I installed a new battery in my 04 Road King. After installation it will not start. All dash board lights are solid RED and starter does not engage. There is no GREEN neutral light either. I have checked all the fuses and put an ohmeter on them and they checked out ok. I also manually shifted it into neutral (checked by rolling bike back and forth). I charged the battery overnight and it registers at about 13 volts on the voltmeter. Must be something simple but I can't figure it out. Help!!!!
No start after battery change
- Thread starter abbera
- Start date
dolt
Well-Known Member
Couple of questions.
Background on "new" battery? If new, why charge overnight?
What does "starter does not engage" mean?
What does voltmeter read when start button is pushed?
Was anything else done aside from the R/R of the battery?
I know, simple questions but the devil is in the details. I have change batteries in motorcycles since 1976 and have never had a start failure after. I agree, probably something simple.
Background on "new" battery? If new, why charge overnight?
What does "starter does not engage" mean?
What does voltmeter read when start button is pushed?
Was anything else done aside from the R/R of the battery?
I know, simple questions but the devil is in the details. I have change batteries in motorcycles since 1976 and have never had a start failure after. I agree, probably something simple.
biscuit
Junior Member
Ensure two things:
(1): your connections are tight. And clean. Take them off, wire brush the battery terminals AND the bike connections.
Then put them back together and make sure they are TIGHT. Good and tight. Very tight.
Then smear Dielectric grease or Vaseline or even normal grease all over them to prevent corrosion.
(2): Probably do this FIRST . Make sure the Polarity is correct.
Red to positive and Black to negative.
That is: negative to the frame.
Power wire( active) to go to the starter: probably via a fuse.
But, check they’re connected correctly. Very important.
I can understand charging a new battery. I always do. Put it on my Optimate 4 or on one of my Ctek chargers and ensure she be full and properly charged before I ask it to work.
It’s quite the eye opener to buy a new battery and charge it for hours before it’s fully charged.
Batteries often sit on a shelf for some time before selling. Self discharge can be an issue.
Check the voltage when the battery is Installed in the bike- wired up correctly. You should get 12.8vdc or maybe a smidge higher.
(1): your connections are tight. And clean. Take them off, wire brush the battery terminals AND the bike connections.
Then put them back together and make sure they are TIGHT. Good and tight. Very tight.
Then smear Dielectric grease or Vaseline or even normal grease all over them to prevent corrosion.
(2): Probably do this FIRST . Make sure the Polarity is correct.
Red to positive and Black to negative.
That is: negative to the frame.
Power wire( active) to go to the starter: probably via a fuse.
But, check they’re connected correctly. Very important.
I can understand charging a new battery. I always do. Put it on my Optimate 4 or on one of my Ctek chargers and ensure she be full and properly charged before I ask it to work.
It’s quite the eye opener to buy a new battery and charge it for hours before it’s fully charged.
Batteries often sit on a shelf for some time before selling. Self discharge can be an issue.
Check the voltage when the battery is Installed in the bike- wired up correctly. You should get 12.8vdc or maybe a smidge higher.
The first thing I checked was polarity. The way the main power cables are installed it is almost impossible to get them wrong BUT always good to check. I have not checked the reading when starter button is pushed but will do that next. I did wire brush and even lightly file the connectors to make sure I had good connections. I charged the battery overnight just to make sure that it was fully charged. Checked it at 13v. Nothing else was done. To clarify; when I turn the ignition switch on I get solid red light on speedometer panel (not one single bulb) and starter does not try to engage at all. As a side note when I reinstalled the battery I did get a slight spark when reconnecting the negative cable (connected positive first) and the ignition switch was in the off position. I think I will double check the lead for the battery tender to make sure it is not shorted out even though the fuse is good according to ohmeter. Appreciate all the input and suggestions!
Shovels4ever
Member
Check fuses. Possibly, you popped a fuse when it sparked.
However, since you still have a red light on dash, it's probably not the main fuse.
Check the voltage directly at starter while starter button is engaged, see if power is making it from the battery to the starter. Let us know the results.
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biscuit
Junior Member
See: that is another good post.
It absolutely pains me to admit it, but when I did maintenance work on my Triumph T595 about a year ago, I was interrupted just as I went to put the leads on. I dropped a bolt down under the battery ; had to remove it to retrieve said bolt; and then put the battery back in. It’s a real pain and quite difficult : Somewhat miffed and not fully focused- this was the VERY last task-I put it back in.
I physically put it in backwards and had a reverse polarity!!( as an Electrician working with 240 and 415vac, THAT is something I HAVE NEVER done. NEVER. It’s always ‘take a step back and reassess when a step or process is broken etc’. Always. We work live with lethal voltages and people have been killed by idiots reversing switchboard polarity. Much of my refresher training every 6 months was focused on Polarity and the utter importance of getting it right.
Yet I did it on my bike.
My point is when I made the final connection ( the neutral or the black or the return or as some call it; the earth) I got a spark.
I recall thinking that was strange- but thought no more of it. I was terrified I’d blown the ECU!
To my everlasting gratitude towards some nameless Triumph Engineer, there was a fuse in series with the ECU and boy, did I almost weep when I found it blown.
THIS was the only one which went pop. Not the Main one.
Sorry for the novella, but just recheck every thing you did once again.
BTW: try running some wires from the correct battery terminals to the correct terminals on the starter solenoid. That will tell you the battery is ok: and maybe the solenoid terminals are high resistance; or maybe the starter button could be .
Can’t hurt to check.
I will check voltage at starter first then double check all fuses again just to be sure. And triple check polarity. I think after that I will pull the main fuse, connect the battery and then insert the fuse to get a better idea of where problem might be. What bothers me most is the solid red lighting on dashboard. Its trying to tell me something but I just can't figure out what.
joel
Well-Known Member
Use a voltage meter to check battery positive to frame ground.
Starter main positive to battery ground.
Test all fuses.
Solenoid exciter signal while pushing start button with switch on and run stop swict to run.
if no power to exciter contact on starter, remove the tank console and confirm on off switch connection is clean and tight, add some di electric grease to it.
Starter main positive to battery ground.
Test all fuses.
Solenoid exciter signal while pushing start button with switch on and run stop swict to run.
if no power to exciter contact on starter, remove the tank console and confirm on off switch connection is clean and tight, add some di electric grease to it.
Shovels4ever
Member
In addition to what Joel mentioned, check starter relay if the excitor is not receiving power at starter Boss.
I suspect your spark was related to a parasitic draw, hence the need to replace battery. (Unless you know it was abused or old)
That said, possibly you shorted the circuit while replacing battery. We've all done it at some point.
It's difficult to diagnose electrical issues online. We are completely reliant on the information from the person posting. In short, you are our eyes and ears. Be patient Bud, we will get there!
I suspect your spark was related to a parasitic draw, hence the need to replace battery. (Unless you know it was abused or old)
That said, possibly you shorted the circuit while replacing battery. We've all done it at some point.
It's difficult to diagnose electrical issues online. We are completely reliant on the information from the person posting. In short, you are our eyes and ears. Be patient Bud, we will get there!