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Posted by John Hopkins
- September 21, 2013, 17:58:58 PMKeep the old battery fully charged, you never know when you might need it, even if it only helps someone else get home..
John.
Posted by CDNRatMan
- September 21, 2013, 15:38:55 PMWOW 1908 think you should replace it Mr. Benny, Sir time to let it go and get a new one.....
Posted by greenbarn
- September 21, 2013, 15:36:09 PMIf it were mine, I wouldn't bother to try to do anything with a 2008 battery. 5 years is a long life for a battery. That's like 72 in human years. Like Troll says, even in a car that's about average for battery life. Right now at the shop we're replacing batteries from a lot of 2007, 2008, and some 2009's already.
Posted by Troll
- September 21, 2013, 11:34:06 AMA car battery from '08 is pretty old! Most H-D types get a year or 2 tops out of a battery...
Posted by DC
- September 21, 2013, 10:38:12 AMThe old battery is from 2008. Maybe I could try selling it on CL locally.
Posted by greenbarn
- September 21, 2013, 00:16:56 AMI think you found your problem.
How old is the old batt anyway?
You could try to sell one of the batteries.
Or you could keep the new one safe and warm and dry, and use the old one until it does crap out, as it will sooner or later.
Posted by DC
- September 20, 2013, 21:17:32 PMOkay, here's the latest. Yesterday I went to Lowe's and got a metric bolt and a lag bolt, in a larger size. Thought about it a while, then bagged using those. Went to the hardware store today. Explained everything to an old guy there. He methodically zeroed in on how to fix this.. . . pretty much what you are all saying.
First get a self-tapping screw the next size, 1/4 20. Then we got a 1/4 20 bolt. So I used the self-tapping screw to clear a way in and make new threads. Then I used the 1/4 bolt in place of the original M6. I had to use some washers underneath the head to reduce the effective length, since it was a bit longer than the M6. Put it all together and tightened it up. Works great!!!!!
Started right up. No clickety click. So far. Went on a chilly ride for about 2 hours running errands. I'm deliberately NOT going to put in on the Battery Tender Plus(tm) for a week or so.. I want to determine if there is something draining the battery when the bike is off. If no clickety click after a week or 2, then it was just the loose ground cable causing the problem.
So now what do I do with the original battery, which apparently is still good?
Posted by 49Reo
- September 19, 2013, 09:19:20 AMLoc-tite used to sell a product called "thread restore" or something like that. I had a harmonic balancer fail on a 454 chev engine; when I changed it, the threads in the end of the crank shaft failed. Anyway, I tried the loc-tite stuff, it said would give 80% strength of the original thread. Put a release agent on the bolt, filled the end of the crankshaft and coated the bolt with the Loc-tite stuff, put it in, waited overnight. Unscrewed the bolt, cleaned everything up and pulled the balancer on with it. If you tyr this, just make sure you clean the engine case to bare metal where the connector sits when the bolt is tight after using the Loc-tite stuff.
Posted by DC
- September 19, 2013, 07:01:58 AMQuote from: greenbarn on September 17, 2013, 11:38:37 AMI'm going to Lowe's tonight to try to find a self-tapping bolt.You might, just might, be able to find a self-tapping bolt to fit. You would have to take the original to a HW store. I would not try this unless that's the only purpose for the hole (i.e. just a ground strap, not holding anything else on). Keep in mind most threads are "stripped" from aluminum b/c of over-tightening and/or cross threading, but mostly over-tightening.
Last night I tried something I heard elsewhere. I cut up some paper clips and tried to use them as grip material for the bolt. Basically, the paper clip metal is too soft or won't stay in place. I worked on that for a couple of hours last night, to no avail.
Then I tried using a larger bolt in the hole, but it was too big. It looks like a 1/4 20 might work in there.
So on to the self-tapping bolt idea.
Posted by greenbarn
- September 17, 2013, 11:38:37 AMYou might, just might, be able to find a self-tapping bolt to fit. You would have to take the original to a HW store. I would not try this unless that's the only purpose for the hole (i.e. just a ground strap, not holding anything else on). Keep in mind most threads are "stripped" from aluminum b/c of over-tightening and/or cross threading, but mostly over-tightening.
Posted by DC
- September 17, 2013, 10:58:16 AMI guess that's what I'll have to try then. So I'll find a location, then go out and get a cable long enough to reach it.
Before I do that, I'm wondering if I could wrap the bolt threads with some thin metal, to try to get a better grip. Something like aluminum foil, but not aluminum, as mixing it with copper can cause problems.
Posted by Troll
- September 17, 2013, 08:31:58 AMElectricity is extremely logical. It will only go if it can get back...and the ground path is how. The engine ground is only necessary because the engine is rubber mounted. Saw the braided cable on a Harley come loose like that going down the road. Stopped right there.... I believe I mentioned that ground problem possibility..glad to know my brain is still working. Choosing an alternate bolt to attach to seems to be the easiest, quickest solution.
Posted by greenbarn
- September 17, 2013, 08:22:01 AMQuote from: aralph on September 17, 2013, 05:32:43 AMThis is the easiest option - in order to put in a helicoil, you would have to drill out the existing hole, and tap it to the size of the helicoil. Then the helicoil screws into the hole, giving you new threads on the inside of the coil. NOT a good option if you can't get to it to drill it out. You may have to extend the cable, and move it to a new location. LIke aralph said, just about anywhere on the block would work.Is there any other place on the block you could connect to.
You just have to establish a good ground.aralph
Posted by DC
- September 17, 2013, 08:02:25 AMIs the helicoil the way to go, or is there something else I can do with the screw that would create enough grip in the hole?
I'll also try to scope out another grounding point on the block.
Posted by aralph
- September 17, 2013, 05:32:43 AMIs there any other place on the block you could connect to.
You just have to establish a good ground.
aralph