Help needed

Energy One
Tim Rau

Tim Rau

Member
Okay 2005 Ridgeback that has been rewired by Gateway Big Dog in St. Louis. If I ride with out getting on it hard no issues but if I get on it and bring the r's up it will shut down on me just like I turned off the ignition it has Dakota digital speedometer that and tach go dead just like you shut it off. When I cycle key bike will start right up. Even if I turn key off and back on while still rolling it will start working again without hitting the start button. I called Gateway to find out what system they used to eliminate the ehc they told me there own. There is a black box in battery compartment with wires coming out of both sides and yellow flashing lights when you turn on key. The person I talked to seemed very nice and told me to check a transistor that is mounted to the battery box to see if it was loose. It seemed tight and I even tried a different resistor with the same outcome. I did some reading and searching on here and thought it might be the ignition switch. Is there a way to find out if the ignition switch is bad without buying a new one? I did check battery cables and they are tight and didn't see any loose wires. I don't want to have to bring it all the way to Gateway in St. Louis its a five hour drive any help would be greatly appreciated.
 
ksmike

ksmike

Active Member
When you say "rewired" what do you mean by that? Is your bike fuel injected? Did they replace the ehc with some other type of harness controller? Need more info....
 
MossBerg590

MossBerg590

Active Member
Be careful on the tractor ignition switch, not sure if our ridgebacks are different but I bought one and the cylinder was too big to fit in the coil cover. I have my old stock ignition switch that works, I just upgraded thinking that was my problem and it wasnt. Let me know if you go that route. I also have a brand new tractor switch if you want to try that.
 
Tim Rau

Tim Rau

Member
The ehc has been replaced with a different controller not sure what kind it is. It has a black box with yellow lights that turn on with the key. I did try to install a new ignition switch from a local ford tractor supply store and it didn't fit.
 
ksmike

ksmike

Active Member
If the factory ehc has been replaced with another factory ehc, you could have the wrong model of ehc. Is your bike fuel injected?
 
BigDogBro1

BigDogBro1

Made in the USA
2005 are all carbureted. EFI started in 2007 on the Bulldogs.

Sounds like a loose wire and at higher RPM - vibration the connection is intermittent.
 
BadDawg Bill

BadDawg Bill

Well-Known Member
MossBerg590 said:
Be careful on the tractor ignition switch, not sure if our ridgebacks are different but I bought one and the cylinder was too big to fit in the coil cover. I have my old stock ignition switch that works, I just upgraded thinking that was my problem and it wasnt. Let me know if you go that route. I also have a brand new tractor switch if you want to try that.
Click to expand...
I bought a 1956 Ford switch but it was too big. A sportster switch will fit right in and work well.
 
Tim Rau

Tim Rau

Member
I think I figured it out but time will tell. I found out with the bike running I could get it to shut off by moving around the wires off the new controller. The wires were pinched really hard by wire ties so I cut them and made sure all wires were tight and couldn't get it to shut down by moving wires around anymore. I took a quick spin and it never shut down. Before I couldn't get past 4500 rpm and it would shut down. I love this bike and feel a lot better now. At least I know were problem is.
 
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