Page 1 of 3 123 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 25

Thread: Lightning short gremlin

  1. #1
    Junior Member
    Join Date
    Nov 2021
    Posts
    6

    Lightning short gremlin

    I had Hot Sauce, my 2004 Lightning torn apart for some head work this fall. Putting her back together, all done, cant connect neg battery terminal, short. Any obvious hints welcome, the neg ground cable bolt left side was broken off, redrilled and tapped, but not on the ground source side, I think. At any rate I cant connect the battery to blow the cylinder out after the headwork, and replace the sparkplug until I can reconnect the neg terminal. Help? Checked grounds except on the triple, is that the possible source? Also, previous owner had push button starter added, and I had trouble tightening the cable, but got that in place, Id like to think that not the source, but wtf is that small wire connecter underneath it for? there is a burnt up taped up wire hanging, that was never connected before, small gauge but traces back to neg battery in the harness near as I can tell. Id like to remove the push button but not sure I can now, its replacing the starter cover on rh side. Suggestions welcome.

  2. #2
    Senior Member 34nineteen's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2015
    Location
    Kolache Factory
    Posts
    4,424
    Complete thoughts in the form of a cohesive sentence works for starters.

    When you say “short” are you referring to the cable being too short in length?

    Or are you talking about an electrical short?

    I’m not even going to go into the whole blow out of the cylinder bit.

  3. #3
    Senior Member Cooter's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2012
    Location
    Crawling up your skirt
    Posts
    10,877
    Oh. My. God.

  4. #4
    Senior Member 34nineteen's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2015
    Location
    Kolache Factory
    Posts
    4,424
    Someone once told me “your answer can only be good as the question you ask”.

  5. #5
    Senior Member Cooter's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2012
    Location
    Crawling up your skirt
    Posts
    10,877
    Well then:
    Gobbiltygook. That's your answer. Gobbiltygook.

  6. #6
    Junior Member
    Join Date
    Nov 2021
    Posts
    6
    Id like to think it would be obvious how to fix a wire being too short without asking for help. The neg terminal arcs and heats up if I try to connect the battery. I was told to leave the spark plug out and turn the bike over by the machine shop that did the head work, fyi.

  7. #7
    Senior Member Cooter's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2012
    Location
    Crawling up your skirt
    Posts
    10,877
    Quote Originally Posted by COOPSTER View Post
    Id like to think it would be obvious how to fix a wire being too short without asking for help.
    Agreed. Post pics.

    Quote Originally Posted by COOPSTER View Post
    The neg terminal arcs and heats up if I try to connect the battery.
    Holy ****, stop doing that. Even if it's the wrong battery and you are hooking up backwards without looking at the big (+) and (-) labels, it still won't arc and heat up! The fan will run and it won't start but it won't arc and heat up!

    Quote Originally Posted by COOPSTER View Post
    I was told to leave the spark plug out and turn the bike over by the machine shop that did the head work, fyi.
    Why? What "head work" was done? This is not meant t be a slam... but if you assembled the bike yourself, and can't figure out a battery, I am frightened to what else could be wrong. i.e. the intake and exhaust pushrods are different lengths but such a small difference you'd have to know, otherwise catastrophic damage could be done, same with tightening the head bolts too quickly, and about 1000 other things.

  8. #8
    Senior Member 34nineteen's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2015
    Location
    Kolache Factory
    Posts
    4,424
    Quote Originally Posted by COOPSTER View Post
    Id like to think it would be obvious how to fix a wire being too short without asking for help. The neg terminal arcs and heats up if I try to connect the battery. I was told to leave the spark plug out and turn the bike over by the machine shop that did the head work, fyi.
    Oh, you are ok. After reading your first posting I thought you had a stroke.

    Ok, now that you actually told us it’s an electrical short, which fuse is blowing? You’d think that would be an obvious part to note in your description of what was happening, but I guess not. Thank goodness you told us the name you gave your bike. That really helped to narrow it down. I’m glad you told us.

    When the shop told you to leave the spark plug out and turn it over, it likely wasn’t to “blow out the cylinder”. They probably meant to turn the engine over by hand with the spark plug out so you can make sure the engine rotates over smoothly by hand (not by starter motor) so your not fighting compression.
    Last edited by 34nineteen; 11-16-2021 at 03:06 AM.

  9. #9
    Senior Member Cooter's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2012
    Location
    Crawling up your skirt
    Posts
    10,877
    The saga of Ol' Hot Sauce is just getting interesting. I'm willing to help, but I can smell the methamphetamine from here.

  10. #10
    Senior Member 34nineteen's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2015
    Location
    Kolache Factory
    Posts
    4,424
    Maybe this is his machine shop. I could see them saying to leave the spark plug out to blow any debris out of the cylinder. Bravo to these guys getting it done with limited resources.



    Last edited by 34nineteen; 11-16-2021 at 03:28 PM.

Page 1 of 3 123 LastLast

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •