Starter trouble : V-Twin Forum: Harley Davidson Forums

jlaley · 08-02-2004, 05:12 AM

My '04 Road King Custom with 600 miles just had the starter crap out. It starts fine one minute and then the very next time it starts making all this noise. Sounds like the drive spring broke or something. It starts the bike but not without the noise. Anyone else have problems with their starters? I'll call the dearler today and get it in. Will they give me grief with the warranty with a power commander, slip ons, and a Ness Big sucker? Thanks.

Ragnar · 08-02-2004, 07:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jlaley

My '04 Road King Custom with 600 miles just had the starter crap out. It starts fine one minute and then the very next time it starts making all this noise. Sounds like the drive spring broke or something. It starts the bike but not without the noise. Anyone else have problems with their starters? I'll call the dearler today and get it in. Will they give me grief with the warranty with a power commander, slip ons, and a Ness Big sucker? Thanks.

Who knows what a dealer will do, but they shouldn't give you any problems about the starter. A PC, pipes, and an air filter should have no effect on starter operations. It's not like you bumped it up to 10:1 compression.

Ragnar

jlaley · 08-02-2004, 10:18 AM

Yea, I just wonder if they see it will they see the pc as a way to not warranty it?

BUCK · 08-02-2004, 12:07 PM

Had my starter go within the first year also (99 Ultra)....... Big Bore and Power commander was installed in bike, had NO problem with warranty issues.

jlaley · 08-02-2004, 02:43 PM

Thanks, I'm not going to bother taking it off then.

FXDeanX · 08-02-2004, 03:18 PM

Check your battery and connections...if the starter can't pull enough amps it won't engage fully and make a racket

lonnietsc · 08-02-2004, 11:01 PM

I have a 2002 Fatboy, it was my first new Harley in 17 years and within a few hundred miles, I had starter problems. The starter was not engaging making all kinds of noise. This happened about 20 times and when I took it in for warranty about the problem, and the bike would not duplicate it. After a few hundred more miles the bike quit doing it. I think the motor loosen up a bit, I have around 15,000 on the bike today. The dealer did tell me that it was not a common problem with the later models.

Good Luck

jlaley · 08-03-2004, 05:08 AM

I took it in last night and dropped it off. I know the owner and service manager at Stan's H-D and he came out to listen to it and cringed when he heard it. Tried it two more times and on the second it just locked up and clicks. He thinks the jackshaft bolt either came out or snapped. I'm leaning towards the snapped version since there was no warning at all. I'll let you know what it was when I get it back.

jlaley · 08-03-2004, 07:00 PM

I got the call. The gear inside the starter busted and locked it up. Bad news is they don't have a starter. They used the last one they had, now I have to wait a few days. Oh well, all it does is rain here anyways.

BUCK · 08-04-2004, 07:36 AM

Keep the faith......you'll get it back....at least they can fix the problem.

fxdl raw · 08-04-2004, 08:10 AM

My dads 04 Heritage had the starter go out about 2 months after he got it (May 04). Dealer replaced it with no problems from the dealer.

jlaley · 08-05-2004, 02:52 PM

Called the dealer today and the starters are backordered till at least mid-august so he put a softail one in until the new one comes in. Same starter, just no chrome he says. Fine with me as long as it starts and a new one is coming. On the road again.....

Thunderballs · 08-07-2004, 06:27 AM

Good for you.........got her rollin again and no hassles.

jlaley · 08-07-2004, 07:07 AM

Yup, she's running great again. To bad it's only 50 something and raining like a s.o.b.. Didn't we used to have a warm dry season, can't remember now what it was called, oh yea summer I think it was.