I have a 2005 Chopper with a Wire's Plus harness that was installed 2 years ago. Tried starting the other day (bike has been sitting 6 months) and when testing for spark I got 1 "spark" when I hit the start button and 1 "spark" when I let go. No spark in between. Any suggestions, thanks in advance. Gerry in the Philippines
Spark Problem
- Thread starter gerrybc
- Start date
Can this be repeated?
1. Coil = I'm just waiting for a ground to occur so I spark twice so it's not me; I can spark.
2. Pickup = I'm the guy that sends AC up a wire from a swing of the crank. Say not me yet.
3. Ign Mod = I'm waiting for a pulse from the pickup/crank sensor and also signal the tach. Getting warm.
4. Starter button = I'm out of the loop. My combo of kill and start seem to work in an ON-OFF way.
Where would the spark all of a sudden drop out = crank sensor.
Where would the spark all of a sudden not make noise = outside and be heard.
Where would the spark wind up but saved in an ignition module = release a button and this flipflops a spark?
Eliminate: Crank sensor.
With a flat blade, I'd be spiking the core tip to ground with the screwdriver. I'd be watching the sparks occur as I flipflop the driver so the sparks continue at the spark plugs = Not the pickup.
Eliminate: Ign Mod.
It's; points/plugs/coil is 3.
It's; crank sensor/spark box/coil is 3 makes this a complete loop sans the plugs.
It's; the spark box sucking in spark I see no sparks to the plugs with screwdriver.
It's not the box or the pickup with screwdriver making tons of sparks on and off.
Eliminate: Starter/kill Switch.
1. Remove plugs from engine, install plugs into plug wires, ground them away from the plug holes.
2. Select top gear.
3. Turn key on.
4. Walk/run the bike so the crank can continually spark the plugs you have the handlebar switch out of the loop.
Troubleshoot:
a. Since the plugs are out I run the bike and check spark = Not the switch.
b. I have the key on, screwdriver in hand, spike the crank sensor to ground = Not the pickup.
c. I may show I can control many sparks of on and off, act the mechanical trigger inside the box = But the Ign Mod... you'd think? And if I ran the bike and no spark? You'd think spark box of I can spike the crank sensor to make spark.
1. Coil = I'm just waiting for a ground to occur so I spark twice so it's not me; I can spark.
2. Pickup = I'm the guy that sends AC up a wire from a swing of the crank. Say not me yet.
3. Ign Mod = I'm waiting for a pulse from the pickup/crank sensor and also signal the tach. Getting warm.
4. Starter button = I'm out of the loop. My combo of kill and start seem to work in an ON-OFF way.
Where would the spark all of a sudden drop out = crank sensor.
Where would the spark all of a sudden not make noise = outside and be heard.
Where would the spark wind up but saved in an ignition module = release a button and this flipflops a spark?
Eliminate: Crank sensor.
With a flat blade, I'd be spiking the core tip to ground with the screwdriver. I'd be watching the sparks occur as I flipflop the driver so the sparks continue at the spark plugs = Not the pickup.
Eliminate: Ign Mod.
It's; points/plugs/coil is 3.
It's; crank sensor/spark box/coil is 3 makes this a complete loop sans the plugs.
It's; the spark box sucking in spark I see no sparks to the plugs with screwdriver.
It's not the box or the pickup with screwdriver making tons of sparks on and off.
Eliminate: Starter/kill Switch.
1. Remove plugs from engine, install plugs into plug wires, ground them away from the plug holes.
2. Select top gear.
3. Turn key on.
4. Walk/run the bike so the crank can continually spark the plugs you have the handlebar switch out of the loop.
Troubleshoot:
a. Since the plugs are out I run the bike and check spark = Not the switch.
b. I have the key on, screwdriver in hand, spike the crank sensor to ground = Not the pickup.
c. I may show I can control many sparks of on and off, act the mechanical trigger inside the box = But the Ign Mod... you'd think? And if I ran the bike and no spark? You'd think spark box of I can spike the crank sensor to make spark.
KaptinAmerika
Guru
Not allot of info for troubleshooting.
How is the battery?
Is the motor actaully turning over?
How is the battery?
Is the motor actaully turning over?
Motor turns over easily, we were able to make spark by jumping the sensor as described yesterday. Battery is brand new and fully charged, handlebar switch activates starter and sends power to the thunderheart. All 3 lights going on when ignition key on. Cleaned all contacts etc. Absolutely pulling my hair out here on the other side of the world lol.
Let me explain the symptoms better, with the plug out testing for spark..... when i just tic,tic,tic the starter button I get 1 spark for each tic, then when holding the start button down I get the 1 spark and then no more spark. When I release the starer button I get 1 more spark. So it's 1 spark at the beginning with the button pushed and 1 spark at the end when start button released. No spark in between the first and last spark while the button pushed in.
KaptinAmerika
Guru
All 3 lights going on?
Are you referring to the ignition module LEDs?
Are you referring to the ignition module LEDs?
KaptinAmerika
Guru
Does your thunderheart have 3 leds on it.
Are all three of them lighting and staying lit or is the red led coming on and the blue and yellow are cycling as the motor turns over.
From your description with the starter button you have a short issue somewhere. If the Ign Mod red led is turning off when you press the starter button then you will not have spark as the motor is turning over.
Do you have a schematic so you can trouble shoot the wiring?
