[BrandonG]

got a starter and put it all back together tonight and wired it in. Hit the starter and it cranked! and Cranked and cranked and Would not stop. I cut the wire to the solenoid trigger and would not stop. It got into a bind and nothing I could do until I could get the lug out of the battery. Then melted half of the terminal off. I know car starters can do this if not alined or shimmed correctly, but how do I fix it on a harley? I put back the shim and everything as it came out, just had the solenoid rebuilt and got a new starter motor. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[sidehacker]

Clean the plunger looking thing and make sure the battery is fully charged. All shovel owners have probably had a starter hang. I even saw a new Gilroy Indian do it on the showroom at the Daytona dealer.

 

[shovithead]

Shovels have a way of hanging up the selinoid, if the battery is low on charge. The selinoid will not release, and the only way to stop it, is to disconnect the battery. Make sure the battery is fully charged, and then try it again.

 

[popelli]

fit a decent battery earth cut off switch so you can kill the power to everything

cheap taiwanese solenoids are more prone to locking on than other types

 

[BrandonG]

I was thinking about putting in a cutoff switch, but all I have seen are the huge race car kill switches and the cheap plastic chinese switches.

So is it the solenoid that is hanging up? Like I said, I cut the power going to the trigger, but it would not stop. I thought it should shut down when I cut power.

The battery was fully charged when I started. May have to get another solenoid if it does it again.

Any help would be appreciated. I have never really used or worked on Estart bikes before. Tips are welcome.

fit a decent battery earth cut off switch so you can kill the power to everything

cheap taiwanese solenoids are more prone to locking on than other types

 

[Santa2]

Have you or have you not, done a load test on the batery?

 

[BrandonG]

"I'm going through the same thing man still no solution"

If you figure it out Chopperdom, let me know.


"Have you or have you not, done a load test on the batery?"

I don't have the load tester, so not yet. I may try another battery. I do have a digital charger that diagnoses and it says it is fine. For what that's worth.

Should the plunger be greased or oiled. It is smooth and moves back and forth freely. Is there any adjustment or shims that would help. Or a test to make sure the bendix and starter gear are aligning properly? I had one washer/shim then a felt gasket between the solenoid and inner primary. And of course the spacer between the mounting bracket and primary. AM I MISSING SOMETHING?

Close to disconnecting the starter and kicking. I did get that working right. I just had it and wanted to use it, since it is so damn big and ugly.

 

[ckunsman89]

I have had it happen to me a couple of times and it was always the solenoid. the contacts can be pitted or misaligned, causing arcs which will "weld" the contacts together and cause them not to release until you kill the battery circuit.

 

[shovithead]

Make sure that the selinoid, is a quality one, the good ones are not cheap, and then make sure that it is "square" with the primary mounting flange. Some of the cheap selinoids, have the wrong spacer(the flat bar, with two holes), and if the selinoid is cocked(like us on friday night) off to one side, or un square to the primary, it can hang up and not want to release. I would also check all the linkage and pivot studs on the bendix throwout arm. If they are not "square"(damn, there is that wierd word again) to the pivot point, or if they have been spread to replace the bendix, they can hang up as well. Not to mention, bendix gear alignment to the ring gear. If the bendix hangs in the ring gear, the selinoid can hang up too. Check the rubber boot, behind the selinoid, and make sure it is not hanging on anything, internal or with the selinoid operation. If you still want to find a "Power disconnect" switch, go to any NAPA or good auto store, or a equipment company that sells small equipment and parts. They will either have on, the size of a key switch, or they can order you one. If it is for temporary, get a gate switch, and temporaraly wire it up. Any electrical store should have one, maybe even a Ace hardware.

 

[sugarlou]

Check the ground wire..I made one once w/ some heavy gauge wire I had lying around...bad move..the wire had far too few strands and they were too thick..u need lots of tiny wires..it cranked slow ...and I didnt know why..now I do.

 

[Santa2]

A so called fully charged battery can drastically drop off under load. In my opinion a stuck starter is usualy the result of a low battery "under load".
Untill you eliminate the battery potential problem, you're gonna chase ghosts.

 

[Lloyd T. 96 pan]

In the selinoid plunger there are three small roll pin's used as spring retainers. If these are not in the correct position or they are wore out, the bindex fingers will not operate correctly! The selinoid will not engage the bindex fingers or may not let the selinoid disengage depinding on witch roll pin is bad !

 

[Sporticus]

I've replaced every part of the e-start on my '83 shovel, except for the starter itself. It still only works about once per year.

 

[BrandonG]

Horses guys, not zebra's....... was a bad solenoid. Professionally rebuilt, bad solenoid. Works fine now.