Hello all ! I am new to this forum and I'm hoping that someone out there can help me with my issue and I'm sure I will have many more to come. I just recently picked up a 1981 ironhead XLH. I bought it in rolling form the man I got it from said that it's been sitting for 12 years because there was a problem with the tranny no he purchased a refurbished one out of a salvage yard and never finished the bike long story short I paid $540 for the bike with the title from 1986. Now for my problem it appears that he cut out the electronic module or CDI box and also cut out the wiring for the blinkers because it had a springer front end on it that they did not bother to remove the wiring they just cut them I'm not too concerned about that right now because I'd like the bike running before I go any further. I believe the CDI box mount underneath the battery near the oil tank if someone can help me with that that would be fantastic now on the bike there is a wire loom coming out of the bottom of the pick up with a white and a blue wire in it they have it running of the frame in the white wire is attached to one side of the coil in the blue wire has a spade terminal on it not attached anything the CDI box wiring is also cut that has a red or black in a green in its own wire loom it also has another set of wires which is a blue and a white that are in its own wire loom and then a single black wire witch i'm pretty sure it's a ground. I have searched high and low for a wiring schematic on the bike but they all seem to have different colors or I can't make out with the wires go I have seen one that shows four wires on the coil one white from the pick up one blue from the pick up and also one blue and one white from the CDI but I have also seen other schematics that show the wiring for the pick up going into the CDI and then from the CDI to the coil but as the CDI box does not have very many wirs I'm guessing that's not the right one. Someone could please please please post some pictures of what the wiring looks like or what the plugs look like near the battery or at least explain to me how this is supposed to be wired up. Thanks Dan

 

IMO you will be much better off replacing all ignition components currently on that bike with an Ultima electronic ignition kit. It will be better in just about every way imaginable ...

You need the complete ignition kit but you do not need the programming kit
http://www.ultimaproducts.com/programmableignition.html

Install instructions
http://www.ultimaproducts.com/53-644_Ignition.pdf

A reliable eBay seller, best price
http://www.ebay.com/itm/ULTIMA-SINGL...RWy2gD&vxp=mtr

If you get this I'll pass on more detail about the install instructions.

 

You bought a 1981 XLH and have a title for a 1986 XLH?
If the vin matches the engine and not the frame , thats bad. Your paper has to match the frame, no other place counts

 

No title and engine and frame match. Just looking around on the forum and do you think I have a dyna s ignition ?? The pick up only has 2 wires blue and whit but he gave me a cdi box and it looks like the factory holes are there under the battery box and there is a factory wire loom with the same three wires red black green looks like they may have gone to the cdi but the wires are up too near the battery with the starter relay and dose not look like they could have ever been under the battery box. I'm so confused lol

 

 

Ok that looks good the blue white out but the box had another set of 3 wires black green and red ? Thanks so much we may be getting sum where lol

 

What are the actual engine and frame numbers? It is 1981 with a title issued in 1986? Pictures would be very helpful for each of your questions.

You need to buy the two factory manuals. You will get no where fast unless you have both. We can only be so helpful when you do not have even the basic information to use the correct terminology. Here is what you need ...

99484-85 Factory Service Manual
99451-85A Factory Parts Catalog

These are widely available. Put the part numbers into the Google and eBay searches, or buy from a local Harley Davidson shop or from a local indie motorcycle shop.

If you are looking for parts anywhere whether it be eBay or a local Harley Davidson shop or from a local indie motorcycle shop you must have the exact correct part number. The only way to get these is to have the factory manuals.

These manuals contain the correct wire diagrams for what you have. It is important to be able to determine what is there that is correct and what has been mangled by the procession of previous owners throughout the history of that motorcycle

The FSM is the only source of information available for the electronic ignition system on your motorcycle.

My advice on the Ultima ignition still stands. You will find very few members of any of the IronHead and vintage motorcycle forums are familiar the electrical and electronic systems of that year, which ever one it happens to be.

 

It is definitely a 1981 in the title says XLS. Like I said what's really screwing with me is the pick up is at two wire pick up a blue and white but the CDI box that came with the bike has three wires and then two wires and then one black wire I'm so confused with this thing.

 

Do you guys think it's possible that when they put the springer front end on this bike they converted it to a Dyna s ignition ?

 

Anything is possible. You would not believe some of the things that POs have done with these bikes.

Post pics of what you call the CDI box and the module behind the ignition cover that might be a Dyna S. The S and the OEM module look similar but we might be able to tell from pics.

Here's the Dyna S instruction sheet ...
https://zodiac.nl/docs/instructions/232290.pdf

Here's a Dyna S ignition system ...
http://www.jpcycles.com/product/380-623

Do a Google search for 1981 sportster ignition module and you will get pictures of the original parts.