CHAPTER 15 - TROUBLESHOOTING

EMERGENCY TROUBLESHOOTING Refer to the Battery and Charging System section

below and flow chart for testing procedures.
IMPORTANT! After connecting the battery on
motorcycles equipped with EFI, you must turn the B - Engine will turn but not start:
key ON, press the RUN button, and then turn the
Check for spark.
key OFF for at least 15 seconds to reset the ECU
sensors. Check for loose connections at coil and battery.
If the bike is difficult to start or will not start at Check ignition module.
all, do not wear down the battery by excessive Check the crank position sensor.
starter use. Check for obvious problems before Check continuity to the RUN/OFF button.
getting out your tools - perform the steps listed
below. If it still won't start, refer to the appropriate Check the EHC. Refer to the front of this chapter
troubleshooting procedure in this chapter. for a general description and removal/ installation
instructions. Refer to the Ignition System section
1. Check gas flow. Does the tank have fuel? and flow chart for testing procedures.
Check fuel flow from the tank to the
carburetor. Is the petcock in the ON position? C - Engine is hard starting or locks up
Pull the fuel line and see if fuel flows freely to during start:
the carburetor. The line may be stopped up or Check the compression relief valves.
blocked by foreign matter. If the carburetor is Check the battery.
getting fuel, then check the electrical system.
2. Check that the battery is fully charged using BATTERY AND CHARGING SYSTEM
the listed battery tester. If using a digital The battery is the heart of the electrical system.
multimeter (DMM), the voltage reading All other electrical components in the system are
should be at least 12.8 volts. dependant on the charge and condition of the
3. Check for spark using the listed spark tester. battery. A weak or faulty battery may cause
Check to see if the plug wires are on tight. If starting, ignition, and EHC-related issues. The
there is no spark at the plugs check for loose OEM battery is maintenance-free and specified to
connections at the coil and battery. meet the demanding needs of the large V-Twin
engine.
The three basics an engine needs to run properly
are: CAUTION: DO NOT REPLACE WITH A
CONVENTIONAL LEAD-ACID BATTERY.
a. correct gas/air mixture.
b. compression. Battery connections must be clean and dry. Clean
c. a spark at the right time. connections with a solution of water and baking
soda and apply a commercial protectant to prevent
If one or more is missing, the engine will not run. corrosion. Check this on every bike that comes
into your shop.
SYSTEM TROUBLESHOOTING
A - Battery Discharging: If the motorcycle will not be started for more than
30 days, connect the battery to a tender using
Check battery terminal connections. float-type charge technology to prevent sulfating -
Test battery. a cause of premature battery failure.
Check circuit breaker. Replace worn or missing battery hold down straps
Check charging system. and pads to reduce the risk of battery damage and
vibration.
Check voltage regulator.
Switch ignition to OFF position and disconnect
Check the rotor and stator - refer to Chapter 14,
the battery when servicing electrical system
Electrical for the general description and
components. Remove the negative battery cable
removal/ installation instructions.
first and install last.

15-1
CHAPTER 15 - TROUBLESHOOTING
The battery must be fully charged and pass a load VR TEST PROCEDURE
test before proceeding to the Charging System
Use the following flowcharts to determine if the
Flowchart.
charging system indicates a faulty VR. Review the
BATTERY LOAD TEST DMM users manual, as some resistance
measurements may be over the capability of the
Set default CCA to 325 CCA and estimate the meter and show an !Open" or !OL," etc. This
temperature (actual BDM battery is rated 310 indicates a very high resistance and should be
CCA). considered >2Mȍ.
CURRENT DRAIN TEST
1. Ignition Key to the OFF position.
2. Remove seat.
3. Disconnect the ground (-) cable from battery
negative (-) terminal.
4. Measure battery current using instructions
provided with DMM.
5. Connect red (+) probe of the DMM to the PCB TESTING
ground cable and connect black (-) probe to
negative (-) terminal of battery. Remove gas tank. Unplug JST connector to either
the left or right control. Plug test pigtail into
6. Current should read less than 2mA for handlebar control and test continuity from any
Carbureted Models and less than 3.5mA for given circuit to the black wire of the pigtail.
EFI models. (EFI models will draw ~500mA
for 15seconds when meter is first attached). STARTER CURRENT DRAW TEST
7. If an over current condition is found, locate Using an induction ammeter, attach the ammeter
the faulty component or harness by to the positive side of the battery. With the
disconnecting one harness at a time, until ignition ON, press the start switch. Take a reading
current draw is within specifications. When off the ammeter. There should be an initial surge
current draw is within specifications, the last when first turning over the engine. Typical starter
connection disconnected will be the circuit or current draw should be between 160 and 180
component affected. Use the electrical Amperes. If the starter draw exceeds 200
schematic to aid in fault location. Amperes, remove the starter for further testing.

