Bike won't start

mrtelefoneman1 · 03-23-2011, 07:26 PM

Fellow riders, I need to ask your help yet again. Parked my bike and covered it last night. Went to start it this am and nothing. it turns fine but not freely. I havaen't checked anything yet, I just need to know where to start. I'm thinking electrical.

Any help is appreciated.

cactusjack · 03-23-2011, 07:33 PM

What year? How many miles?

mrtelefoneman1 · 03-23-2011, 07:45 PM

Sorry...03 with about 23k on the odo

mrtelefoneman1 · 03-23-2011, 07:46 PM

By the way...hope you're feelin better CJ

AlabamaNomadRider · 03-23-2011, 09:03 PM

Battery strong and turning it over good?

mrtelefoneman1 · 03-23-2011, 09:06 PM

Battery is great and turning over fine. I don't smell fuel so I know it's not flooding. I'm thinking CDI but can it just quit like that?

ndbigfish · 03-23-2011, 09:07 PM

It rolls over but doesn't catch and start? Do you have lights, gauges, etc.?

mrtelefoneman1 · 03-23-2011, 09:10 PM

Lights, gauges and everything else works. I rode into the garage, turned it off, let it cool, covered it and tried to start it this morning and it just turns. Doesn't even think about catching.

AlabamaNomadRider · 03-23-2011, 09:23 PM

I would start looking at electrical connections and make sure everything is connected like it should be. It is possible you had something come loose. As long as it was running it was okay but once it was shut down it will no longer fire.

**ringadingh** · 03-23-2011, 09:38 PM

Can you hear the fuel pump turn on for a few seconds, I think its your ignition switch contacts. try turning the key on and off a few times.

**MAS Tequila** · 03-23-2011, 09:41 PM

It can sound like it is turning fine, but if the voltage in the batt drops enough it will not send injector or ignition signals from the ECM.

Check the batt voltage while turning the starter or try jumping it from a vehicle that is not running.

I'll lay you odds that it is the batt.

MT

mrtelefoneman1 · 03-23-2011, 10:09 PM

Thanks for all the insight so far. I do hear the fuel pump when the switch is turned on. I'm not convinced it is the battery. It just turns and turns and turns. If the batery were weak, it would have stopped by now I would think.

ve3hzz · 03-23-2011, 10:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrtelefoneman1

Thanks for all the insight so far. I do hear the fuel pump when the switch is turned on. I'm not convinced it is the battery. It just turns and turns and turns. If the batery were weak, it would have stopped by now I would think.

As has already been stated, if the battery is weak (as in not up to the full 12 V to energize the coils, it still may have enough energy to turn the engine over via the starter. The only way to rule out that is to A) fully charge the batter over a number of hours (1.5 Amp x 8 hours) for a small charger. Then have the voltmeter attached to it taking a reading and then turn over the engine to try and start it. If the voltage drops drastically it can indicate a weak battery.

But if you are not convinced and don't wish to follow this diagnostic advice, then you would have to look elsewhere for a problem. Since none of us are there we can only take clues from your responses and offer best advice to try and help you.

I hope you find the problem.

Good luck

Scott

classic1 · 03-24-2011, 06:24 AM

I have to ask . . . is the "kill switch" on?

mrtelefoneman1 · 03-24-2011, 07:10 AM

Kill switch is on and I have done that before. Scott, I will connect the charge this morning and try your idea. Thanks for all the help and wish me luck.

