Speedo Tach problems

[ink slinger]

Well my speedo and tach work when they want to. When i start the bike everything works. Take off down the road and the tach goes out and sometimes the speedo as well. If you cut the high beams on the indicator light flickers on and off as well. Then you can be going down the road and the tach will flicker and then start working for a few then go out again. The thing that has me confused is when it goes out you can cut the bike off and start it right back up and everything works again. Thought it might be a loose or bad connection and took the speedo bucket apart and didnt find anything there so I traced the wires back to under the seat where everything plugs into and did not find anything that jumped out at me there either.

 

[TheDeadOne]

Ink,
From what I'm gathering from your different threads:

http://www.bigdogbiker.com/forums/introductions/14156-ink-slinger-columbus-ms.html

http://www.bigdogbiker.com/forums/i...-bought-new-07-big-dog-chopper-need-help.html

It sounds to me like you're most likely loosing your ground connection intermittently to the tach/speedo.
I think one or more of your connectors may be causing you this issue.
I have also read where you've traced the wires back to the battery box, and haven't seen anything unusual.

Disconnect the battery, negative first and then positive. "Reverse procedure to reconnect, with the ground being last. :up:
"Carefully" easily disconnect the "D" connectors on your EHC, install a liberal coating of "Dielectric Grease" onto the terminals, then "Carefully" reinstall connectors. Be carefull "NOT" to "OVER TORQUE" screws!
Then install "Dielectric Grease" into "EVERY" connection between and including the Tach. & the EHC. This will require Gas Tank removal.

Good Luck! :2thumbs::2thumbs:

 

[TheDeadOne]

just an addition

If you wish to help lower the issues plaguing the BDM electrical systems, here is what I and some others recommend:

1) Install Dielectric Grease inside & OUTSIDE of "EVERY EXTERNAL" electrical connector, then "Heat Shrink". (example: JST connectors, Speedo sensor, etc..)

2) Install Dielectric Grease inside "EVERY INTERNAL" electrical connector & connection. (example: Headlight, Hand controls, tag light and F&R running light connection inside the units or housings)

3) Replace headlight plug with it's "Ceramic" counterpart.

4) Use "Clear" silicone to seal "any" electrical enclosures. Leave an "UN-silicon-ed" area along the underside of the enclosure, sufficient enough to allow for air infiltration in & out. (example: Tag light enclosure, hand controls, speedo.)

5) Disconnect Battery, "Carefully" remove "D" connectors on EHC an ensure or cover with liberal coat of Dielectric Grease. Clean battery terminals and reinstall battery connections and seal with a battery terminal sealant.

NOTE: These will cost you a little bit more than the previous-
6) Recommend the upgrade to the "Big Boar" 350 CCA Battery or "truly" comparable or higher rated battery. "MORE POWER"

7) Recommend the upgrade to the "Compu-Fire" 40 Amp Charging System. "MORE POWER REPLENTISHMENT QUICKER"!

8)....and when all else fails, replace with the "Wire-Plus" system.

Just my thoughts here! Good Luck!

 

[Slider]

If you wish to help lower the issues plaguing the BDM electrical systems, here is what I and some others recommend:

1) Install Dielectric Grease inside & OUTSIDE of "EVERY EXTERNAL" electrical connector, then "Heat Shrink". (example: JST connectors, Speedo sensor, etc..)

2) Install Dielectric Grease inside "EVERY INTERNAL" electrical connector & connection. (example: Headlight, Hand controls, tag light and F&R running light connection inside the units or housings)

3) Replace headlight plug with it's "Ceramic" counterpart.

4) Use "Clear" silicone to seal "any" electrical enclosures. Leave an "UN-silicon-ed" area along the underside of the enclosure, sufficient enough to allow for air infiltration in & out. (example: Tag light enclosure, hand controls, speedo.)

5) Disconnect Battery, "Carefully" remove "D" connectors on EHC an ensure or cover with liberal coat of Dielectric Grease. Clean battery terminals and reinstall battery connections and seal with a battery terminal sealant.

