Lazy Starter

Normally this ultra 2008 starts on first crank, pop and away she goes. Just recently it took three cranks to start and it was a very slow crank like a dead battery. After much cursing at HD for the engineering of the battery location I took the battery to have it tested. It tested good, so what gives?? She has less than 10K miles on her. Why would the crank be so slow with a good battery. Any clues??

Because it isn't a good battery, or at least it isn't a full & properly charged one. How was it tested?

To clarify - there are other things that can cause that symptom, but they are real unlikely. Poor connection at battery or at starter solenoid; short in electrical system (check around things recently messed with or installed, or under the seat or other areas that move even a little bit). But really, there are testers and then there are testers - I'd make darn sure the battery wasn't the problem before going nuts on troubleshooting.

I took the battery to an Interstate Battery dealer and he tested it with an instrument that looked like a VOM. The little thing even printed out a test result. It ID'ed itself (Midtronics MDX-P300) and printed the following results. Volts 12.64v Measured 548CCA Rating 310CCA. In the past I always used a hydrometer but this turkey looks like a sealed battery. This tester just clipped to the terminals, is that a good test. I have no clue what is a "CCA" . What would I expect the voltage to drop under starting conditions?

I have a Midtronics MDX650P at the shop for automotive use, same principal. 310cca is about 1/2 of the battery rating, Buy a deka gmt battery and most likely don't look back. Please make sure of connections and grounds . CCA is a rating of cold cold crank amperage, can be at 32 or 0 degrees, like comparing a 80 inch heart to a 110. As Red Rider said battery is the most likely suspect, no other changes to the bike? 12.64 is only the surface charge most likely. I also have an old ass carbon pile load tester that really tells the truth on a battery.

You need to get a brush and clean the cable at the frame. If there is any corrosion there, or if the cable comes loose on the ground you are gonna have problems.
It you replace your battery. Go to Batteries Plus and get a Extreme battery.
They will blow the HD battery away.
And a bad ground or weak battery will work on yer starter.
If you wind up replacing your starter, Get a 1.4 KW all balls starter from Eastern Performance.

All good points. Get a new battery, check chassis grounds, verify charging system is doing it's thing after, you'll be OK.

Thanks to everyone for the help you have offered. This was the first year the girls went to storage shed. I remove the battery from the ultra (after move some other electronics out of the way) and brought it home to spend the winter on a battery tender. Everything else is stock on the bike. The amp meter on the bike says she is constantly charging 14+ volts. The battery is the original Based on everything I have read here it looks as if the battery is bad or the terminals are dirty.

Thanks You'all. With the help everyone has provided I'm ready to launch a campaign on the ultra battery and related systems!!!

If that is a 2008 battery I would say time for a new one just for peace of mind...I replace mine every 3 or 4 years...Cheap insurance as they say...

Battery!!!!!!


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Very 1st time I get any sign of the bike not starting fast and correct.
I take a core and go to Batteries Plus and get a brand new one.
Only got to be broke down once and the money is well spent.
Don't care if the battery is a year or two old.
I want a strong battery in my bike.
They took the kick starters off incase the battery gets low.

+1


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Went with a gel battery and the first one lasted 5 years always on a tender. Mine was always hard starting and this solved the problem, she liked to eat starter clutches, 3 replaced in 50000 miles. I agree with the above get a good battery, the 20 to 40 bucks savings on a better battery is worth it on the side of the road. My gel was a Deka Battery, gave up on the Diehard they only lasted 1-2 years at best and taken out during the winter, with the gel battery left it in on a tender all year round.

I had starter motor problems for several years, always blamed poor quality batteries and maybe some were, however I eventually traced the problem finding it quite by accident. I took off the engine cover to fit a new gasket and whilst doing the job noticed a bright line on the end of the starter shaft, the recess in the engine case where the shaft locates during the starting procedure also showed contact. The both items were quite rough so I dressed the shaft with a fine file and emery clothed the case recess. What a difference !! The bike now turns over like it has a new battery every time.
Its just occured to me I wonder if you would hear any metal to metal contact if you did the old screwdriver to the ear trick ?

Me and my big (virtual) mouth.........my ride just developed the same dang symptoms Hogdog mentioned - but my battery was new in September! Well, I figured it was just a bad battery or the winter layover (and my not riding for awhile following surgery) must have taken it down.

Nope - the problem was the starter itself. The bendix drive gears had worn down after 16 years of use, so had to get a new one. Since the engine had to be upgraded to a 95 ci a few years ago (remember that, JohnnyB?), I decided to go with a 1.7kW high torque instead of the 1.4 it had.

So, yeah, it can be the starter. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Ha-ha, the times I have also done that !! What you said is spot-on I bet 99% of starter issues are electrical it just so happens we have both been dumped in the mechanical 1% eh ?