Ironhead 1983 XR 1000 Starting Issues.

[1983Sporty]

First I am a new HD Owner.

I bought a 1983 xr 1000 form a guy who said it had been sitting a couple years since last ride. He said he thought it would run if I got new gas and a battery.
Seemed like a good guy so I took him at his word. Drained tank, removed gas filter and petcock. Cleaned them out real good. Got a new battery installed it exactly as I removed the first. Turned the key two clicks, Lights came on. Headlight and tail light. Handlebar switches were worn so I couldnt read the printing. After a bit I figured the left was headlight dimmer and left blinker despite the turn signals not working. The right seems to be kill switch and starter with right turn underneath.

To my disappointment I hit the starter button and no result. Tried it in both positions of kill switch. Nothing. Called the guy who sold it to me. He said sometimes he had to hit the head light to get the generator light to come on and that it needed to be lit for it to turn over. Thinking that since he he would hit the headlight I figured possibly a short or bad connection within the head light. I Removed it and couldn't find anything obvious. Not having the repair manuals I ordered arrive yet I couldn't chase the wires as I would have wanted.

I called him again and he informed me that the points ignition had been replace with electronic ignition to make matters different.

I am asking if someone might have a url to a schematic to the starting system on this bike or give me a brief rundown of it here. There are two light on top of where the head light is one says gen and other oil pressure. Do they both need to be lit to turn over the starter?

The other question is can I easily access the top end to lubricate the rockers ( I assume there are since it has pushrods.) before I crank it too much assuming I figure out the ignition issue.

Thanks in advance and excuse my ignorance. I feel I have a pretty decent mechanical aptitude but these bikes are new to me. I am sure the repair manuals will be helpful just figured this might work as well.

[ChinCactus]

I can't answer your questions but suggest you look here:

http://sportsterpedia.com/doku.php

Also, post your questions in the Ironhead section. Lots of knowledge there. (oops, it IS in the Ironhead section)

Best of luck and welcome to the forum!

[1983Sporty]

Thanks CC.
The link helped.

[ChinCactus]

Yeah, Sportsterpedia is amazing! There is a wiring diagram for your XR there. Let us know how you make out!

[1983Sporty]

I took volt readings off back of ignition switch. For some strange reason the light come on with only ,24 volts coming out. However if I bridge over the two outputs the thing will turn over?

I am going to put a jumper between the two hopefully that wont cause any major issues.

[BigMek]

Couple of things here:
1. The generator and oil lights do not have to be lit to start the bike. They are not part of the starting circuits.

2. The starter should turn over in both the RUN and LTS position on the key switch. If it will only turn over in one position, I suspect the key switch is bad. However, jumpering the RUN and LTS terminals together won't hurt anything - 80s bikes were actually wired that way from the factory so the lights would be on all the time. Make sure you use heavy-duty wire though, like 12ga.

3. The 1983 XR had electronic ignition from the factory.

4. Check out the De-Hibernating Your Ironhead sticky here: http://xlforum.net/forums/showthread.php?t=69876

[1983Sporty]

Solved and running

It was the key switch.

Thanks yall for the help.

[ChinCactus]

Congrats!

[CT XR rider]

Some pictures would be nice, love the XR’s, there is a section on this site that is strictly related to everything XR, check it out for some older threads that might have some good info about your bike that was only produced for 2 years.
Here is a link to that section of the forum, you will find a couple of videos of my XR1000 there

http://xlforum.net/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=264

Regards
Roy

[84rzv500r]

Originally Posted by 1983Sporty

Solved and running

It was the key switch.

Thanks yall for the help.

good news IIRC there were only 1600-1700 complete bikes built, and there were a bunch more motors built that ended up in Buell's RR1000.