Jack, I just went out to the doghouse with my service manual and flashlight. You are right on the money; that's exactly what it is! I sure don't see any easy way to disconnect that wire where it plugs into the solenoid. I can barely touch it, much less get hold of it. Any insight would be appreciated, then I can properly wrap it with electrical tape.
Some kind of electrical problem
- Thread starter pru7536
- Start date
J
Jack Klarich
Guest
And dis connect the battery first may have to remove the starter to get some slack in the wire JMO
TQ, if the oil tank wasn't there it would probably be easy to unplug this wire. I can't tell if it has a locking mechanism where it makes the connection, but I'm guessing it does. I don't have the tools to remove oil lines, nor do I have an adequate place to do the work even if I did. To be quite honest, I'm not sure I'd attempt it either way. At least the bike is running, so next time I go by the Harley shop I'll ask one of the guys if they have a trick to disconnect the wire so I can wrap it. They often have an insiders tip that I'd never have thought of.
Chopper
Senior Member
There is a locking mechanism on top of the plug, you should be able to take a pick or something with a bend on the end and press down on the top of the plug while pulling the plug outward, it's just a raised area on the female part of the plug that keeps it locked in. The wire is only hot while the starter buttom is pressed, so once started you should be alright driving it to a dealer, but it should be repaired for sure. I know there's not much room to work in that area, if you can get it unplugged the easy repair would be to take the pin out of the female connector and slide some small shrink tube up the wire and shrink it with a blow dryer and then you should be good to go. If your not comfortable doing it, I'm sure a dealer would do it for a min. charge.
I checked out that green wire connector...it does have an "ear" that you have to depress to unlatch it from the terminal receptacle. It does take a "fair" amount of pressure, in a tight spot and may require a "spudger" that we use in electronics to access...Beautech SH20B or similar, about $4 or so.
NEW, I just learned something else here at HDT. I'm sure glad you posted a picture of a "spudger" because I had never heard of such an animal. It sure looks like it would be a handy piece of gear under the right scenario. I went by the Harley shop today and the tech conceded that a deuce is really crowded at the connection I need to remove. He could only suggest a long thin screwdriver. Unfortunately this connection is at an off kilter angle so although I can touch it with a screwdriver, I can't get to the top of it to depress the locking tab. Maybe I'll try and fabricate something that is bent at the proper angle to get it off. In the mean time I picked up a can of liquid electrical tape to seal off the chaffed area. If anyone has a trick to disconnect the solenoid wire from the solenoid without taking half the engine apart, I'd sure like to hear from ya.
The Deuce is fixed! I MacGyver’d a solenoid wire extraction tool (spudger) from a left over metal floor joist brace. Once I was able to disconnect the wire from the solenoid, I was able to take a closer look at it and determine none of the copper wire strands had chaffed through, just the insulation. I coated the break with liquid electrical tape and wrapped the wire with real electrical tape. I then sealed the electrical tape with the liquid. It was a bear to re-attach it, but I finally got it. I also took a piece of fuel line hose about an inch and a half long and slit it along the longitudinal axis and affixed it to the rough, bottom flange of the oil tank. With this repair, the solenoid wire should never chafe through again. Many thanks to those that responded with “things to check” and advice.
J
Jack Klarich
Guest
Another Happy ending Conrats to a job well done:s
Good deal Pru...may want to take a pix of that homemade tool and post it up in the "special tools you have made thread"! :bigsmiley12: