Help! Can't get her to start.

[monkey6]

I just finished putting my bike back together from having the engine out to replace gaskets. Yesterday it was having problems starting, then I put the battery on the charger for a little and it fired right up. Rode the bike a little yesterday and everything was fine. Come out today and the starter just clicks. I knew the battery was going bad so I went to HD and bought a new one, and nothing, it still just clicks! I tried to push start it, and it won't fire, I can hear the pistons puttering, but no combustion. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Cosworth]

Is the battery you bought from harley charged up and ready to go? Sounds like the battery is still too dead. Push starting one is harder than you'd think...

 

[monkey6]

He said it was charged when I asked. It turns on the gauges just fine.

 

[Cosworth]

Only other thing that would cause the symptoms your describing is a bad ground connection. Make sure you re-connected all or any grounds that you may have taken loose when doing the gaskets. It takes very little voltage to make the gauges work.

 

[monkey6]

Yup! Bolt for the ground on top of the engine mount was loose. Should have figured to check there first. Stupid me.

 

[Cosworth]

Wohoo!!! Nothing like an easy fix!