Recently bought a 1998 EG Ultra Classic with 42k on it, that was converted from FI to carb. The engine, cam chest, primary etc have never been touched. The only mods are the Arlen ness big air sucker and Rinehart slipons. It starts easily, idles fine goes through the gears fine.
I don't know, maybe it's me since it's been so long since I've had an EVO, but this bike seems to accelerate very slowly. Anemic like. The engine sounds fine, no skip, no hiccups, no hesitation, and will wind up over 5k rpm. ( I don't rev much higher than 5K anyway) It just takes a while to get there. It definitely could use a cam upgrade. Compression cold is front 166, rear 164. so the top end is fine.

I am not familiar with EFI to carb conversions, but whoever did this looks to be a clean job. I am thinking they/he/she used a harness from an earlier model EG since there are no extra wires tucked anywhere or cut and capped off. I looked everywhere, even under the tank.
The only extra wire/plug (wish I knew what it was/is) I can find is next to the Screamin' Eagle 32421-85a Ignition module. Why this ignition was picked is beyond me. The coil seems to be stock for a 98. The cam position is 32448-95a, seems to work fine but has some of that melting brown goo.

Like I stated, it's been a long time since I have owned a stock EVO. I am also riding a 2016 Indian Roadmaster with torque that damn near rips your arms out of your sockets so I don't have a lot to go on here.

Besides the replacing the melting cam sensor, Does anyone think I should change any other ignition parts? Does anyone really think this is causing the anemic power?
Don't mind spending some money on improvements, but also not looking for the latest/greatest super deluxe Turbo XXX-777275 system worth more than the bike either.
Does anyone think the ignition system is making the bike's power seem like it is anemic? I don't honestly. At least not drastically, but think there could be economic improvements over the existing electronics.

 

Replace that cam position sensor now. Standard Motor Products carrie a plug-in replacement for half the price of the stock one. Works fine on my 98 Ultra. One of the guys here can give you the # off the top of their head.

Got mine from JP Cycles.

Ken

 

Like previously mentioned, replace the sensor . Then do a full maintenance on the bike, tune up ,wires , plugs. Get intimate with her. Then start dialing it in once you know everything's sorted.

A 8k rpm module concerns me, especially if the motor was stock. Could be very tired....

 

If that thing makes power at 8k... I will eat it with a Fork!!!
Somebody spun the Guts out of it...Needlessly.

 

Yeah stock cams for that year are a joke. Even a mild upgrade would shock you in improvement. If it's running OK then no, the ignition has basically nothing to do with low power unless the timing is off and/or the voes is missing, defective or otherwise not working.

With those miles, if the compression is good, I'd put a Dyna 2Ki ignition in and never look back. While "near" there, an Andrews 23 if you want a good Tour bike cam or the EV27 or similar if you want to ride over 80 mph most of the time.

Nobody seems to think about it but at 5k rpms - the flywheel is actually turning 10,000 times a minute...

 

"Nobody seems to think about it but at 5k rpms - the flywheel is actually turning 10,000 times a minute..."
Does a rev limiter not reflect Flywheel RPM vs. Cam rotation?
Make sure the VOES is operating correctly.

 

No. The cam turns half speed of the flywheel on these but don't want to get "in the weeds" in explanations with dual fire and all that... Concerning the ignition module / rev limiter, think of a timing light on a V8 engine or any 4-cycle engine. It flashes every time the connected plug wire fires, but does not flash on the exhaust stroke. The crank or flywheel is going around twice for every one compression (firing) stroke.

And I totally agree, OP needs to verify the VOES is working.

 

Yeah. Replace goo generator. Make sure VOES is working. That ignition module is excellent, leave it alone. I have one very similar on my bike. If still not enough umph, cam and tune the carb. Without spending cubic dollars, that's about what you get.

 

As usual, you guys are a wealth of information. Ordered the Standard Motor Products cam sensor along with a VOES. It's somewhat of a pain to get to on the EG but got it. Just did a simple vacuum test with suction and you could hear/feel air whether sucking or blowing on the tube. Opened up the unit. Pretty easy to do, and the diaphragm had small tiny cracks in it. So good call guys.

Thinking that I am just gonna order the EV13 along with the cam bearing, S&S quickee pushrods, the cam chest gasket kit and exhaust gaskets. (Already have a new, good set of S&S lifters that I never used many years ago.) Most likely tonight. Might as well just get everything behind me so I can just ride it without worrying about any other stupid things fro this year anyway.

I hate it when you buy a bike in good faith, then find out that you are going to have to spend more money than you thought to get it right. Oh well, live and learn......... again.

 

I dunno, I always budget about 1500 for maintenance on a used vehicle. Usually spend less, rarely more. Been a rare day when none was used at all.