i can´t find the Diode in my sportster Iron head 1984

 

I haven't actually had to find the diode on '82 yet, but I've read that it's in the headlight bucket?

The diode is encased in black shrink wrap tubing somewhere on an orange or black wire, so you need to feel for a small "bump" in the wire inside the shrink wrap. The bump will be the diode.

The wiring diagram for my '82 shows it's an orange wire. Not sure if the '84 is the same an an '82 or not.

 

you need a circle pick test light you pull back a spring clip and the pointer goes into the wire and you can locate the volt drop cut it out and solder in a new one

 

Actually the diode is easy to find in the headlight bucket. It is encased in a black soft plastic tube in an orange wire. The wire comes from what I call "the orange wire connector", which has 3 orange wires in, 3 wires out, and a pair of wires that is one wire going in then out then back in again, on one end.

 

Thanks Mick, i´m gonna check it out tomorrow, thanks a lot

 

hi, i went thru the headlight assembly inside the headlight bucket but there´s no diode, i guess sometime in the past was removed for some strange reason, so what i know thans your info must be connected in an orange wire, the question is where, i found the connector with orange wires, but i´m lost honestly, any comments . thanks for your help

 

one side of the orange will be hot the other wont be

its actually that simple

 

The connector with just orange wires is the place to start.

One side of the connector has 3 orange wires coming out. The middle wire has the diode. From the diode the orange wire runs into a corner of a 12-wire connector at the back of the headlight bucket. It comes out the other side of the connector as a black wire that runs directly to the gen indicator light.

Could you post a pic of the orange wire connector?

It is possible that a PO removed the diode. Some guys believe that it is not needed because it was not used in earlier bikes, before about 1977. In 1978 the regulator was changed from mechanical to electronic. I have heard that he mechanical did not need the diode, the electronic should have it.

OK, is your 1984 and early one E84 with a generator? or is it late L84 with an alternator? I am thinking that it may not be needed with an alternator??? However the FSM wire diagram for L84-85 shows the diode present.

But then the wire runs to the connector and I do not understand the wire diagram from that point on. The wire runs to a part that I do not recognise in the wire diagram. Someone else will have to comment.

 

Hello IronMick, my bike is an early ´84, with Hitachi Generator, i found the orange connector, there is no diode, probably was removed by the previous owner, one more thing, there is no generator light on the dash panel

Orange wire connector

 

The diode is probably wrapped in the white looking material with black tape in the red oval. It is a small semiconductor device that essentially acts as a one-way switch for current, similar in appearance to a resistor.

It looks like it has been replaced not using the original black wrap. When replacing these they have to be soldered in line with the orange wire. This can be tedious if you are not good at soldering as too much heat can wreck the diode. You could carefully unwrap it to have a look. Google diode for pics for confirmation.