It just CLICKS!!

[Scaira]

Hey homies... first post so I apologize ahead of time for missing info or not posting this in the right forum.

Long story short is I just got a 79 FLH, after sitting for a few years, I put some fresh oil in her, rigged a dummy gas tank, fresh battery... and when I hit the run button (electric only) all I get is a click?

It's a very distinctive click, like something is trying to open and close...

Do I have a bad solenoid..? Bad starter relay...?

Thanks guys. Appreciate the help.

[JBinNC]

You most likely have a bad solenoid. But, test the starter by connecting the two large terminals on the solenoid with a jumper cable, to see if the starter will turn. (It will not engage the starter gear when you do this, just allows the starter motor to run.)

Be double careful not to short anything out when you do this.

If the starter motor runs, rebuild or replace the solenoid. If any of the battery cables are iffy, replace them, they may be quite old.
Jim

[Tattooo]

^^^^^^ Great info.....^^^^^^ Also the push buttons on the bars are also known to go bad and loose contact.........

[hillcat]

I would check the battery too just to be sure.

[Scaira]

Great advice guys. I'll try to jump the starter tonight and see if it's the solenoid. I will start with double checking loose wires around the battery and starter switch too.

I'll let you know how it goes. Thanks

[golfish]

Like mentioned above, make sure you double check the new battery.
Good luck

[JBinNC]

One more thing.
After you determine that the starter will run, here's the classic test that bypasses the relay and the switch:

Bridge the small terminal on the solenoid to the top terminal. That will activate the solenoid, and if the motor turns over, your solenoid is OK, and the relay, switch, or wiring is bad.

Jim

[Dragstews]

Also the push buttons on the bars are also known to go bad and loose contact.........

If that button goes bad there will not be any audio click ... only "Dead Air"

[Scaira]

Update...

I jumped the two large terminals on the solenoid and it activated the starter... so bad solenoid?

[JBinNC]

Update...

I jumped the two large terminals on the solenoid and it activated the starter... so bad solenoid?

Now jump the top post and the small post. If the starter does not turn the motor over, most likely you have a bad solenoid.

I prefer rebuilding to replacing solenoids, because the original factory ones are of much higher quality than the currently available replacements.

Jim

[Dragstews]

Most likely it's the copper washer and contacts burnt ...
Can clean them up, won't need any new parts ..

[Tattooo]

If that button goes bad there will not be any audio click ... only "Dead Air"

I had a wire on my FXS that the wire was just barely on the button and would make just enough contact to click then loose contact......... So go figure?????????

But you know best.........

But he found his problem it's the solenoid.......

[Dragstews]

To click or not to click .... Dat be the question ??

[Tattooo]

To click or not to click .... Dat be the question ??

Just for you Jesse I looked at it.........

LOL Isn't he turning on and off the system????????? That's not the starter button........

Or that's a useless video........

[Dragstews]

The video gets ya thinking ....
The starter circuit is not armed until the off/on run switch is switched to the on mode, from there the starter button closes the circuit to the starter relay, which feeds a hotter amount of juice to the solenoid...

If the Fella in the video is only switching the on/off run switch, the starter button is stuck in the close position ... !!

Going to consult with "Bell Laboratory's" and see if they concur ... Lol
(Perhaps, "Johnny Five" too)

.../// https://youtu.be/rsmCG2A_Sok \\\...