NOTE: These will cost you a little bit more than the previous-
6) Recommend the upgrade to the "Big Boar" 350 CCA Battery or "truly" comparable or higher rated battery. "MORE POWER"

7) Recommend the upgrade to the "Compu-Fire" 40 Amp Charging System. "MORE POWER REPLENTISHMENT QUICKER"!

8)....and when all else fails, replace with the "Wire-Plus" system.

Just my thoughts here! Good Luck!

Why doesnt BD do this from the factory? ar least the di grease ad heat shrink

 

[ink slinger]

Thanks D.O.C. I will try this and see how it turns out. thanks for your willingness to help!!!

 

[jimizee028]

bottom line is the speedos have these known issues with them,i have been through the same exact things you have mentioned above,and just had to have the insides replaced,others have found a loose connection in there(inside the speedo)................

 

[Roaddawg]

Bring it in to be replaced. I had almost the exact problems (tach lights acting strange, high beam indicator flickering or going out altogether, turn signal light remaining dimly lit, etc.) and it was traced to corrosion on the tach board where the wires were soldered. Even though my bike is an '05 Chopper, the board was replaced under warranty and after more than 2,000 miles, no further problems.

 

[vej]

i had my tank repainted and when after they put my stock tank (they gave me a loaner tank for a month) back on I immediately had speedo issues. My speedo will register anywhere from 0 to 120 and any given moment, sitting, moving, idling... my speedo just goes on independent operations. TampaBDM is having it replaced....

 

[newbie dog]

BDM just replaced my speedometer...it started acting funny (showing 90 mph when I was going 35 mph, etc) then it completely died. My bike is out of warranty but they replaced it...no questions.

 

[Slider]

Replace the speedo? whatever, tach board corrosion? whatever. I had the same speedo, tach lights, high beam indicator problems you all were having. I just got rid of the ehc and the tach board and speedo problems went way. But you gotta do what you gotta do. Good luck.

 

[BadBrad]

What do you have to do to get rid of the tach board? I don't mean to hijack the thread, just curious to Slider's fix.

 

[McLovin]

I'm pretty sure he meant replace the tach board. The speedo is held in place by two bolts on the bottom. Remove these, then seperate the front half from the rear half. The tach board is the round circuit board held in place by a large spring ring and a circular peice of foam rubber with holes in it. The hardest part is to get the new foam rubber to line up with the face peice. I replaced mine, it looks like the foam rubber retains any water that enters the speedo, which results in corrosion to the tach board.

 

[Slider]

What do you have to do to get rid of the tach board? I don't mean to hijack the thread, just curious to Slider's fix.

Brad. What I meant was that my intermittent tach flashing and speedo needle craziness went away after I got rid of the ehc and put in a wire plus.

 

[ink slinger]

OK after all the advise and putting the gease on all the connections and nothing seeming to work I decided to take it to the dealer. They repalced the speedo and the speed sensor and still had the same problem. Then they replaced the ehc and that seemed to cure the problem. thanks for everyones advise and thanks to Craig and Mike at Super street custom cycles in Ringold GA. They had all the parts ordered in and had a tech ready for me when I got there. It made me feel better about the 600 mile round trip I had to take to get my NEW bike fixed.

 

[Buildem]

I just wonder why BDM didnt go ahead and change over to a differant system such as the Wire Plus when they started having all of the electrical problems from their EHC system...????I know that I LOVE my Dog but this seems to be the #1 issue to BDM electrical problems...After all of these years in business you would think that BDM would get rid of them on the New Models.....

 

[RCAdd1ct]

Because then everyone that has an EHC would ask them to retro theirs on BDM's dime.

 

[Da Beast III]

I know this is a late reply but in case someone in the future has the same issue..
I have ECH issue and seems a lot did too, so I changed the whole harness and eliminate the ECH by replacing with a harness with fuses and relays like old time choppers, problem went away and until now I did not have any issue with any electrical thanks god

DB III