starter isn't spinning

[oldskool]

Solenoid clicks but starter isn't spinning!??The starter is Brand new!

[eglideic]

 What year of Sporty?
 How good is the battery?
 Check the battery connections.
 Did you double check the solenoid wiring with your manual?

[oldskool]

This is a 79 Sportster and there are no blinkers no horn just a tail light and headlight!!Now this thing is hot at all times!! key on or off!!??there is no starter relay and never has been since we have had the bike.Ran great before!This is a new starter does it need a starter relay?The other one didn't!coil is mounted from front of bike to back not side to side!Ignition wires Black and Red,Black goes to front coil terminal,Red goes to rear coil terminal and a white from rear coil terminal to ignition switch.?? Anyone know if this is rite??

[eglideic]

 Yes there should be a starter relay.
 I haven't worked on one of those for close to 25 years or more.
 You got the wiring wrong.
  I'm not positive about the colors, but I believe the black would get power from the kill switch.
 The white would go to your electronic ignition, and the red would probably go to your tach.
 It sounds like you have a real cobbled up mess.
 Just stick with your HD service manual and you should sort it out.
 Also a parts manual would answer a LOT of questions for you.

[oldskool]

Ok well My ole Lady rode this for a summer and it never had a starter relay then and never even had a single circuit breaker on it at first when we got it so I put 1 in between the battery and the hot from ignition switch.I did change the handlebars and ran the wires through but there's only white grey and black on the right side!white to ign switch,blk to solenoid and gry to circuit breaker.And really only grn,ble,and wht on the right side because there's no blinker's or horn just headlight hi and lo .Now all I have is a clymer manual and it has 4 circuit breakers in the system so I'm trying to figure this out somethings will be different the front break light has never been connected and it's not set up to have one with the controls. Another question if the brushes in the starter are not in the correct position could that make it hot at all times?

[eglideic]

  1979 is that oddball year. Good Luck.

[Dan-xlh1000]

A 79 had no relay. The start button made 12vdc to the seliniod and that pasted it on to the starter. The selinoid has 2 large wires. One from the battery and one to the starter. When 12vdc is applied to the 2 small wires on the selinoid it makes these 2 wires and fires the starter.  The 2 smaller wires get 12 vdc via the start button. Have someone push the start button while you test for voltage at the 2 small wires. If there is power then the selinoid is bad or has bad connections.  You can verify this by checking continuity at the 2 small wires. They are just a coil and should have almost no resistance. If they are open then the coil winding is bad.  You can also jump the 2 large wires and the starter should turn.  Make sure you're in neutral. Good luck.

[Dan-xlh1000]

Ok well My ole Lady rode this for a summer and it never had a starter relay then and never even had a single circuit breaker on it at first when we got it so I put 1 in between the battery and the hot from ignition switch.I did change the handlebars and ran the wires through but there's only white grey and black on the right side!white to ign switch,blk to solenoid and gry to circuit breaker.And really only grn,ble,and wht on the right side because there's no blinker's or horn just headlight hi and lo .Now all I have is a clymer manual and it has 4 circuit breakers in the system so I'm trying to figure this out somethings will be different the front break light has never been connected and it's not set up to have one with the controls. Another question if the brushes in the starter are not in the correct position could that make it hot at all times? The brushes tuch the armature all the time. If they are out of thier slot{very long shot} then nothing will happen. The soleniod has to be made to make the starter fire, so nothing you could do to the starter would make it hot at all times.

[saltcaveminer]

you may have a bad solenoid.contacts may be fused or eroded.solenoid plunger must move back and forth to have bendix gear engage with the clutch ring gear and then the starter turns.if the contacts are fused or the plunger is stuck the the circuit will be hot.hope this helps.Salty

[Ironhead RON]

79's do indeed come with a starter relay. Reason for start relay is that tyhe start switch and on/off disconnect  have low amp cheap contacts. And would never support the high amps that a starter needs. The start relah has a pair of contacts that transfer the high amps to the start solenoid. The relay is located under the seat. It's small and usually black. If you have the 79 XL maintenance book by Harley it has all the wire colors. Due to the wiring  done prior to your purchase they may not jibe.  Got to look up my simplified print , done by me, as the ridiculous prints that manuals have are embarassingly hard to follow. If your bike was rewired to get rid of the relay then it should have a high amp switch to make the circuit work right. Been off line and off my bike most of the season with back problems. Sciatic and lumbar, etc. 

[Ironhead RON]

Oops! Meant to say that the starter switch and disconnect to the  relay coil are low amps. Once the coil is energised with volts  it's contact set closes to allow necessary higher amps to flow to the solenoid. Follow the wires from the solenoid back.