1979 Harley Davidson XLH 1000 Sportster - Answered Questions & Fixed issues

If the charging light is on in your 1979 Harley Davidson XLH 1000 Sportster, it indicates a potential issue with the charging system. Here are some steps you can take to check for the problem:

1. Battery Check: Begin by checking the battery voltage using a multimeter. Ensure that the battery is fully charged, and its voltage is within the recommended range specified in the owner's manual.
2. Belt Tension: Examine the belt tension of the generator drive belt. If it is loose or worn, it may not be driving the generator properly. Adjust or replace the belt if necessary.
3. Wiring Inspection: Carefully inspect the wiring connections between the generator, voltage regulator, and battery. Look for loose connections, damaged wires, or corroded terminals. Ensure all connections are clean, secure, and properly connected.
4. Voltage Regulator Check: Test the voltage regulator using a multimeter. With the motorcycle running, measure the voltage output at the battery terminals. It should be within the recommended range specified in the owner's manual. If the voltage is too high or too low, it may indicate a faulty voltage regulator.
5. Generator Output Test: To check the generator output, you will need a multimeter capable of measuring AC voltage. Disconnect the generator output wire from the voltage regulator and start the motorcycle. Set the multimeter to measure AC voltage and connect the leads to the generator output wire and a good ground. The reading should be within the specified range mentioned in the owner's manual. If there is no or low voltage output, it may indicate a faulty generator.
6. Fuse Inspection: Check the fuses related to the charging system. Ensure they are not blown or damaged. Replace any faulty fuses with the appropriate rating.

If you are unable to diagnose or resolve the charging system issue using these steps, it is recommended to consult a qualified motorcycle mechanic or contact an authorized Harley-Davidson dealership for further assistance. They will have the expertise and experience to diagnose and repair the specific charging system problem in your 1979 Harley Davidson XLH 1000 Sportster.

the post should be the same as an original. The wires should be green and tan. Green wire goes to the post towards the front wheel and the tan to the post nearest the engine. Don't forget to "polarize" the generator before starting. procedure is in the service manual. Momentarily short between the battery positive post and the field terminal.

Hi ! for a free wiring diagram, please visit the website below. If you need more information about a specific electrical issue you can reach me at [email protected]. http://www.motorpartstore.com. good luck and have a nice day.

Repair Manuals Online The Internet, though, has a large number of web sites where you can buy service manuals and schematics from bookstores, publishers, and other collectors. Here is just a sampling of what sites are out there: http://www.clymer.com/ http://www.haynes.com https://www.howtomotorcyclerepair.com/

See these: www.officialharleyparts.com

If the starter motor is turning but the engine is not, there could be several things wrong. One, the "fork" mechanism that moves the starter drive into contact with the clutch ring gear is not connected correctly. Two, the starter drive or "Bendix" is bad. Three, the ring gear on the outer clutch drum is bad. Or, four, the primary chain or some other primary drive parts are broken or missing. If you've allowed the starter to draw enough current to make the starter terminal turn red, you've probably burned the starter up by now. My suggestion would be to disconnect the battery and start looking for the problem. You've got to do a bit of mechanicing here. You cannot force the starter to work.

Drain the primary and pull the primary cover off. Check the "fork" mechanism at the starter shaft. If it looks like it's assembled correctly check the "bendix". The Bendix should turn in one direction but not in the other. Sometimes you can turn it both ways by hand and other times you can't. Check the ring gear on the clutch drum and all other parts in the primary to make sure everything is correct.

If you want to replace the Bendix, buy a good quality American made unit. The Chinese made units are junk. The "nut' on the end of the shaft has left handed threads in it.

Good Luck
Steve

Whats the question? I have a Harley XLH 1100 factory service manual. Let me know what you need. Cheers .

With the battery fully charged and the motorcycle running at idle, you should get 14V at the headlight terminals with headlight disconnected and headlight switch on (if yours has a headlight switch). When you rev the engine, voltage should not vary at all. If you do not get 13.5-14V at the headlight terminals, or if voltage varies more than 1V or exceeds 14.2V, replace the voltage regulator. (They typically only last a few years.)

Check out you tube?

http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=install+starter+harley+xls+1979&FORM=HDRSC3

charge battery or replace button or pull in clutch or neutral

The pattern you follow is a criss cross pattern & I believe it is 40 foot pounds

Your bendix gear for starter motor is on the end of it

A Harley-Davidson generator.

WHAT ABOUT IT????

WHAT ABOUT IT???

Sorry I wish I knew. Best to try looking for non Harley shops that may deal with vintage parts etc OR there are motorcycle used parts places that one can locate. Try looking also for vintage Harley clubs also.

1978 is back beyond my knowledge or expertise but: Check your pick-up sensor located inside the timing cover, behind the adjustor plate. If the filament is not intact you will have no spark. A defective coil, cam position sensor, or stator will also cause a no spark condition. Ignition Coil Primary Circuit Test Remove the coil. THEN set your ohmmeter scale to RX1 and place ohmmeter leads on the primary coil windings A (front of coil) to B (middle of coil), B to C (front of coil) and check for primary coil winding resistance which normal resistance range is 0.5-0.7 ohms. If primary resistance is not within this range check out test results below. Ignition Coil Secondary Circuit Test With the ignition coil removed from the motorcycle and the ohmmeter set to the RX1K scale place the ohmmeter leads on the secondary coil windings B (middle terminal) to R (rear secondary terminal/socket), B to F (front secondary terminal/socket) and check for secondary coil winding resistance which normal resistance range will be 5.5-7.5K ohms. If secondary resistance is not within this range check out test results below. Test Results A low resistance value indicates a short in the coil winding which requires coil replacement. A high resistance value might indicate that there is some corrosion/oxidation of the coil terminals requiring the coil terminals to be cleaned and the resistance test then repeated and if after the test is repeated the resistance is still high after the terminals were cleaned the coil must be replaced. If there is an infinite ohms or no continuity) resistance value the coil is open and must be replaced. Some time ago 4wdity posted that: Take the plugs out of the heads, put them back in the wires, and lay the plugs on the heads so that they have a good ground. Turn the ignition on and then turn it back off. When you turn the ignition switch off, you should see a spark. If you do, then something is wrong with the ignition unit. If you do not see a spark, you have a bad coil or a wiring problem. You can also do this test by "hot wiring" the coil.Anytime you put 12 volts to the coil then stop it, you should get a spark. If you have spark, it sounds like either the sensor in the timing cavity of the engine is bad or the electronic ignitionunit is bad.

Please advise further what you want to know about

Sorry but my expertise and knowledge does not go back that far, on newer bikes you would press in both turn signal switches at the same time and ten release them simultaneously as well. Please post the answer as a comment when you find it. Thanks