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Starter/Ignition problems

coryg3232

New Member
Hey guys. First post here so will try to be as detailed as possible.
I have a newly refurbished 1993 FXSTC w/ 113" bored out S&S, S&S carb, Spyke starter, thunderheader exhaust, etc. etc. Bout 135HP to the rear wheel. But I've run into an issue with my electrical system and could use some advice on where to continue my search.

I had started to have starter issues early last riding season that slowly got worse. Basically 50% of the time I'd hit the start button the bike would make a light 'click' noise and just sit there. It would happen more often when the bike was cold. As a band-aid I installed a solenoid cap pushbutton which worked for a while but soon I started getting a whizzing noise from the starter like the jackshaft/starter gear's weren't engaging properly. Eventually it would catch and the bike would start. I dealt with it the rest of last year, but now I want to fix the problem for good especially since it seems to be getting a little worse.

Okay, so far I bought a new replacement 1.4 kW Spyke starter and a replacement jackshaft assembly. I was right the starter was toast and the jackshaft gear was a bit rounded so figured I was good. Well, the whizzing noise is not a problem any more so mechanically this thing is ready to roll. But the starter 'clicking' problem still exists. I tested by bypassed the ignition circuit and went straight to the starter coil and to the relay. Both fired the bike right up. So am I right to think maybe circuit breaker issue, or shorted out wiring somewhere?

Little more back story. I bought this bike off my old man. He had it dyno'd right after the motor was done and they said that it was cutting out a bit on top end and that the issue was from the ignition key switch. So one of the first things I had done was replace this switch. The bike seems fine on top end now, although every once in a great while if I really get on the throttle from a slow roll the motor will almost skip like some sort of timing problem. Doesn't happen alot. Maybe only once or twice last year. Thinking maybe this all ties in together now and could be an electrical issue causing that too.

sorry for the long winded post. Hope someone here can help. thanks.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
When you stated " I tested by bypassed the ignition circuit and went straight to the starter coil and to the relay" are you saying you took a jumper from the battery directly to the starter solenoid wire and the output of the starter relay? The starter output is the wire going to the solenoid. If that's what you did then I would say your relay is bad or somewhere between it and the start button. If a ckt. breaker were to trip out then it would take a few seconds or more for it to reset before you could hear the clicking again
tourbox
 
This sounds surprisingly like the issue I just posted about. Were you able to find what the problem was and resolve it?

Thanks,
Scott
 
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