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Stuck starter

M

MScruggs

New Member
I have an '88 Classic FLHT. Go to start it and everything is fine except the starter won't kick out once the bike turns over. The only way to stop the starter is to disconnect the battery. By disconnecting the battery the solenoid disengages and everything is ok I HAVE BYPASSED ALL THE SWITCHES AND THE STARTER, SOLENOID, AND SPRING IS NEW. Frankly I am stumped...PLEASE, ANY SUGGESTIONS??????
 
Are you saying the starter,solenoid and plunger spring is new? This set up is like the old Shovels except the solenoid mounts differently. The only times I had problems not returning/disengage the solenoid was when the battery was weak. Or the solenoid was worn out. On occasion someone had put a wrong spring in the plunger.
tourbox
 
Everything is new, and the battery is good so far...I burned up a battery due to the problem and had to replace it. I have also tried replacing the solenoid even though it is new.
 
dont know how long its been sitting but could it be the flywheel teeth have gotten rusty and when starter engages it is sticking and wont let go just a thought
 
You might check your Battery cables. If they are old they could have corrosion under the sheaths, non visible but maybe swelling. Another possibility is a bent Jack Shaft. If it has been Kicking back on starting could cause the bent Jack Shaft.
tourbox
 
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Here is a typical Shovel head solenoid rebuild kit, the longer piece here has the disc that energizes the solenoid, they have been known to cause the starter to stay in the run position even tho they are new does not make them good. You can take this piece apart clean it and reasemble it and try it again. The solenoid is just an electro magnetic switch
 
First I want to say that I am not trying to give advice , or hijack the thread. I am trying to understand why the solenoid releases when he takes the battery cable off but not when the starter button is released. I guess I'm just trying to understand how it is supposed to work. I've had this problem before just paid to have someone else to fix it and never understood what was going on.
 
To MScruggs, have you replaced your starter relay? If it sticks it will keep the solenoid energized.
To plow boy, the starter button only energizes the starter relay. When it activates it gives + battery to the starter solenoid, which is basically another relay but can carry a lot more current to the starter. If you look at Jack's pic. above, the large post on the cap both get large battery cables attached to them. One comes directly from the + post on the battery and the other side goes to the starter motor. When the + voltage from the starter relay energizes the solenoid relay the long plunger with the spring,in Jack's picture, gets pulled inward which shorts the 2 large post together. Thus supplying direct battery to the starter motor. So if the the starter relay is stuck in a closed position,with starter button released(not pushed),the starter relay will still energize the the starter solenoid. But when the battery ground cable is removed it kills + voltage to everything.
Sorry for the long post but it's the only way to explain it without being able to point my finger at things(lol)
tourbox
 
Thanks tourbox that answered my question .I know very little about anything electric but I am trying to learn .
 
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