I am having a problem wyrh a 1996 sportster. I am getting no power from the battery. the battery is good and a mechanic has checked the wires and switches. He can find nothing wrong. Does anyone have any suggestions. I am baffled and dont want to take it into a dealer for god only knows how much money.
Last edited by Hodshire; 03-03-2009 at 07:02 PM.
Reason: spell check
Do you have power at the battery posts? If not, the battery is the culprit. If you do have power at the battery posts work your way from the battery through the system. Make sure the negative cable is in good shape and well grounded. Check to see if you have power at the circuit breakers, and that the breakers are OK (voltage getting through them).
Check for loose or dirty connectors. It is usually something simple, it just takes patience and methodical checking to find it. I know it's frustrating, hang in there and you'll find it.
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If you can give us a bit more info mabe we can help. If you have a good battery and the wires and switches are working then you should be good to go.
Ok I'm just teasing. What problem(s) are you having? Starter won't crank the engine, engine cranks but won't start, various lights not working, etc.? How was the battery tested, simple voltage test or was it load tested? A battery can show good voltage with a voltmeter with no load, but due to a bad connection inside the battery (or a dirty terminal connection as Shovelmike suggests) it can fail when put under a load.
If you can give us a detailed description of the problem(s) we might be able to help you out. Electrical work is one of my strong points. What part of the world are you in? Maybe if there is someone here close to you they could stop by and give you a hand.
I have not got the bike to my house yet, it is a co-workers bike and he has had it to a private mechanic for 3 months. I am told that nothing comes on as far as lighting. I have not checked any thing personaly yet. The mechanic stated that the computer might be bad. I told (john) that the computer was real bad because it din't have one. I know that the ignition control module just controls spark and not the entire electrical system, if thats what he was talking about. my assumption is a ground or even ignition switch. The battery is good and gets continuity when tested, but under a load I don't know. I will test all suggested items when I get the bike to my garage.Thanks Jim & Mike
You're right about the computer! Kind of hard for it to give problems when it doesn't exist.
I just happen to have a 96 service manual in hand since I've got a 96.
Looking at the wiring schematic the Positive battery cable goes to the starter, from there a wire goes to a 50 amp main breaker. From there a red wire goes to the ignition switch. Coming out of the switch is a red/black wire that goes to the breaker/fuse panel. The red/black powers up the ignition, instrument & light breakers. The red/gray wire coming from the ignition switch powers up the accessory breaker which powers the brake lights, turn lights, horn & instrument lights.
I'd start by cleaning and tightening all battery cable connections, both ends of both cables. Then connect a voltmeter across the battery terminals, if you have good voltage turn on the ign switch to put a load on the battery. If you lose voltage you've either got a bad battery or connection. If you still have voltage at the battery check the main breaker, if you have power there move on to the ign switch.
Hodshire, the most common electrical problem with any dc grounded system car, truck, boat, pane, or bike is the ground either the main ground connection from the battery to the frame or the actual grounding of the device or light that isn't working, start at the battery,load check it first then,then take the ground connection to the battery loose and clean it at both ends not just at the battery this should fix the problem, if it doesn't then i would check the grounding of the device or thing that's not working, if you have power to it and its well grounded and it aint working its no good and must be replaced good luck!
Thanks for the info, I will check from the battery on out. I can not understand why the mechanic did not find the problem after 3 months?? Thanks for the wire trace, my manuals are for my 06 flhpi and for my v-rod.
Ok I got the bike to my house and found the battery fully charged. I found a loose grund battery cable and cleaned and torqued it down and power. Then I turned the ignition switch and lights and idiot lights came on. I jigled the key and the the lights flickered and came on an off. I had the owner order a new switch. I checked power at the coil and I had power to the coil but not to the plug wire, so I had owner get a new coil. I installed the coil and still nothing to the plug. So I gounded the plug to the negitive post of the battery and spark. I therfore deduce that the engine is not grounded properly. Does any one know where all the engine grounds are located on his 96 sportster, so I cane get this bike out of my garage??? He does not have a service manual. So thak you for any help.
The 96 is not rubbermounted, so every mount is a ground, there is no ground wire, that I know of for grounding the motor.
The coil is fed from the ignition switch then through the kill switch on the handle bar.
The coil is grounded through the electronic ignition module should be the negative side of the coil the tack also connects here.
The module is triggered by the timer pick up.
Don’t remember what year the nose cone ignition module and timer were, think around that year.
Try hot wiring the coil then grounding the negative side, see if you get a spark at the plug.
Do you need a schematic, I have on but it is for 86-90.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hodshire
Ok I got the bike to my house and found the battery fully charged. I found a loose grund battery cable and cleaned and torqued it down and power. Then I turned the ignition switch and lights and idiot lights came on. I jigled the key and the the lights flickered and came on an off. I had the owner order a new switch. I checked power at the coil and I had power to the coil but not to the plug wire, so I had owner get a new coil. I installed the coil and still nothing to the plug. So I gounded the plug to the negitive post of the battery and spark. I therfore deduce that the engine is not grounded properly. Does any one know where all the engine grounds are located on his 96 sportster, so I cane get this bike out of my garage??? He does not have a service manual. So thak you for any help.
My service manual shows the Neg battery cable grounded to the starter. It also shows turn signals, VOES, turn signal module & start relay grounding at a bolt on the rear motor mount.
no power sporty 
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