Still having harness issues

[moesterman]

If you have been following this saga I installed my BDPP PDM harness and smoked my ignition wire. Found it was a bad relay and sent it BDPP where they retofit a fuse holder and replaced the three relays. Plugged the new stuff in and it lit up, the right way, so I completed putting it together. I then hit the run/start and nothing! Started checking everthing including the starter relay that is hard wired into the harness by checking the ground to the relay that was good. I then checked continuity from the relay ground to the green connector on the relay which was good when I pushed the start button. When I push the Run button the ignition modual lights red. Any ideas? I am about ready to put the "old" stuff back in? Any ideas would be appreciated.

 

[bdmridgeback]

I had 3 different customers call me over the last week on BDM PDM kit failures.

I really dont see how they could build this simple conversion and still have as many issues with it.
Got a local guys bike in and out of the shop now doing some tests on finding out where some of the weak points are so I can post my finds soon.

 

[Fibersnake]

If you have been following this saga I installed my BDPP PDM harness and smoked my ignition wire. Found it was a bad relay and sent it BDPP where they retofit a fuse holder and replaced the three relays. Plugged the new stuff in and it lit up, the right way, so I completed putting it together. I then hit the run/start and nothing! Started checking everthing including the starter relay that is hard wired into the harness by checking the ground to the relay that was good. I then checked continuity from the relay ground to the green connector on the relay which was good when I pushed the start button. When I push the Run button the ignition modual lights red. Any ideas? I am about ready to put the "old" stuff back in? Any ideas would be appreciated.

IS it cranking and not firing or not cranking? Have you called BDPP and touched base with them?

If everything goes right, I will be home in the US in a few days and if you are still have problems and no jumps on here to help, may be abel to give you a call and see if we can put our heads together and see what is up. Meantime clarify about the cranking situation and also recommend that you touch base with BDPP to sse if they some clues.

Good luck.

 

[Moespeeds]

Is it cranking? Are the coils showing 12v when you hit RUN?

 

[moesterman]

I turn the key on and everything lights up and displays/works as it should. I hit the run button and the igniton module displays a red light. I hit the start button and nothing--it does not turn over. I removed the start relay that came hard wired to the master harness and have continuity to the start button; (Black/green and depress the start button). I checked the black ground at the relay (battery to realy black ground) all is good. I also check the red at the relay assuming it was power and it has nothing but I am not sure if it suppose to. Even if it is it came hard wired to the MH by BDPP. The only wire I have not connected from the MH is a wire with an in-line 2amp fuse that according to the diagram with the Dakota digital speedo I do not use it.
The only light that is not working properly is the LED light borad for the license plate which I am sure is an isolated failure.

 

[Fibersnake]

You mentioned in first post that they replace three relays. Is that the three on the PDM? I show (beside PDM) on two otehr relays a start/run and a horn. Just want to confirm that.

If as per the schematic I have with 2 relays (not count the PDM mounted one), the relay for the start/run shows 4 wires, black a green for start and red all going to the main harness. Then there is a green wire going to pin #5 on the PDM connector. Is this how yours is?

 

[moesterman]

You mentioned in first post that they replace three relays. Is that the three on the PDM? I show (beside PDM) on two otehr relays a start/run and a horn. Just want to confirm that.

If as per the schematic I have with 2 relays (not count the PDM mounted one), the relay for the start/run shows 4 wires, black a green for start and red all going to the main harness. Then there is a green wire going to pin #5 on the PDM connector. Is this how yours is?

Yep--the start run relay has four wires (two green, red and black) and I do have the two additional relays aside from the three in the PDM that were replaced (start/run and horn). The horn does work and the ignition module lights up when I hit run so it works as well. I have checked both of the green wires and ground to the start/run relay, all indicate good connectivity.

I did speak to Dave at BDPP who suggested I check pin #7 on the harness side of J-2. It is a area of potential failure with two wires going to one pin. I will take a look tonight after work. If not, he wants me to send my HCI back for testing but does not think it is an issue since everything is working properly.

 

[stlmikie]

Sounds like if you had a plunge starter it would fire. Are any of the relays the same or are all different? If you have two that are the same(or more) you could swap relay position to verify if it is a relay. I have to hand it to you Moester. You've stuck with it. You will get this thing straightened out.

 

[moesterman]

Sounds like if you had a plunge starter it would fire. Are any of the relays the same or are all different? If you have two that are the same(or more) you could swap relay position to verify if it is a relay. I have to hand it to you Moester. You've stuck with it. You will get this thing straightened out.

