Common wiring problems?
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Road Master
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 1,117
Likes: 5
Common wiring problems?
Is there a common failure point in E-Glide wiring where a short or break in a wire commonly occurs causing bike to die or complete loss of charging?
Before I rewired the mess inside the fairing I rode it to the car wash and lost power to the ignition coil. By the time I walked home and got the car and cables 1/4 mile and came back. I put the cables on it and it fired right up.
about a week ago I was backing the thing out and lost spark intermittently and the thing backfired causing the local drunk to hit the deck as he was walking by...LOL
I could not duplicate the problem again, but I am not sure as I adjusted the choke as it was dying and after the BANG it was fine. Maybe I am nervous about a wiring issue as every Harley I have ever rode broke down on me electrically.
Uncles 84 the first time I rode it here to clean it up for him took a ****...
his rear cig socket wire rubbed between the chaffed coating on the throttle cable and under the tank smoking an 18 gauge wire. I unhooked it, rode it home with a frozen throttle cable fighting to reach 35mph without lugging it with about 1000 rpm limit. easy fix, cable and remove junk wiring.
Of course my car wash problem on this other bike, and my recent one above that I cant duplicate.....
Maybe I am paranoid.
Before I rewired the mess inside the fairing I rode it to the car wash and lost power to the ignition coil. By the time I walked home and got the car and cables 1/4 mile and came back. I put the cables on it and it fired right up.
about a week ago I was backing the thing out and lost spark intermittently and the thing backfired causing the local drunk to hit the deck as he was walking by...LOL
I could not duplicate the problem again, but I am not sure as I adjusted the choke as it was dying and after the BANG it was fine. Maybe I am nervous about a wiring issue as every Harley I have ever rode broke down on me electrically.
Uncles 84 the first time I rode it here to clean it up for him took a ****...
his rear cig socket wire rubbed between the chaffed coating on the throttle cable and under the tank smoking an 18 gauge wire. I unhooked it, rode it home with a frozen throttle cable fighting to reach 35mph without lugging it with about 1000 rpm limit. easy fix, cable and remove junk wiring.
Of course my car wash problem on this other bike, and my recent one above that I cant duplicate.....
Maybe I am paranoid.
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Road Master
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 1,117
Likes: 5
mine is an 87, the 84 was my uncles, does the main breaker break all of the circuits? some of the stuff still worked when I 'thought " there was an issue
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 3,673
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From:
i have an 85. i replaced all the breakers 2 years ago. it helped me out with ignition problems. i would start with breakers and see what happens first. chasing electrical isn't fun. good luck. the main breaker is under the seat and the rest (3) are under the speedo- tach on my 85.
Intermediate
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 49
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From: Lakeland Florida
Why are you saying it is a wiring problem? Because the iginition didn't fire? Is that the original ignition module? Is the coil cracked? lots of times the coil will start to crack and perform poorly like you have stated. I've seen ignitions do the same. It will continue till it gets worse or just stops all together. I would suggest you isolate your problem. If it is the ignition, find the power wire to it and check it. Ignition systems don't last forever. I have 200,000 miles on my 85 and have replaced a couple of them.
Tom
Tom
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Road Master
Joined: Jun 2009
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Why are you saying it is a wiring problem? Because the iginition didn't fire? Is that the original ignition module? Is the coil cracked? lots of times the coil will start to crack and perform poorly like you have stated. I've seen ignitions do the same. It will continue till it gets worse or just stops all together. I would suggest you isolate your problem. If it is the ignition, find the power wire to it and check it. Ignition systems don't last forever. I have 200,000 miles on my 85 and have replaced a couple of them.
Tom
Tom
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Thread Starter
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Road Master
Joined: Jun 2009
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Likes: 5
Problem found
I found my problem. There is an issue with the plug and socket for the ignition module. If I swing the bars hard left it bumps the plug a little and it kills the engine. Bad connection, bad plug? it looks clean and good inside.
Keeping the bars straight, i can push a little bit on the plug pushing it against the frame and engine will die.
Rode the bike about 1 mile today around the block a few times, around the other block near me a few more times...no problems. Only at full left on the bars. I guess I wont be doing that until I fix this.
I even soldered the ground to the lug at the ground bolt to make sure it wasnt that.
Keeping the bars straight, i can push a little bit on the plug pushing it against the frame and engine will die.
Rode the bike about 1 mile today around the block a few times, around the other block near me a few more times...no problems. Only at full left on the bars. I guess I wont be doing that until I fix this.
I even soldered the ground to the lug at the ground bolt to make sure it wasnt that.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 10,602
Likes: 721
From: Bellevue, NE
When my ignition switch gave up the ghost this past summer it acted kinda similar to yours. The bike would start with the forks turned to the left, but when I'd stand it up and straighten the bars out it would die.
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