VOLTAGE REGULATOR (VR) COIL TESTING

Do not disconnect the B+ wire from the circuit With a DMM set to read Ohms, measure the
breaker and measure voltage to determine if the resistance between the primary (low tension) wire
voltage regulator (VR) is faulty. The VR will not and ground, or ground terminal. The reading
charge if there is no battery load. Follow the should be low (2.5 to 3.1 Ohms) (0.5 Ohms for
Charging System Flowchart to troubleshoot the EFI coil). Next, measure the secondary (high
charging problems. tension) wire and ground. This should be a high
reading (10.000 to 12.000 Ohms). If the coil is
The VR is grounded through the case, so the
outside of these specs, the coil might be bad.
mounting bolts must be tight. Add this as a check
on every bike that comes into your shop. Check STARTER VOLTAGE DROP TEST
and clean the VR mounting location whenever the
VR has been removed from the motorcycle. Attach the red meter lead to the positive post on
the battery. Attach the black lead to the
component in the circuit (solenoid). Activate the
starter and observe the meter reading. The meter

15-2
 CHAPTER 15 - TROUBLESHOOTING
will read the voltage drop. Ideal voltage drop start the motorcycle. With the ignition and all
would be zero or have no drop at all. A typical continuously running lights turned ON (headlight
circuit drop is less than 1 Volt. If voltage drop is on hi beam), read the total current draw. Compare
greater, backtrack through the circuit until the this reading to that obtained in the CURRENT
source of the drop is found. This same test can be AND VOLTAGE OUTPUT TEST. The current
performed on the negative side also. Attach the output should exceed current draw by 3.5 amps,
black lead of the meter to the negative side of the minimum. Reconnect the regulator.
battery and the red side to the ground you wish to
check. CURRENT AND VOLTAGE OUTPUT TEST
Connect the load tester leads to the battery
STATOR/ROTOR TEST
terminals. Place the induction pickup over the
To check for a grounded stator, turn ignition OFF, positive regulator cable. Run the engine to 3000
and disconnect the regulator from the stator plug rpms and increase the load to obtain a constant
in the crankcase. Connect on Ohmmeter between 13.0 volts. Current output should be 26-32 Amps.
the crankcase and either stator socket. There
should be no continuity across either test point. VOLTAGE OUTPUT TEST
Any other readings indicate a grounded stator Remove load. Read the load tester voltage meter.
which must be replaced. Voltage to battery must never exceed 14.8 volts. If
voltage is higher, replace regulator.
RESISTANCE CHECK
Using an Ohmmeter, measured resistance across SPEED SENSOR TEST
the stator plug should be between 0.1 to 0.2 First, test that the red wire reading is 12 volts.
Ohms. If resistance is higher, the stator is Test the black wire for continuity. Using the
damaged, and must be replaced. Be sure to proper equipment, raise the rear tire, and check
subtract the DMM lead resistance from the voltage at the green signal wire while spinning the
measured value. tire. The reading should be between 0 and 6 volts.
If no voltage registers, replace the speed sensor.
AC OUTPUT TEST
Disconnect the regulator and connect an AC CRANK SENSOR TEST
voltmeter across both stator plugs. Run the engine Disconnect the plug wires and unplug the crank
to 2000 rpms. The AC output should read between sensor. Set the DMM to measure AC volts and
32-40 AC Volts (16-20 per 1000 rpms). If the measure across both pins of the plug. While
output is below specifications, a charging problem cranking the engine, you should see AC voltage
has occurred and the stator/rotor needs to be greater than 1 Volt. If no voltage registers, replace
replaced. the crank sensor.
NOTE: Always recheck voltage output after
IGNITION MODULE TEST
making repairs.
Inspect the ignition module. Is the red LED
VOLTAGE REGULATOR BLEED TEST illuminated with the key in the ON position?
Regulator must be connected to the battery. Inspect the blue and yellow LEDs. Do they
Unplug the regulator from the stator, and using a illuminate when the front and rear cylinder are
light, touch one probe to a known good ground, triggered? Use the break out box and a DMM to
and the other to the regulator pins, one at a time. test A19 power harness to B27 backbone harness.
If the light glows, replace the regulator.
NOTE: These flowcharts are informational, and
CURRENT DRAW TEST exist for troubleshooting purposes only. If you
need more than 0.3 hours to troubleshoot an
Using a load tester, place the induction pickup or issue, please contact BDM Technical Support at
current probe pickup over the negative battery 316-219-7000. All current Warranty policies
cable. Disconnect the regulator from the stator and remain in effect.

15-3