Intermittent Starting Problem

By Dennis Santopietro

Question My 1983 FLHT has an intermittent starting problem, she will lay down on me and not start till she cools off. I took her to a mech friend of mine and he replaced the voltage regulator because he said it was smoking. I rode 14 miles and she coughed, backfired and said “no mas” I pushed her home and put her to bed, the next day I hit the start button and she came alive, she is all original except for the tires … What cha think? Ben



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Answer Ben,  1983, I believe still has main breaker on the side of the oil tank , under the cover on the right side. Remove breaker from clip, install new breaker and leave loose away from clip and oil tank. Ride with side cover off for added cooling , if this solves all the problems relocate to the leading edge of the rear fender under the seat. Let me know if that is not the correct breaker location. Wrench Safe, FMH



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14 Responses to “Intermittent Starting Problem”

  1. Adolfo

    I use to work on my frien's motorcycles, yesterday one sportster 2011 came to look at some damage from a fall to see if I was willing to work with., the bike has a dent on the tank a hand grip broken, a rear trun signal broken (hanging) mostly cosmetic. But when he trys to turn it on to leave, it wont start, no fuel pump, no display no crank. tunrs out the battery fuse was blown, change it and blown again and again. Long story short, the turn signal was on short and protecting TSSM

  2. Gary Belanger

    05 flstni, I hit the starter button and lose all power. let it sit and power is back until I hit the starter button

  3. Bill

    I have an 83 FXDG Willie G Special. It has been running fine until yesterday. I hit the ignition switch and got the clickclickclick, like it was the cellinoid. I rolled it off & she fired up. When I tried to ride back to my house it popped & choked like something was wrong with the carburetor. Any ideas?

  4. Timothy

    I just bought a 2007 roadglide from VTwin partners in texas I am in Ohio .I rode 60 miles with a group of 8 .Just about a mile from my house it started missing real bad.What would cause that .I pull spark plugs ,Cleaned them ,checked air breather its ok. It is fuel injected . where do I look now ?

  5. William Fisher

    Had similar problem with 2003 FLHRSEI2 Ride for a distance shut it off for fuel or whatever. Go to restart no go. Next day or at least hrs later start right up. Changed starter no more problem

  6. doug

    could be the ignition brain black box getting hot and shorting or grounding out (expanding short)

  7. John Hamilton

    G'day, I have a 2012 Fatboy Lo (103), my problem is that at any time I'm riding it just cuts out. It used to be unable to start after stopping for fuel or food, but now it has been cutting out while riding. There's no particular time or temperature, sometimes it won't do it. I have asked a number of Harley dealers, but they all say the same thing, it has to do it when I'm there at the shop. No one I have spoken to or written to can help. Do you have any ideas that could help?

  8. Michael

    Sometimes when I go to start the engine and push the Starter Button, nothing happens. I’m afraid that someday it won’t catch at all and I’ll be stuck.

  9. Mike

    Engine runs rough on initial start and threatens to almost stall when RPM’s are fluctuating. Within a minute or two the engine begins the run with steady RPMs. I brought it to my local Harley dealer a while ago and after a $200+ bill, they hadn’t solved the problem.

  10. Robert Metzger

    I had the same thing on my FLHS 1989. It was the pin connectors coming from the right handle bars. Which is found behind the head lamp and under the dash. Good luck and safe riding....