Hold and Hope... (agree with Kaptin) but Prove EHC is Bad First!
I have a 2004 as well, (Chopper)
"Sounds like" you have proof your EHC is bad...
Read on if you are not sure, or want to compare stories otherwise sorry for the long post.
My Headlight Problem:
Was about 6 months from intermittant headlight problem to flat out dead on the road and the long push home, several times in denial, that it just couldn't be my second EHC was bad! --WTF! but it was...
Please see my other threads on full diagnosis fix and wait time for WirePlus.
IMHO, in your position I would ride with caution, within pushing distance of home...
or carry a couple grand cash or credit card to get you outta trouble, towed and/or a room.
One can only hope it is not your EHC intermittantly slowly failing like all the rest...
**************************copied in from my other thread************************
While I generaly agree with what others have said here...
I had similar electrical problems...
I thought it was a bad EHC but needed to prove it-- before spending $500 on Wire Plus. So I got a wiring diagram, measured voltages in and out of the EHC and at various points. I was able to determine through the voltage faults that the EHC was in fact bad.
Got a new Wire Plus kit (waited many months) and all is OK now.
On balance you may want to search out:
- PDM,
- Rewire Harley style and
- Wire Plus
IMHO I would sincerely think about Rewire Harley style next time; it may cost more in additional controls/switches but it makes it simpler overall if you are going to keep the bike for many years...
Many threads and opinions on this.
Mine on how to determine bad EHC:
************************************************** ******
Check Voltages; Check EHC input & output voltages.
My "EHC" symptoms are:
a) months ago Low-Beam started to intermittantly go out; had to use Hi-Beam only; All else was OK.
b) got New Battery and trickle charged every night. Problem went away two months ago.
c) one month ago Low-Beam out again, Hi-Beam only; bike randomly just lost all power to spark plugs while riding; continued to quit electricaly (no spark, but other lights, horn, turn signals OK, but no Hi-or-Lo beams) Let it sit by side of road for ten minutes then could start and ride it home. (I knew no spark by carrying spare spark plug I connected and held to side of cylinder while cranking.) no signs of weak new battery. All else was OK.
d) rode home, checked voltages:
on same New Battery: 13.5 while on charger, 13.1 off charger; 12.5 dip at startup cranking; started engine --running it charges immediately to 14.2 volts, seems OK. But no Headlight at all.
e) Checked Headlight voltages at bulb connecter:
Yellow wire 10.5, White 7.5; with key ON or engine running. (of course checked/swapped bulbs and jumper wired temporarily off battery to be sure all were working ok).
f) Pulled Connecter to Headlight under gas tank and measured same exact voltages as at Headlight connector; Yellow wire 10.5, White 7.5; Checked ignition wire 12.1 volts.
g) Checked voltages at EHC 50 pin connector while connected and ignition key ON: pins 16 & 17 same yellow and white wires to headlight, same voltages 10.5 and 7.5
I think this means my EHC is bad --cannot get 12 volts out of the EHC to headlight...I can only ride with no headlights for 9 miles or fifteen minutes and bike quits per item c) above. Systems charges because engine cranks fine and all other lights OK all the time.
Just my thoughts... OK back to my Big Mac and Supersize Meal.
UPDATE 7-5-2012
****EHC was in fact Bad****
Just got my Wire Plus Kit and Ignition Key Switch (after a Loooooooong Wait, 3 months!)
It has fixed all my problems per above, bike runs great now even seems slightly stronger at low rpm and idle --perhaps the failing EHC was not allowing strong voltages and current to other areas...
All in all I feel a strong Nuetral to the whole Wire Plus Solution. My 2004 Chopper had no PDM alternative product offering (at that time). Third choice was to rewire Harley style -- out of the question for me, too much money. Had no other reasonable choice; So for $500 and change I expected more from Wire Plus -- a "plug and go" solution.
Pro and Con:
Con:
Installation instructions are very poorly written and lack enough proper helpful photos.
(youtube video helped, showed me the wrong way to mount the modules backwards blocking view of LED's; and they probably thought they were showing you the right way, LOL) Many things omitted... -- and all wires and connectors should have come as more of a "plug and go" set up for the $500 plus... I felt they just built two modules and let you build the rest supplying a few pieces of wire and bunch of connectors. Very expensive and they took my money upfront, pretty much ignored my requests for updates and status and a 3 month wait for fabrication WTF!!!
Pro:
It worked.
Nuff said.
PPS: still running fine as of Aug 13, 2013.