I'm thinking more like a crank to start it. Only if I would have left it alone, just concerned that the EHC was going to fail at the worst time. I was having great luck with this bike and absolutely love riding it. I believe with all the knowledge here as well as Dave at BDPP who has be great, I will have it ready to go by the time the snow melts.

 

[Moespeeds]

What you need to do is go down to Home Depot, buy a $20 multimeter, and start troubleshooting this in an organized manner. My experience with BD tech support on the first PDM I installed was less than impressive, and ended with just the type of response you got "Try plugging the red wire into pin 7, and see if that works". The guy had no idea what the "red" wire did, or why there was already a grey wire in pin 7. Attack this the old fashioned way. You're not cranking? Ignore any lights that the EHC, ignition, PDM, speedo, the UFO's outside your window, etc are giving you. Use a multimeter to determine where you are getting power and when. Motorcycle electrical systems are dirt simple, just that BD clogs them with 1000 wires. You need power to the coils, a working ignition to tell them when to fire, and a pickup to tell the ignition which coil to fire and when. You'll also need a working starter, which is the easiest part to troubleshoot. The first thing I'd do in this situation is force that starter to turn to see if it's an issue there. Make sure you turn on the key and press "RUN" first. It's simple and quick to do, go here:

http://www.bigdogbiker.com/forums/how/26704-what-do-if-starter-wont-turn.html#post379715

To really make it simple, pull the thin green wire off the starter, then jump an 18ga wire from the + battery terminal to the plug you just pulled the thin green wire from.

If the bike starts, then you know you've got a working ignition system and it's just an issue with the starter relay or button on the bars. If that's the case, put a plunger on there, wire you're CR's directly to the starter solenoid lug, and save the years you're shaving off your life chasing ghosts in this maze of wiring. If it cranks but won't start, run through all the checks in this thread to isolate the problem. There is also a how-to for using a multimeter, a vital skill if you want to own a Big Dog.

http://www.bigdogbiker.com/forums/technical/11514-no-spark-troubleshooting-tree.html#post359196

Now go down a shot of tequila, give the dog a stiff kick, and get the fuck to work. If I can do it, you can do it, trust me on that.

 

[stlmikie]

That's what I was trying to say.

 

[Moespeeds]

And if you're going to steal part of my name you sure as shit better learn to work on that bike, and drink tequila while doing it!

 

[DRBarnhart]

What you need to do is go down to Home Depot, buy a $20 multimeter, and start troubleshooting this in an organized manner. My experience with BD tech support on the first PDM I installed was less than impressive, and ended with just the type of response you got "Try plugging the red wire into pin 7, and see if that works". The guy had no idea what the "red" wire did, or why there was already a grey wire in pin 7. Attack this the old fashioned way. You're not cranking? Ignore any lights that the EHC, ignition, PDM, speedo, the UFO's outside your window, etc are giving you. Use a multimeter to determine where you are getting power and when. Motorcycle electrical systems are dirt simple, just that BD clogs them with 1000 wires. You need power to the coils, a working ignition to tell them when to fire, and a pickup to tell the ignition which coil to fire and when. You'll also need a working starter, which is the easiest part to troubleshoot. The first thing I'd do in this situation is force that starter to turn to see if it's an issue there. Make sure you turn on the key and press "RUN" first. It's simple and quick to do, go here:

http://www.bigdogbiker.com/forums/how/26704-what-do-if-starter-wont-turn.html#post379715

To really make it simple, pull the thin green wire off the starter, then jump an 18ga wire from the + battery terminal to the plug you just pulled the thin green wire from.

If the bike starts, then you know you've got a working ignition system and it's just an issue with the starter relay or button on the bars. If that's the case, put a plunger on there, wire you're CR's directly to the starter solenoid lug, and save the years you're shaving off your life chasing ghosts in this maze of wiring. If it cranks but won't start, run through all the checks in this thread to isolate the problem. There is also a how-to for using a multimeter, a vital skill if you want to own a Big Dog.

http://www.bigdogbiker.com/forums/technical/11514-no-spark-troubleshooting-tree.html#post359196

Now go down a shot of tequila, give the dog a stiff kick, and get the fuck to work. If I can do it, you can do it, trust me on that.

:iagree::iagree::iagree::iagree:

Dude, I can't even count the number of posts on this forum that are answered PERFECTLY by the wisdom and direction contained in your post!!! It should damn near be a sticky!

Bravo! :2thumbs:

Dennis

PS Especially the tequila part...