on the handlebar. If you wrapped it up bad enough to unplug the plug under the tank then you might have yanked the connector loose somewhat in the right hand handlebar control.
It is a PC board and the turn signal, run/stop, and the start button are housed there. If the connector was yanked partially loose or your pc board is starting to fail you may need to replace it. 60 dollar part.
Be careful getting water on any of your controls either while riding or while washing your dog. This will take out the pc board.
If the connector is barley connected it could explain why when you moved the 40 ampere fuse the voltage went up just enough to get you over the hill for a short bit. I'd take a look see at that before i went for a battery. A higher voltage from a brand new battery could drive the voltage up high enough to make the probelm dissa paer for a while then come back.
When i learned how to wrench they always sent me back to the last thing that was worked on. So i'd also check the wires under your tank for rubbing. 5-6 days later after putting the tank back on you had trouble. Did you ride it during those 5-6 days?

Justa few checks.

TJ

 

[Gas Man]

But he yanked the blinker wires not the hand control wires..

 

[Throttle Jockey]

But he yanked the blinker wires not the hand control wires..

Thanks for pointing that out. You must be talking about the wire from the EHc to the blinker light. I was thinking he might have wrapped up the wire from the Hand control to the EHC.

TJ

 

[Gas Man]

No I think he said he grabbed the wire from the blinkers to the EHC. the little bit of wire you see that come out of the fancy cover up... shown here

 

[V]

Also might check the ground to the starter from the battery if you haven't or no one else mentioned it :up:

 

[Throttle Jockey]

No I think he said he grabbed the wire from the blinkers to the EHC. the little bit of wire you see that come out of the fancy cover up... shown here

10-4.

TJ

 

[drummin777]

ok guys. I checked the battery while it was willing to start. It read 12.83, when I reved the engine up it went up into the 14s, just idling it was in the 13s. Then I turned it off waited a few minutes, tried to start it, and click, click, click. SO I looked and the starter LED was lighting up on the EHC. I checked the battery, it only read around 12.63, I hit the start button and it dropped down to 12.46. So is it the battery?

 

[narow37]

very likely, but cranking these big motors puts a major stain on the battery and it takes about 20 miles to charge the battery back up after a single start. with you cranking it and then turning off and then trying to crank again will give you your result with a battery on the crapper.

 

[drummin777]

Ok, I am so damn confused. I went back out. Even with the battery reading low, I held the start button, and barely tapped the 40A CB and it fired up immediatly.

Gas, I am taking that bitch (40a CB) out tomorrw and putting in an inline fuse, like you suggested earlier.

Does anyone have a pic of what theirs looks like after the recall was done?

thanks

 

[Gas Man]

Well here's some info on the fuse. I even updated the thread with a pic of mine...
http://www.bigdogbiker.com/forums/t...54-voltage-regulator-recall-6.html#post110758

You can find them on ebay usually. I was told MAXI fuse is an important part for vibrations.

Also, check your battery connections. Make sure your CB is installed correctly, there is a battery and a VR side. Also, make sure you don't anything else installed on the CB (exception of battery tender).

http://www.bigdogbiker.com/forums/technical/4508-wires-installing-battery.html

 

[Throttle Jockey]

If he's thumping a 40 ampere circuit breaker and it fires right up it sounds like he's found the problem. Circuit breaker going bad inside.
They told me the fuse will blow quicker than the circuit breaker so the BDM installed fuses on the VR recall.
I agree the fuse GAS MAN is suggesting should do it.

TJ

 

[drummin777]

Ok I am losing my freakin mind. So I drive all over town until I find a MAXI fuse holder (NAPA $17, damn). So I get home, I remove the circuit breaker and the lead coming off the positive side of the battery to the CB. I then solder one end of the fuse holder to the wire leading to the VR, and heat shrink it. I then crimp a eyelet on the other end and attach it to the positive side of the battery. Turn the key and crank her up. SWEET!! It's fixed, right? Then I remember, that I never put a fuse in the holder. WTF?!?! So I turn the bike off, I completely remove the fuse holder from the battery, which still leads to the VR, and the damn thing cranks up, without it even being connected!!! WTF?!?!? So now I am in question, If it will start without the damn thing being connected, why would the CB keep it from starting? So I undo everything I have done and put it back just like it came stock. It started, for now anyway. So now I am wondering if the CB was even doing anything? So I unhooked it from the battery and the bike would not do anything. Whats the difference? I am so damn confused. Looks like I will be hauling this thing a couple hours away and leaving it for a while.
What do you guys think?

 

[V]

Somebody please kick my ass if i'm wrong but doesn't the circuit breaker or fuse from the VR only operate in the charging system of the bike? I have started a BD before with out the VR hooked up. My understanding of the circuit breaker or fuse was to prevent a charge overload. The only way I see it affecting the starting of the bike is if it is not working and recharging the battery? If the bike is running and you're not getting at least 14.2 volts back to the battery then the charging sytem is not working properly correct?
Is it possible that one of the other wires of of the battery is faulty, loose, etc?

V