Recently I had to have my ignition module replaced. Got sick of dealing with electrical issues so I had a indy fix and replace all my poor electrical splices and go over my work.

The ignition module had to be replaced and he suggested going with the twin tec 1005. Said these never have any issues

Got bike back and made it about 8 miles before the new ignition module burnt up.

Seems I had a voltage spike that took out the new ignition module due to a bad voltage regulator.

Here is an excerpt from the twin tec website talking about their "surge absorber"

Diagnosing and solving failures caused by electrical system over-voltage.
Failure from electrical system over-voltage causes a surge absorber inside the Model 1005 to burn up. This failure mode can be readily identified by a characteristic raised and burned area on the back side of the unit as shown in the picture below and a strong odor of burned electrical insulation.


So the "surge absorber" is designed to burn up the whole ignition system? And now my ignition is in "failure mode"?

Should of stuck with the dynatek. It has over voltage and short circuit protection and is cheaper

 

Bummer....

 

I guess my indy has pull with his supplier. It will be returned and replaced free.

but Twin Tec under no circumstances will warranty their flawed design.
I mean "Feature enhanced" design

 

good deal on the replacement free.

 

too bad you can't get a refund and go with something else

 

Dynatek
■Over voltage protected against momentary spikes (both positive and negative going) as well as surges caused by faulty voltage regulators or quick charge battery boosters

■Intelligent overvoltage/overcurrent protection.
■ Adjustable retard timing.
■ Short circuit protection..

VS

Diagnosing and solving failures caused by electrical system over-voltage.
Failure from electrical system over-voltage causes a surge absorber inside the Model 1005 to burn up. This failure mode can be readily identified by a characteristic raised and burned area on the back side of the unit as shown in the picture below and a strong odor of burned electrical insulation.



The most common cause of this failure is momentary disconnection of the battery while the engine is running. The system voltage then spikes up to a very high level (over 30 volts) before the voltage regulator can react. It is not unusual to also find other damaged electrical components, such as burned out light bulbs or a dead radio on touring models. The problem is generally caused by defective or loose battery cables, improper battery ground connections, or internal defects in the battery. You must correct the underlying problem before installing a new module, otherwise the same failure will occur again. We suggest the following steps:
1. Replace the battery. Even new batteries can have internal defects that cause an intermittent open connection between cells when the battery is subjected to vibration or shock.
2. Replace all battery cables. The battery negative terminal must make a direct connection to frame ground. Some custom motorcycles route the battery negative cable to the engine and then rely on the engine mount to make a frame ground connection. This is never acceptable.
3. Temporarily replace the electronic ignition with a mechanical breaker point system. Breaker points can withstand momentary electrical overvoltage conditions without catastrophic failure. Make sure you use an appropriate 5 ohm dual fire coil. Single fire or 3 ohm coils are not compatible with breaker points.
4. Check the charging system. While not the underlying cause, the voltage regulator may also have been damaged. Verify that the battery voltage doesn't exceed 14.4 volts when the engine is running in the 2,000-3,000 RPM range.
5. Operate the motorcycle for several weeks. If no other electrical failures (such as a burned out headlight) are noted, it is probably safe to install a new electronic ignition module.

 

That's all lawyer speak for your screwed buy another one .........

 

fix the real problem this time before installing the new parts.
You got lucky with the replacement this time, I'm sure they won't be as nice the second time around.

 

Yeah it's lucky I had a mechanic working on my bike.

 

So Duker, just to update you and to let you know I "feel your pain" I have had to order a new stator ( i chose a molded one) and a new voltage rectifier/regulator. And I am in the process of waiting for parts to reassemble. The stator was arced/touched by the rotating magnets in the clutch case/basket and caused the stator to burn out and affect my whole electrical system, so battery died and complete shut down of the bike. Apparently the 86-89's HD Sportsters' has history of this type of problem with the magnets coming loose and destroying the stator. Hope your bike will again bring you joy and not pain.