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starting problem 65 electra glide

65eglide

New Member
well let me start from the very begining of what has gone on.
bike was starting fine, then what would happen was hitting the starter button, I could hear the starter energizing and spinning the starter gear but not thowing it out to the ring gear, just a whine, spinning the starter drive shaft and starter gear, this would go on 3-4 times then finally thowing out the starter gear and bike would start.
so after talking this over with someone they tell me it was the starter gear. (I suspected the solenoid ) so I replaced the starter drive shaft and starter gear, after hooking everything back up, still using the same solenoid all i heard was a click as it was trying to throw out the starter gear, but not energizing the starter.
so i decided to replace the solenoid just to be sure . same thing it's just trying to throw the gear out. measured voltage on the solenoid at the battery terminal looks fine, tried hitting the starter button and measured the voltage at the starter terminal on the solenoid, only about 1 volts. so i disconnect the cable at the solenoid for the starter and applied 12 volts directly to this , starter energizes and turns drive shaft and starter gear fine, so no binding there and cable seems fine. I also got the kit that replaces the plunger, both springs and pins etc. I did notice that the run out spring seems to be bigger and a little stiffer than the one that was already there, though maybe that was a problem , but it seems to throw out the gear fine. as a last check I did cross the starter terminal with the battery terminal on the solenoid and it did seem to work at that point both starter gear throw out and starter energized like it was trying to crank the motor, but after trying it a couple more times after that all it did was spin the starter, drive shaft and starter gear. the original solenoid that was replaced was just replaced a month or so ago, can't believe I got two bad solenoids, pulling my hair out over this and to why there is no voltage to the starter terminal
 
Did you look at the starter brushes ? I had weird problems with my FLH. Not the same as you. The brushes where shot. Pretty easy replacement, Amazing difference.

Is it a prestolite starter?
 
tried hitting the starter button and measured the voltage at the starter terminal on the solenoid, only about 1 volts.
I would say this points to a bad connection in the solenoid contacts. If you direct wire from the POS on the battery to the starter or solenoid, what do you get?
 
seems it's not the solenoid at all, it's the starter drive shaft or starter gear.
the forks on the solenoid must be bent and stopping the gear from being thrown out so the solenoid can't make it's full travel to send a voltage to the starter. removed everything and started again, this time i got the bike to turn over as it should, so i button everything back up and try it again, nothing but a click. i would think if the starter shaft is seated in the housing and and also in the primary it wouldn;t matter how the forks where set, but i guess i'll have to check that. also after starting it and shutting down getting a clunking sound like the starter gear is still engaged on the ring gear, and by cutting power the solenoid is releasing it. coiuld be the forks are pushing up down on the starter gear and somehow binding it
 
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