Best Damn upgrade!

[Shredder]

After reading BDMRIDGEBACK's post on installing a Thunderheart ignition, I was very intrigued by this new programmable ignition that would allow me to keep my chrome cam cover. So I contacted my Big Dog dealer who ordered the ignition through Drag and installed it last Saturday. All I can say is WOW, what an upgrade! I had done quite a few performance upgrades prior to the ignition, Mean Mother exhaust, XXX carb (chrome of course, I hear it's faster), Velocity stack, 600 cam, heavy duty valve springs, and finally decked the heads to raise the compression. None of these prior improvements provided a huge "seat of the pants" improvement in performance. Clearly the stock ignition was holding all of these components back.
Now with a simple twist of the throttle the bike reacts very very quickly and flies. It was 40 degrees coming home from the dealer on the bike and I didn't care. This upgrade is highly recommended by me. At $315 for the ignition it is also a fairly affordable one at that.
Thank you very much to BDMRIDGEBACK (Jake) for his original post and the help he provide me on set up.

Link to original post
http://www.bigdogbiker.com/forums/how/7950-how-upgrading-thunder-heart-ignition-module.html

Shredder

 

[hoat]

thanks this has got me thinking again

 

[bdmridgeback]

thanks this has got me thinking again

Hoat, help the economy out, go buy a new ignition!!!

 

[hoat]

shit I did that last night at COSTCO. those little bastered sure eat alot not to mention the OL hahahaha

 

[V]

I bought one. BDMRidgeback did you cut and splice the wire or put on new plugs? The new igntion has heavier gauge wire and I am having trouble trying to get the BD style plugs to work. Oh and accidently installed a Woods cam last night. Didn't mean to it kinda just happened

Thanks V

** Sorry for the question! Didn't know you had this in your " how to"

Yea I know "search is my friend" :bang:

 

[slowrower]

Thanks for bringing this back up again and thanks to Jake for the how-to. I for one will be ordering this upgrade asap. :2thumbs:

 

[K9husker]

what settings did you put in the box as far as timing etc?

 

[Shredder]

Jake started with setting 5, then went to 3. I am using setting 6 and have no reason to change it.

Shredder

 

[bdmridgeback]

I ordered the plugs from Gateway BDM and they sent me the wrong gauge. I ordered the larger gauge and they sent the small ones. So I ended up soldering and shrink wrapping a factory 3" pigtail from the original ignition to the new one.
Here was mine in mid-install:

 

[bdmridgeback]

what settings did you put in the box as far as timing etc?

I have settled on setting four for now. Seems to be pretty good without detonation. I am running a .600 Cam, K&N, G carb, mean mother pipes. I had mine on setting six, but the premium gas down here in FLA sucks and I was afraid of having some silent detonation and damaging something. So I stayed on the conservative side.
:2thumbs: :2thumbs: :2thumbs:

 

[K9husker]

Did you have to make any other changes to the electrical sytsem, ie hand controls etc?

 

[Shredder]

No other changes to the electrical at all. As Jake says in his post you simply have to wire the new ignition in on 3 different plugs.

Shredder

 

[PROFLYER]

hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm......too bad I can't afford one right now. On the list! If we continue to have a good winter I may jerk the whole EHC outta this damn thing before it has a chance to quit...we'll see.

 

[K9husker]

Ok, i am a research nut! I called S&S, and Bob Wood, and come up with the same answer on timing. They both say that 30-32 degrees of advance is what makes these motors run the best. So on the Thunder Heart, setting the box at the 3 or 4 setting should give you the best overall performance. you can go to 5 if you have good gas and live in a low altitude location.

 

[K9husker]

OOPS, they also said it is not so much the amount of total advance that makes them run, but it does help, it's the curve that makes the biggest difference.

 

[Shredder]

Well the good thing is, once you change to this ignition you can take some test rides without replacing the side cover. Pull over, change the setting and ride some more.

Shredder

 

[bdmridgeback]

That is why I backed away from 5 and 6 setting.

Setting 4 is 32 degrees
Setting 5 is 34 degrees
Setting 6 is 36 degrees

I was told by the local BDM dealer that with stock compression to be no more that about 30 degrees. I ran mine at 30 and 32 and I am staying at 32 for now until the gas goes to shit!

 

[Shredder]

My compression is not stock by the way, maybe that's why 6 is working for me.

Shredder

 

[Little-Boo]

http://www.bigdogbiker.com/forums/performance/3182-s-s-ist-ignition-now-installed-running.html

The above thread (Linky) was started by HDLarry. I like the idea of a Map, Temp and Knock senor, so I decided to get that system. I am currently working on motor and will get the S&S IST installed once I can get to it.

On the other hand

I like what I have read so far about the Thunder Heart, it is easy to install and would save me having to change out several things. But I am going to stay with the S&S IST Ignition. Having a MAP sensor, Temp sensor and a knock senor will work in your favor should your motor ever get hot. I feel that with a set timing, say more than 30 degrees on a hot day it is likely and probably will make the motor ping even with good gas. With the Thunder Heart it appears that the only way to retard your timing is to pullover and switch it, whereas with the S&S Ignition it will do it by itself when the Knock senor is activated by detonation which will keep from damaging the motor. To each is own, Like I said I like what I am reading and is very interesting, but I am familiar with the Map and knock sensors and they can save you some headaches.

No, I am not advertizing for either one, I would use both, if I had two dogs, the Thunder Heart for racing, and the S&S IST for cruising. That is my opinion only nothing else.


Carlos

 

[bdmridgeback]

I say less is more with all the issues these Dogs have had or any V-Twin at that. I had to talk myself into leaving the crank sensor on the bike moreless just to save $600 from not putting a nose cone ignition on the bike. Why add a knock sensor and a temp sensor just to have two more things to have to chase down when the thing quits.

If you want all those sensors, I say sell your bike and go buy a fuel injected Dog. Otherwise, less shit to chase and more time to ride. Besides these Bikes are not made for doing cruises or sitting in traffic, they are made to run. Keep it moving and all will be good.