Starter Relay

[oblongs]

Hello all,
I've never done this before so I hope I don't butcher it up too bad. My starter relay went out on my bike about a month ago. (I have a 2004 SB with FI) With the help of the dealer I bought it from I found the relay and replaced it.
Last night I ran out to do a couple errands and it appears that the relay died again, at least it's acting the same as when it went out a month ago. Went into Home Depot, came out and hit the starter button and nothing. I got out my screw driver and jumped the started terminals and it fired right up, just like last time, so I'm guessing it's the relay again.
Is there something causing the relay to fail? I've owned it since it was new and a month ago was the first time it ever failed. Now a month later? I know it could be just a faulty new part, but I bought the more expensive one to try to avoid that.
I'm NOT a electrical guy at all, so please bear with me. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Dan

[V8Bikers]

Could be an intermittent short via a chafed wire touching metal or a fuse issue. I would first follow the wiring from the relay to the fuse box and see if there are any issues.

[Orlando606VetteTrike]

How do you know it's the relay? What about checking the start button contacts/wiring. If that is defective it won't allow the starter relay to engage thus powering the starter.

[oblongs]

Thanks for the responses. Since I'm a firm believer that there are no stupid questions, but there are embarrassing questions, here are mine.
Bill, I read posts all the time where wires are traced and checked. Every time I look at the mess of wires that are not only hidden in one harness then joined to another harness and routed under and around things, I'm thinking I'll never figure out how to put it all back together. Do I have to strip the harness/wrap off to expose all the wires, or am I missing something?
Orlando502, I really don't. The advice I got was to check the fuse and relay first, and the fuse was good so I replaced the relay. When that worked I thought I was done. Also I was told that since I could hear a faint clicking coming from behind the side cover where the relay is located that the switch was probably ok.
In all honesty, I was spoiled for the first 12 years I've owned my Bosses because I was only half hour away from Adrian and Tom. Now I'm going to have to figure some of this stuff out on my own. Guess I'm just chicken to get in over my head and ruin my baby.

[Imzz4]

Dan,

I would suggest that you get a 12v LED test light with pointed end and the alligator clip on the end of the wire if you don't have one. You can find the internal diagram of the relay on the inet ,and test it yourself. You can't mess anything up poking around looking at what has power and what doesn't.
You should find that there is power on both sides of the proper fuse when the key is on.
From the fuse it should go into the relay at #30 terminal , and light the LED.
And you should have it at #86 when you press the starter button on the bars.. The wire leaving #87 goes to your starter (where you jumped it. )
Assuming that #85 is going to a good ground, that completed circuit will energize the coil in the relay and pull the contacts down , making the connection needed to go to the starter.
Check that out and let us know...!!

[hogv8]

I've found whenever I've had a starter problem it's turned out to be either a loose connection on the starter itself or corrosion on the started connections . I have removed all the wires at the starter, cleaned the connections and all was good again . Might be worth a try , tighten them but just be careful not to over tighten and cause more problems .

[oblongs]

Shit. I typed out my reply with my questions and concerns, and apparently didn't hit the submit button.

I will try to follow all the advice you all have given me. I say try because the wiring diagram is a challenge for me.

Thanks again for the help.

[rocketsteve]

One big advantage with the BH over ALL other bikes is the printing on all the wires relating to what they do!

A big bonus for me as I share limited electrical qualifications.

[oblongs]

So I got home last night and started checking things out. Started with what looked easy, starter connections cleaned and tight, starter switch/button looked fine, pulled seat and side cover and found the relay and started to check with light tester. When I went to test the #86 wire when pushing the start button, it cranked over...... So I stopped what I was doing and tried the starter button and worked just fine. Maybe the connection vibrated loose???

I think maybe while trying to stuff all the harnesses and connectors for the ECU back in the frame the plug for the relay had too much stress and pulled it loose. I should have taken a picture of the giant mass of shit that has to fit in that little space. It took me a couple hours to find a way to fit it all back in so I could get the side panel back on.

As far as the wires being numbered, they may be, but all the wires in that area are wrapped to the end. One harness joins into another, into another, like four times. The final harness is an inch and a half thick and does not appreciate my efforts to bend it into place.

I would have preferred to have found something definitive, but that's where I'm at.

Thanks again for all your help.

[Orlando606VetteTrike]

Does the 2004 come with a newer improved fuse box?

[petitemoose]

Does the 2004 come with a newer improved fuse box?

No. I installed the Blue Seas on my 2005

[Orlando606VetteTrike]

That would be my first area to thoroughly inspect for burnt connectors.

[oblongs]

I have checked the fuse box and all is good there. (knock on wood). I'm really hoping it was just too much stuff crammed into that space. I relocated it so there wouldn't be so much pressure pushing on it.

[hossv8]

I replaced the starter relay on my 2004 too. I messed up the replacement because you cant let any of those terminals get loose on the inside. Ensure you only loosen the outer nuts not the inner ones.