free website stats program Maxi-fuse keeps blowing / Any ideas? | Page 2 | Harley Davidson Forums

Maxi-fuse keeps blowing / Any ideas?

Thanks for all the suggestions up to this point. I think it's the starter motor. I'm still confused how this circuit was activated during the initial problem. I had been cruising along at between 40 - 55 mph for ~50 minutes when the bike just went dead. However, everything since then is pointing to the starter. I have isolated this circuit working back from the starter button and it seems OK until you get right to the starter motor. I disconnected the solenoid connector (green wire) that connects to the starter motor. When this wire is disconnected the solenoid clicks (engages) as it should when the start button is pressed and the breaker does not trip. Therefore, it seems the starter itself is seized and causing a huge current draw that is blowing the maxi-fuse. It may be as someone suggested that the starter somehow engaged as I was riding along and then the bearings finally seized up. I have to go buy a 1/4" allen socket to remove the starter and then find a HD dealer that's opened on Sunday and buy a new starter motor. I'll let you know how I make out when finally fixed. Thanks again for all the help.

Hold on to buying a starter, look at a solenoid rebuild kit first. The contacts in side the solenoid have a carbon trac that can draw down and dead short the electrical, JMO I have seen bikes and cars turn over with out the key because of this. If you are real good at this you can dis assemble the solenoid and clean up the contacts inside for free, just your labor time JMO
 
Well, I'm back up and running. The starter motor was seized. I jumped the starter motor directly from the battery w/ jumper cables and nothing. When I removed the starter from the bike I could smell the starter had burnt. I bought a new starter / solenoid assembly ($380). Installed it and bike now seems fine. Took it for an hour ride w/ no issues. Still a little nervous how this could happen in the first place. The only thing I can figure is somehow the starter became energized while I was riding (short w/ the start button from water from washing the night before?) and the bearings finally froze up. Then when I replaced the maxi-fuse the first time, the fuse blew right away when the ignition was turned on because the short condition at the start button still existed. After it sat in the sun all afternoon it finally dried out and the short condition went away. Then when I tried the second maxi-fuse it didn't blow right away when I turned on the ignition only after I hit the start button. That's because the starter was now fried and drew a very high current and blew the maxifuse. I will disassemble the starter later to really check it out. I just hope this solves it and it doesn't cook another starter.
Thanks again everybody for all the help.
 
Back
Top