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Turn key and nothing

flyin64

Member
I looked thru 8 pages of the post and used the search but still need your help.

98 low rider, 1 yr old battery, 1 yr old starter(new). I rode it last weekend no worries and when I went to turn it over this morning I got nothing - not even the lights. ignition on and she wont crank. battery tender on and flashing red which means the charging circuit for the tender is open. popped the seat and can't wiggle the terminal connections at the battery. the 75 amp fuse on the tender is still good.

one thing looked odd - the red lead terminal on the battery had a notch cut out of it - could that have been done when the mechanic reinstalled the battery and tender leads or is this a sign of a short and the post being eaten away?

is there a fuse readily checkable in the pocket under the seat where the electrical connections are?

should i put a boost charge on the battery and retest?

i am not that good with the electrical stuff but can't afford to just turn it over the shop and spend a lot of labor $

need some advice-thanks all

mark
 
Often a tech will cut a notch in the charger lead so he can slip it on, and not have to completly remove the battery bolt.
 
i would ck. battery 2 wks ago me and a friend went for a cruise he stopped to let wife use bathroom she comes back out gets on bike nothing.we both put new batterys on this spring.done what we could with his tool kit and couldnt figure it out so called his brother to come with trailer and pick it up. get home do a load test on battery and it was fried.cycle shop replaced it free and said it just happens.it was not hd brand batt. i spent the extra and got hd not to say mine might not start next time i try it Hope this might help
 
is this notch something that a mechanic would do? (see picture)

btw - i tried to load test twice with two units and each said no go - led displays i tried a third old fashion charger and guess what - it charged enough to run a small electric motor. i will let it sit for the noght and try to crank her up but the post thing worries me.

i also cant explain the false negative charging and i still have a short question in my mind

keep the replies comiung all - thanks
 

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is this notch something that a mechanic would do? (see picture)

btw - i tried to load test twice with two units and each said no go - led displays i tried a third old fashion charger and guess what - it charged enough to run a small electric motor. i will let it sit for the noght and try to crank her up but the post thing worries me.

i also cant explain the false negative charging and i still have a short question in my mind

keep the replies comiung all - thanks

No, that notch in the terminal was probably caused by a short. I misread your initial meaning of a "notch". I was thinking of a cutout in the lug of the charger wire that makes it easy to slip over the battery bolt.
 
Man, that is a big arc to burn a notch out like that. Discoloration on the battery case shows it was actually a *POP*!!! Looks like someone did not remove the negative terminal first...there is probably a tool in someones tool box that has a big divot in there as well...:small3d031:
 
after my starter and battery were replaced the bike ran for the rest of last season and this w/o a hitch. if the POP happened when a local hd shop did the work it stayed unchecked because i did not take the seat off - the battery tender leads extend under the seat and this kept me from removing the seat - this i wish i had done so i could have followed up.

if the POP happened recently i am guesstimating that it was a voltage spike or one of the studs on the underside of my Mustang seat may have contacted the pos term and caused the short.

today i charged the battery to 11.7 volts - i know this is short of what is needed but i wanted to see the bike crank at least.

it chattered only. then i connected the battery charger and hit the boost and turned the key-she cranked one time then chattered

i am hopin that it is just battery and not starter. tommorow i will put a new battery in and turn the key-fingers crossed.

cheers
 
after my starter and battery were replaced the bike ran for the rest of last season and this w/o a hitch. if the POP happened when a local hd shop did the work it stayed unchecked because i did not take the seat off - the battery tender leads extend under the seat and this kept me from removing the seat - this i wish i had done so i could have followed up.

if the POP happened recently i am guesstimating that it was a voltage spike or one of the studs on the underside of my Mustang seat may have contacted the pos term and caused the short.

today i charged the battery to 11.7 volts - i know this is short of what is needed but i wanted to see the bike crank at least.

it chattered only. then i connected the battery charger and hit the boost and turned the key-she cranked one time then chattered

i am hopin that it is just battery and not starter. tommorow i will put a new battery in and turn the key-fingers crossed.

cheers
Good luck, 12.75 is a fully charged battery:p
 
Replace that cable as well and there is SUPPOSED to be a red cover over the top protecting it...go to the dealer for BOTH. Do not compromise your safety...that exposed terminal is DANGEROUS. Matter of fact HD dealer mechanic who serviced my bike actually THREW the cover away, forcing me to buy another (I found it missing after I rode the bike home), and is expecially bad if you have a nice chrome METAL battery cover nearby.

XL1200R_Mods.jpg
 
Replace that cable as well and there is SUPPOSED to be a red cover over the top protecting it...go to the dealer for BOTH. Do not compromise your safety...that exposed terminal is DANGEROUS. Matter of fact HD dealer mechanic who serviced my bike actually THREW the cover away, forcing me to buy another (I found it missing after I rode the bike home), and is expecially bad if you have a nice chrome METAL battery cover nearby.

XL1200R_Mods.jpg

And The Stealer said What?
 
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