You may have an issue at the pcb board on the hand control or you may have a chaffed wire under the tank but it is going to take some troubleshooting to find the issue.
Are all three of them lighting and staying lit or is the red led coming on and the blue and yellow are cycling as the motor turns over.
From your description with the starter button you have a short issue somewhere. If the Ign Mod red led is turning off when you press the starter button then you will not have spark as the motor is turning over.
Do you have a schematic so you can trouble shoot the wiring?
You may have an issue at the pcb board on the hand control or you may have a chaffed wire under the tank but it is going to take some troubleshooting to find the issue.
I have uploaded a file which will help you figure out what is wrong with your Dog.
Say Hi to all the girls in the PI, I love Manila and Olongapo city Philippines.
Carlos
Say Hi to all the girls in the PI, I love Manila and Olongapo city Philippines.
Carlos
KaptinAmerika
Guru
Pull the pcb Control housing off, unplug the board, use a paperclip to jumper between the black and red, to activate the ign mod, and then jumper from black to green for the start button.
This will rule out or hold accountable the pcb board right away for you.
This will rule out or hold accountable the pcb board right away for you.
KaptinAmerika
Guru
There are no LEDs trouble codes on the EHC when you hit the start button is there?
Yep, I would go through the Ignition harnesses and look for a ground situation then pull the tank and look for chaffed wires.
Pull the JST connectors apart and look for loose or burned pins. Put a little di-electric grease back in before putting them back together.
If no fix at that point pull the tank and look for the issue under tank.
Check your control harnesses where they leave the handlebars at the triple trees also. I have found issues there once or twice.
Yep, I would go through the Ignition harnesses and look for a ground situation then pull the tank and look for chaffed wires.
Pull the JST connectors apart and look for loose or burned pins. Put a little di-electric grease back in before putting them back together.
If no fix at that point pull the tank and look for the issue under tank.
Check your control harnesses where they leave the handlebars at the triple trees also. I have found issues there once or twice.
Sven Since you don't own a BDM 
, I would say the Trouble shot diagnostics chart has you confused.
The chart that I posted comes with the BDM service manual and may be helpful to someone that owns a BDM 
. You can take a stab at it like you do most of the time
. However, In my 8 years on this forum I have yet to see one person post up and say thanks Sven you got my bike going again 
None 
Carlos
chubs
Guru
Carlos
I was thinking the same thing, but didn't want to offend someone by pickin on their buddy."You can take a stab at it like you do most of the time."
Thank you. Just trying to solve a problem and find the hindsight slap me in the face generic.
"However, In my 8 years on this forum I have yet to see one person post up and say thanks Sven you got my bike going again... None."
I get a hardon when it comes to electronics. My main bike site has a smilie icon of my screen name. Seems I get things solved over there. Kind of humbling they had my name at the Q&A but I requested we all contribute. Getting back to a concept so we/I understand the basics, it's a simple on-off kind of box. So starter button is a hold as if holding a flip. Once released, other components go right back to being in flop mode. So say the starter button (in that loop) is sending a spark to ground, the release is no other place that can trigger is a capacitor holding a way to flip-a-flop.
So if I apply DTT: I am at the switch=Trigger. Somehow we have spark waiting=Threshold. But for some strange reason, my reasoning is if it's not in a flipflop, like thousands of times, it's then a gate for a flip=open or a flop=closed, meaning, it goes to ground is the capacitor emptying to ground, not at the plug.
My thinking is it sparks. So every component works is my understanding so far. It can be repeated via the switch in the loop. But what if the switch was out of the loop and the bike fired up, has spark when it is running in the static, meaning, you don't ride with the switch down. So do we clear the box and find spark one after the other or not go trot.
Signed,
NOLTT (it's heading for page 2, the OP has yet to try that simple variable of keeping the switch out of the loop to narrow it down, meaning send the box off or throw parts at it and it's still doing the same thing).
Thank you. Just trying to solve a problem and find the hindsight slap me in the face generic.
"However, In my 8 years on this forum I have yet to see one person post up and say thanks Sven you got my bike going again... None."
I get a hardon when it comes to electronics. My main bike site has a smilie icon of my screen name. Seems I get things solved over there. Kind of humbling they had my name at the Q&A but I requested we all contribute. Getting back to a concept so we/I understand the basics, it's a simple on-off kind of box. So starter button is a hold as if holding a flip. Once released, other components go right back to being in flop mode. So say the starter button (in that loop) is sending a spark to ground, the release is no other place that can trigger is a capacitor holding a way to flip-a-flop.So if I apply DTT: I am at the switch=Trigger. Somehow we have spark waiting=Threshold. But for some strange reason, my reasoning is if it's not in a flipflop, like thousands of times, it's then a gate for a flip=open or a flop=closed, meaning, it goes to ground is the capacitor emptying to ground, not at the plug.
My thinking is it sparks. So every component works is my understanding so far. It can be repeated via the switch in the loop. But what if the switch was out of the loop and the bike fired up, has spark when it is running in the static, meaning, you don't ride with the switch down. So do we clear the box and find spark one after the other or not go trot.
Signed,
NOLTT (it's heading for page 2, the OP has yet to try that simple variable of keeping the switch out of the loop to narrow it down, meaning send the box off or throw parts at it and it's still doing the same thing).
BadDawg Bill
Well-Known Member
In MHO you need a priest, a bible and a chicken.... good luck!