Looking for some troubleshooting help
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Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 65
Likes: 0
From: lloydminster SK Canada
Did you ever figure it out. I had a similar problem, but mine turned out to be the ignition switch. Not sure what style of switch is on your bike but mine has the bar on the bottom that touches the 2 contacts. At higher speeds it would rattle itself away from the contacts killing the power, but would set itself straight again once the vibration ceased. mines a 88
Road Master
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 1,205
Likes: 18
From: SE Michigan
Smart money...
I'd bet you a cup if coffee that Hess is right.. I had the same issue on my bike. It would run great, then cut off like I hit the switch, come back and run fine again.. Finally after chasing it for a couple of weeks, it left me on the side of the road.. Refusing to tow it, I found one of the pick-up wires coming out of the cone and running behind my Carlini Tq Arm was broken internally. Basicly, with the bike running, gently pull on the wires coming from your ignition pick-up and see if that effects it. If one is broken, you'll feel the stretch..
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Road Master
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 803
Likes: 3
From: Collegeville, PA
So you guys resurrected this post.
The bike is running fine now and has been for the last 1500 miles. I'm not certain what the problem was, but here is what I did:
1.Traced all the wires for the ignition module to their end for shorts or lack of continuity.
2.Cleaned and lubed all the connectors in the ignition circuit with dielectric grease
3. Replaced the circuit breakers for the ignition system
4. Cleaned and lubed all the connectors under the left side cover and checked all battery connections.
5.Checked the connector and wires going to the ignition pick-up.
6. Checked the coil for proper resistance
7. Finally, replaced the ignition module with a Dyna single fire unit and new single fire coil pack.
It could have been any of the above, but I'm betting either the circuit breaker was go9ing bad, which would have been a $10 fix, or the ignition module was going bad, and that cost a lot more.
The bike is running fine now and has been for the last 1500 miles. I'm not certain what the problem was, but here is what I did:
1.Traced all the wires for the ignition module to their end for shorts or lack of continuity.
2.Cleaned and lubed all the connectors in the ignition circuit with dielectric grease
3. Replaced the circuit breakers for the ignition system
4. Cleaned and lubed all the connectors under the left side cover and checked all battery connections.
5.Checked the connector and wires going to the ignition pick-up.
6. Checked the coil for proper resistance
7. Finally, replaced the ignition module with a Dyna single fire unit and new single fire coil pack.
It could have been any of the above, but I'm betting either the circuit breaker was go9ing bad, which would have been a $10 fix, or the ignition module was going bad, and that cost a lot more.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 8,202
Likes: 3,089
From: NW AR
That's like the old story:
A group of doctors goes duck hunting. Some birds fly overhead. The Internal Medicine doc stands up, aims his shotgun at the birds, says "Rule out geese. Rule out quail. Rule out dove. Rule out..." and the birds have flown past, out of range. Another flock flys by. The Surgeon stands up, points his 410 at a bird, shoots, the bird drops out of the sky, dead. The Surgeon turns to the Pathologist and says "Make sure that was a duck." Another flock flys by. The Family Practice doc stands up, points a fully automatic belt fed 10 guage and lets loose with a full 250 round belt. A bird falls out of the sky. He says "I don't know what it was, but I sure got it."
A group of doctors goes duck hunting. Some birds fly overhead. The Internal Medicine doc stands up, aims his shotgun at the birds, says "Rule out geese. Rule out quail. Rule out dove. Rule out..." and the birds have flown past, out of range. Another flock flys by. The Surgeon stands up, points his 410 at a bird, shoots, the bird drops out of the sky, dead. The Surgeon turns to the Pathologist and says "Make sure that was a duck." Another flock flys by. The Family Practice doc stands up, points a fully automatic belt fed 10 guage and lets loose with a full 250 round belt. A bird falls out of the sky. He says "I don't know what it was, but I sure got it."
