on going starter issue

[argohunter]

Good information to know. Thanks plott hound!

[tbone9]

ever since i bought my 2012 hdi ive had and issue where 50% of the time when i try to start it i get only a click and no crank.release the key and try again and away it goes as it should.initially i thought the battery may have been weak so i chucked a good agm battery in but the same thing happened.took the starter out and replaced it with my brand new spare but got the same result.changed the spade connector that goes to the starter solenoid but there ws no change.i wired in a separate relay that took power right from the main power from battery then to the the starter solenoid.but it just looked gawdy and seemed like an accident waiting to happen so i removed it.is it possible that i have defective key switch?or maybe the wire going to the starter solenoid is not big enough to carry the voltage?or is there a starter relay in there somewhere that not right? im grasping at straws here,lol and need some direction. thanks

I had the same problem with my Max. After going down the same road you did new starter. Relay, ground. I finally solved it by occasionally cleaning and lubing the starter gear. Dirt would build up just enough for it to click but not engage. An intermittent issue. Since the gear and slide are completely covered up I drilled a small hole in the bull nose so I can give it a shot of brake cleaner with the straw then a shot of WD40. This solved my problem. The snowmobile guys would have this problem also due to belt dust collecting in there.

[Noel Woods]

Battery voltage? I have a ZTR with a Kohler 27hp that did the same thing. If voltage went below 12.3 volts, I got the annoying click. The battery was switched out to a lithium Amazon special motorcycle battery and I use a 5 amp Lithium rated trickle charger. Problem solved for me. I would check the ground as well as the other connections as well as these bouncy machines tend to loosen their wiring.

[tbone9]

Battery voltage? I have a ZTR with a Kohler 27hp that did the same thing. If voltage went below 12.3 volts, I got the annoying click. The battery was switched out to a lithium Amazon special motorcycle battery and I use a 5 amp Lithium rated trickle charger. Problem solved for me. I would check the ground as well as the other connections as well as these bouncy machines tend to loosen their wiring.

I put a full size car battery in mine. The small atv battery didn’t work so well in the winter.