Ironhead Please please please

[HarleyAsh]

Would any of you lovely guys have a picture of the wiring for the switch gear. I am trying to wire my start button, I don't believe these are the wire colours that are mentioned in the manual. When I connect the 3 wires (I know the blue goes in the middle) and turn the ignition key the bike turns over??
Any help/advice would be really great, thank you. Hope the image has worked.

[IMG]http:/https://ibb.co/XLfBXXC[/IMG]

[Ferrous Head]

Image doesn't work for me.

Have you tried "Sporsterpedia" for a wirine diagram ?

Think they might also be in the sticky's.

[IXL2Relax]

With unknown wiring, you need to use a meter or test light to do some power checking.

You want to find out which wire comes from the Ignition Circuit Breaker.

=====================

You should have 3 wires involved in this function. BE SURE you are not dealing with the turn signal wires or the front brake wires!

With the wires disconnected, ground the meter or the test light (battery negative). Then turn the keyswitch on. Then use the meter or test light to find out which wire has power - that is HOT. Original HOT was (GRAY wire).

The other two wires are for 1) Ignition Coil (WHITE wire) and 2) Starter Relay (BLACK wire).

You need to verify what color wires you have for these functions.

You can find out which wire color goes to the Starter Relay by BRIEFLY touching the HOT wire (you found above) to each of the other wires. The one going to the Starter Relay will cause the Starter to spin.

The other wire will be going to the Ignition Coil.

Be sure to write down the colors of the wires according to their function.

=====================

Now to wire the switch ---- The RUN/STOP switch will have the HOT wire on one side of the switch. The other side of the R/S switch will have TWO WIRES - 1) one to the Ignition Coil & 2) a JUMPER WIRE to one side of the Starter Button.

Finally, the other side of the Starter Button will get the wire (you found above) that goes to the Starter Relay.

To Be Succesful: Be Patient, Be Accurate, Be Methodical & Be Thorough...


Here's your picture:


Is that a 3-contact RUN/STOP switch? The HD wiring diagram shows the outside contact is for HOT, while the center contact has the two wires (coil & jumper), and the other outside contact has NO Wire.

You should verify the function of the switch to be sure those contacts indeed work that way.

I'm not sure why they used a 3-contact switch if they only needed a simple 2-contact function. Even so, they should have bent over or cut the 3rd contact that was UNUSED so there was no confusion as to what contacts were to be used. You might consider that once you know for sure you have it wired up correctly.


IXL _______ >>>> My Motorcycle Chronicles Are Here <<<<
For Sportster Tech Info:
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[PoodlePunche]

If you're wires/switches look like mine did (or the others i've seen), why not spend $30 and replace the whole shebang?

https://www.denniskirk.com/v-factor/...prd/218691.sku

couple of hours, and you'll have brand new switches, with correctly colored wires.

I did this with newer style controls last summer, and it was dead simple.

[Ferrous Head]

The whole switch-block, switches and wires thing on these bikes are what most people think of when someone yells "FU*UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK" That's actually a Latin word roughly translated as "Rats nest in a garbage pile".

If I had to rewire another one I wouldn't. I'd buy another hand piece with the switches already wired in. A new one.

But that's just me. I got old and learned my lessons.

[PoodlePunche]

Originally Posted by Ferrous Head

The whole switch-block, switches and wires thing on these bikes are what most people think of when someone yells "FU*UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK" That's actually a Latin word roughly translated as "Rats nest in a garbage pile".

If I had to rewire another one I wouldn't. I'd buy another hand piece with the switches already wired in. A new one.

But that's just me. I got old and learned my lessons.

Exactly.
The kit i linked has everything prewired...
just remove the old switches, insert the new ones, and connect the wires in the headlight bucket.

$35 is cheaper than the time it would take to troubleshoot, trace, and rewire.

[HarleyAsh]

Originally Posted by PoodlePunche

If you're wires/switches look like mine did (or the others i've seen), why not spend $30 and replace the whole shebang?

https://www.denniskirk.com/v-factor/...prd/218691.sku

couple of hours, and you'll have brand new switches, with correctly colored wires.

I did this with newer style controls last summer, and it was dead simple.

Thanks for that, well worth knowing. I have got the thing running again but now have to fit all the wires back in the switch lol


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[HarleyAsh]

Originally Posted by IXL2Relax

With unknown wiring, you need to use a meter or test light to do some power checking.

You want to find out which wire comes from the Ignition Circuit Breaker.

=====================

You should have 3 wires involved in this function. BE SURE you are not dealing with the turn signal wires or the front brake wires!

With the wires disconnected, ground the meter or the test light (battery negative). Then turn the keyswitch on. Then use the meter or test light to find out which wire has power - that is HOT. Original HOT was (GRAY wire).

The other two wires are for 1) Ignition Coil (WHITE wire) and 2) Starter Relay (BLACK wire).

You need to verify what color wires you have for these functions.

You can find out which wire color goes to the Starter Relay by BRIEFLY touching the HOT wire (you found above) to each of the other wires. The one going to the Starter Relay will cause the Starter to spin.

The other wire will be going to the Ignition Coil.

Be sure to write down the colors of the wires according to their function.

=====================

Now to wire the switch ---- The RUN/STOP switch will have the HOT wire on one side of the switch. The other side of the R/S switch will have TWO WIRES - 1) one to the Ignition Coil & 2) a JUMPER WIRE to one side of the Starter Button.

Finally, the other side of the Starter Button will get the wire (you found above) that goes to the Starter Relay.

To Be Succesful: Be Patient, Be Accurate, Be Methodical & Be Thorough...


Here's your picture:


Is that a 3-contact RUN/STOP switch? The HD wiring diagram shows the outside contact is for HOT, while the center contact has the two wires (coil & jumper), and the other outside contact has NO Wire.

You should verify the function of the switch to be sure those contacts indeed work that way.

I'm not sure why they used a 3-contact switch if they only needed a simple 2-contact function. Even so, they should have bent over or cut the 3rd contact that was UNUSED so there was no confusion as to what contacts were to be used. You might consider that once you know for sure you have it wired up correctly.


IXL _______ &gt;&gt;&gt;&gt; My Motorcycle Chronicles Are Here &lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;
For Sportster Tech Info:
Ride On The Sportsterpedia - A Toll-Free XLForum Information Highway!

Thank you very much for your help, after reading your post a few times I finally understood and it is now running


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[IXL2Relax]

Originally Posted by HarleyAsh

Thank you very much for your help, after reading your post a few times I finally understood and it is now running

Glad to hear you got it running. It's a good feeling when you fix your own bike.


IXL _______ >>>> My Motorcycle Chronicles Are Here <<<<
For Sportster Tech Info:
Ride On The Sportsterpedia - A Toll-Free XLForum Information Highway!