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Road Master
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 803
Likes: 3
From: Collegeville, PA
Your right, Doc, it was certainly the shotgun approach. But I also look at it this way: It's an 11 year old bike and now I have peace of mind that none of those things should give me problems for a while longer. So we'll just consider it a variation of preventive maintenance.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 2,877
Likes: 2
From: Hallsville, Tx.
Your right, Doc, it was certainly the shotgun approach. But I also look at it this way: It's an 11 year old bike and now I have peace of mind that none of those things should give me problems for a while longer. So we'll just consider it a variation of preventive maintenance.
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 6,590
Likes: 444
From: Ohio
Heat soak does not refer to the ambient temp, it's about the (in this case) operating temp of the ignition module. It can be tested sometimes by using a hair dryer to heat the module to induce failure. Glad you found it.
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Cruiser
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 105
Likes: 0
From: north eastern Pa.
wsith the bike idling, take and start "shaking" all the wires, tapping on the switches to see you can make it happen.
On cars, I've taken a heat gun and with it a bit away for the moduels, blasted them with heat, (heat them up, not MELT then!!)
I'd say ignition module or loose wire.
Check all you connections, clean then even if they look good.
Let us know so we can do the same to our bikes!
Joe
New to EVO's not new to wrenching
On cars, I've taken a heat gun and with it a bit away for the moduels, blasted them with heat, (heat them up, not MELT then!!)
I'd say ignition module or loose wire.
Check all you connections, clean then even if they look good.
Let us know so we can do the same to our bikes!
Joe
New to EVO's not new to wrenching
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 2,706
Likes: 14
From: Near Frankenmuth, MI
I had a similar experience with the sudden dieing, like you hit the kill switch, which is something you need to check first when this issue comes up.
My recent experience with my '86 FLTC led me to discover the Harley dealership connected the previous owners accessory spot lights to the ignition circuit breaker creating a heavy load and weakening the breaker. Rewired and changed the breaker and still had issues. But the issues changed just enough to know the breaker was part of the issue.
Next I decided it was the coil. I measured the primary resistance at the max limit of 3.1 ohms. Then I heated it up with a hair dryer and the resistance change to out of limits.
So I rationalized the coil got hot when I stopped along the way for only a short period allowing heat to build from the motor. Shut the key off, wait a few minutes for the breaker to cool and reset, and it started right back up, always running perfectly when running.
New coil and everything is working perfect again.
Could have been the Camshaft sensor but they usually completely die and do not reset, or it'll give you some engine miss when cruded up.
Could have been the module, but again often they give you issues when the motor runs, or they die completely and do not reset.
Knew it wasn't the vacuum control that only adjusts idle / fast speed timing.
And there's more to check but I figured it out with a $10 breaker and a new coil.
At least I hope that's the answer cause the last ride with the new coil was perfect!
How do you like the single fire system? How much for yours?
My recent experience with my '86 FLTC led me to discover the Harley dealership connected the previous owners accessory spot lights to the ignition circuit breaker creating a heavy load and weakening the breaker. Rewired and changed the breaker and still had issues. But the issues changed just enough to know the breaker was part of the issue.
Next I decided it was the coil. I measured the primary resistance at the max limit of 3.1 ohms. Then I heated it up with a hair dryer and the resistance change to out of limits.
So I rationalized the coil got hot when I stopped along the way for only a short period allowing heat to build from the motor. Shut the key off, wait a few minutes for the breaker to cool and reset, and it started right back up, always running perfectly when running.
New coil and everything is working perfect again.
Could have been the Camshaft sensor but they usually completely die and do not reset, or it'll give you some engine miss when cruded up.
Could have been the module, but again often they give you issues when the motor runs, or they die completely and do not reset.
Knew it wasn't the vacuum control that only adjusts idle / fast speed timing.
And there's more to check but I figured it out with a $10 breaker and a new coil.
At least I hope that's the answer cause the last ride with the new coil was perfect!
How do you like the single fire system? How much for yours?