Did you know---------

That Harleys run better when the battery cables are tight?

About 2k miles ago Tully and I replaced the crank shaft seal on the engine. One of the last things to do when putting things back together was to reconnect the battery cables to the battery. I did this, making sure they were tight.

Fast forward to Thunder Beach. I was headed home that Sunday afternoon. I crossed a bridge with the ussual bump on each end. My engine cut out completly for just a second. I thought I must have hit the cut off switch with my thumb.

Then yesterday I left the parking garage to go to lunch. I pulled out onto Water Street to accelerate and the engine died again for a second while I was pulling out in traffic. Kind of startled me. But that was it. I went to lunch and back with no other problems.

Afterwork it did the same thing again pulling out on Water Street. I got on I-10 and headed west. Everything was fine until I got to the construction zone at the Tillmans Corner exit. Right where the cement wall starts the engine cut out again for good. The cement wall was right on the edge of the road. NO EMEREGENCY LANE. I hit the starter. It would turn over but no fire. I was still coasting but slower and slower with at least 300 more feet of wall ahead of me. I was not looking forward to pushing a 900lb bike that far in the right lane of I-10. At about 30mph the engine finally fired up.

I was able to make it the rest of the way home with no problems. During this time I imagined that this had to be something electrical. My only fear was that this is a 16 rear old bike with 70k miles on it and that I would be spending hours tracing wires, fuses and connections.

When I arrived home, I started at the easiest and most sensible starting point. The battery. When I took the seat of the problem was evident. Both the positive and ground nuts on the battery were about to just fall off. Time for some lock washers.

I know that Harleys vibrate and that I need to periodaclly check for loose nuts and bolts. I just need to do it more often. Anyway I tightned them up and then drove to Bay Minette and back (100 mi) with no problems.

hehe the new ones wont even turn over unless the terminals are torked to around 1000 ft/lbs

If you tighten them good the first time you don't have to worry about it.

hayweed wrote:If you tighten them good the first time you don't have to worry about it.

I did. I did.

But I am one of those guys that has a habit of tightening nuts and bolts too tight, breaking them. It's Harley's fault. Ask Stoney!

a drop of BLUE loctite on the battery threads will help cure this too.

glad it was not a different electrical gremlin for you!

Yep, those harley guys sure do know how to keep you on your toes!! Vibration..hell I could sell rides on the shovel to every chick out there when you hit 65+ yahoooo!! Just ask scadoodle he saw me lose an exhaust pipe due to vibrations and thank god it slid off to the side of the road and not into his path!! But no matter what I still love this old Harley, yes you have to retighten all hardware weekly or every 500 miles , change the oil every 1000 miles and check the plugs and points and replace them etc..etc but you know the bike that way and can feel any changes ..God I love this Harley!!