03-23-2011, 07:26 PM	#1
mrtelefoneman1 Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Zanesville, OH Posts: 315	Bike won't start Fellow riders, I need to ask your help yet again. Parked my bike and covered it last night. Went to start it this am and nothing. it turns fine but not freely. I havaen't checked anything yet, I just need to know where to start. I'm thinking electrical. Any help is appreciated. Login or Register to Remove Ads
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03-23-2011, 07:33 PM	#2
cactusjack Mega-Contributor Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Where it doesn't snow...ever! Posts: 21,926	Bike won't start What year? How many miles? __________________ Scott "Cactusjack" Hanks VBA #00105 H.O.G. #4250060 2011 H-D Ultra Limited 103ci :: 2011 HD Electra Glide Ultra Limited w/Stage 1 :: Rallies: Mesquite '08\|Custer '09\|Cortez '10\|Crescent City '11\|Kanab '12\|Antlers '12\|Estes Park '13\|Antlers '13\|Orofino '14\|The Dalles '17
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03-23-2011, 07:45 PM	#3
mrtelefoneman1 Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Zanesville, OH Posts: 315	Bike won't start Sorry...03 with about 23k on the odo
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03-23-2011, 07:46 PM	#4
mrtelefoneman1 Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Zanesville, OH Posts: 315	Bike won't start By the way...hope you're feelin better CJ
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03-23-2011, 09:03 PM	#5
AlabamaNomadRider Sr. Contributor Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Boaz, Alabama Posts: 13,742	Bike won't start Battery strong and turning it over good? __________________ Gene Cross, Jr. Boaz, Alabama KawaNOW/VBA #1181 Login or Register to Remove Ads
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03-23-2011, 09:06 PM	#6
mrtelefoneman1 Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Zanesville, OH Posts: 315	Bike won't start Battery is great and turning over fine. I don't smell fuel so I know it's not flooding. I'm thinking CDI but can it just quit like that?
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03-23-2011, 09:07 PM	#7
ndbigfish Sr. Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: New Braunfels, Texas Posts: 1,162	Bike won't start It rolls over but doesn't catch and start? Do you have lights, gauges, etc.? __________________ Brik VBA #1047 07 Electra Glide Ultra (43,300 & counting) 03 Nomad - 37,972 (traded 5/6/13) 99 Nomad - Only a memory since 4/27/13
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03-23-2011, 09:10 PM	#8
mrtelefoneman1 Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Zanesville, OH Posts: 315	Bike won't start Lights, gauges and everything else works. I rode into the garage, turned it off, let it cool, covered it and tried to start it this morning and it just turns. Doesn't even think about catching.
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03-23-2011, 09:23 PM	#9
AlabamaNomadRider Sr. Contributor Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Boaz, Alabama Posts: 13,742	Bike won't start I would start looking at electrical connections and make sure everything is connected like it should be. It is possible you had something come loose. As long as it was running it was okay but once it was shut down it will no longer fire. __________________ Gene Cross, Jr. Boaz, Alabama KawaNOW/VBA #1181
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03-23-2011, 09:38 PM	#10
ringadingh Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Newmarket Ontario Canada Posts: 35,387	Bike won't start Can you hear the fuel pump turn on for a few seconds, I think its your ignition switch contacts. try turning the key on and off a few times. __________________ 2002 Nomad aka Bountyhunter VBA #27 VROC #18951
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03-23-2011, 09:41 PM	#11
MAS Tequila Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Psychiatric Ward FL Posts: 3,429	Bike won't start It can sound like it is turning fine, but if the voltage in the batt drops enough it will not send injector or ignition signals from the ECM. Check the batt voltage while turning the starter or try jumping it from a vehicle that is not running. I'll lay you odds that it is the batt. MT __________________ MT 2016 FLHP Psychiatric Ward FL VBA 936
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03-23-2011, 10:09 PM	#12
mrtelefoneman1 Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Zanesville, OH Posts: 315	Bike won't start Thanks for all the insight so far. I do hear the fuel pump when the switch is turned on. I'm not convinced it is the battery. It just turns and turns and turns. If the batery were weak, it would have stopped by now I would think.
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03-24-2011, 06:24 AM	#14
classic1 Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: waynesboro, va Posts: 408	Bike won't start I have to ask . . . is the "kill switch" on?
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03-24-2011, 07:10 AM	#15
mrtelefoneman1 Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Zanesville, OH Posts: 315	Bike won't start Kill switch is on and I have done that before. Scott, I will connect the charge this morning and try your idea. Thanks for all the help and wish me luck.
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