I'm confused!?!?
Thread Starter
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Tourer
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 370
Likes: 16
From: Kansas
I'm confused!?!?
I have a 1988 FLHTC. I installed a Ultima ignition system over the winter. I've had it out a few times and it ran great. The other day I fired it up got a couple blocks away and it died, like I hit the kill switch. After some cranking it fired up again and I almost made it back home before it died again. Pushed it home and in the garage.
I pulled the fuel line off the carb and made sure I was getting fuel. Thinking maybe something was clogged. It's getting fuel.
I pulled a spark plug and wasnt getting any spark. I checked to make sure that all of the connections were good from the ignition install and couldn't find anything wrong. I pulled the cover on the ignition and hit the start button. It cranks and the lights on the ignition flash like they should. So my thought was the coil went bad.
Tonight out of curiosity I went out pulled a plug and was getting spark. Put it back in the bike and she fired right up. What could have been the problem?
Thanks Chad
I pulled the fuel line off the carb and made sure I was getting fuel. Thinking maybe something was clogged. It's getting fuel.
I pulled a spark plug and wasnt getting any spark. I checked to make sure that all of the connections were good from the ignition install and couldn't find anything wrong. I pulled the cover on the ignition and hit the start button. It cranks and the lights on the ignition flash like they should. So my thought was the coil went bad.
Tonight out of curiosity I went out pulled a plug and was getting spark. Put it back in the bike and she fired right up. What could have been the problem?
Thanks Chad
Club Member
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 15,430
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From: Beyond Fucital
I just did a S&S ignition, does the Ultima replace the coil and eliminate the old ECM?
Did you set the timing correctly? Are your crimp connections solid?
Did you set the timing correctly? Are your crimp connections solid?
Last edited by RANGER73; Apr 11, 2019 at 07:13 PM.
Thread Starter
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Tourer
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 370
Likes: 16
From: Kansas
The Ultima replaces the coil and eliminates ECM. Pretty sure the timing is correct. Could possibly be a crimp connection. I did crimp and then heat shrink them.
Cruiser
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 121
Likes: 11
From: St. Louis, MO
Apparently, when you were first trying to diagnose, the engine was still warm from riding and you got no spark. Once everything had time to cool down, your spark returned.
Electrical components can fail when hot only to work again when cooled.
Get it warm again and see if it fails again.
Electrical components can fail when hot only to work again when cooled.
Get it warm again and see if it fails again.
Last edited by Capo; Apr 11, 2019 at 07:52 PM.
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Thread Starter
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Tourer
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 370
Likes: 16
From: Kansas
Apparently, when you were first trying to diagnose, the engine was still warm from riding and you got no spark. Once everything had time to cool down, your spark returned.
Electrical components can fail when hot only to work again when cooled.
Get it warm again and see if it fails again.
Electrical components can fail when hot only to work again when cooled.
Get it warm again and see if it fails again.
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Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2018
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From: Tiffin,Oh
Apparently, when you were first trying to diagnose, the engine was still warm from riding and you got no spark. Once everything had time to cool down, your spark returned.
Electrical components can fail when hot only to work again when cooled.
Get it warm again and see if it fails again.
Electrical components can fail when hot only to work again when cooled.
Get it warm again and see if it fails again.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 5,080
Likes: 2,157
From: Ohio
If you put the Ultima coil on it, they are known to fail without warning. .
Heat affects electrical modules or anything with contacts or winding"s like a like a coil, they fail hot and work when cooling off.
The red light is a good indicator the module is working, no flashy, no signal to the coil, signal to the coil with no fire, you found it.
Heat affects electrical modules or anything with contacts or winding"s like a like a coil, they fail hot and work when cooling off.
The red light is a good indicator the module is working, no flashy, no signal to the coil, signal to the coil with no fire, you found it.
Last edited by 1997bagger; Apr 11, 2019 at 08:11 PM.