Starter is working great! But.. Bike isn't firing...

[74ironhead]

Me and a 12 pack of bud light had a sitdown chat with the previous owner, what was done and wasn't done, shit like that. The bike doesn't fire. I have pulled the plug out and I see nothing, I put in brand new points, the wire from the coil to the points was spliced in 4 spots and not so much as taped up, he said that often caused problems and that if i replaced that wire, i'd be in business. I ran a brand new wire, crimped on the proper ends and still no fire. I even redid the igniton wires where they were lose and bear still no fire.

I am now assuming voltage regulator. I had made a mistake in saying the generator was from a vw bug. it was the voltage regulator. Will that regulator keep the bike from firing?? And even if I set the points wrong, it should still fire, jsut run like shit, right??? My battery was a big issue! IT was only 180 cranking amps, wouldn't even turn the bike over, i'm now up to a 275 and it is cranking it over perfectly,

Since this is a paughco frame, this guy decided he was jesse james. He ripped off the factory harness, bought some rolls of wire and went to town, I have a push button start switch right now because the hand controls are off the bike and all the wiring for the start button for the hand controls is in a box. My button is going from the starter solenoid to the relay box.

I have half a mind to rip all this wiring shit and throw it in the trash, order a factory harness and get to work, but before I spend any more money I want to hear her run and take it around the block.

The coil is in between the jugs now, the ignition is mounted to the battery box, and the regulator is mounted to the rear fender with the relay beside it. oh the relay is from a ford.

Should I just break down and order a new regulator and relay box from jireh cycles and be done with it. Or do you guys think the problem lies elsewhere?? THanks for taking the time to read this, any help is appreciated!

[IronMick]

You can take the reg and the gen to a shop and have them tested. Here testing them and rebuilding the gen is $40.00. Look up Automobile Electric Service in the yellow pages.

No point in guessing or throwing parts at it. You have to know with certainty if each component is good or not. A FM and a Clymer and a multimeter is a good start. If you do not have all of these you are a blind man wandering in the dark

Battery, battery cables, starter motor, generator, plugs, plug caps, ig wires, etc. All of these things can be tested, most by yourself with the books & tool mentioned.

The fact that the reg is from a VW or whatever may not matter much. I believe the usual ironhead reg is identical to a ford truck one, except for the mount. So it may be quite ok.

The battery, reg and gen are all interdependent. If one goes bad and the bike is run the bad one can take the others down with it. It is important for every ironhead owner to be able to test these three components, preferably at home.

The gen in particular has to be rebuilt every year. It is easy to do this yourself. But you need the manuals. If you do not rebuild it each year it will fall apart [quite literally] and quite possibly wreck the other two components.

[a45junkie]

you need to test the ignition circuit, either with a multimeter or a test light,
the regulator will not affect the ignition at least till the battery goes dead
If you dont have a manual you need to get one

[CustomBlue]

you need to test the ignition circuit, either with a multimeter or a test light,
the regulator will not affect the ignition at least till the battery goes dead
If you dont have a manual you need to get one

be carefull about using a multi-meter to test spark wires! now I'm not sure on a bike but a car coil puts out aprox 20,000 volts.I don't think thats what he is suggesting to test here,more like the primary and seconday ignition circuits before the coil.just my 2 cents,whick these days don't buy ya a friggen gumball!

[CustomBlue]

when you tested for spark did you have the plug grounded?otherwise you'll see no fire in the wire!if you are getting spark it must be in your fuel system.1 of three things wrong,air,fuel,or spark.

[Y2K]

That regulator may well be a stock unit,the kickstart XLCH had a Bosch type reg just like VW bug and the XLH with electric start had the Delco type reg like a Chevy.
If your starter cranks I wouldn't suspect the charging system,I'd be looking at the condensor or the coil.
Points and condensor are the same as a chevy straight six. ;)
Take a simple current tester and see if you have juice to the coil with the ignition on.
Check at the points for spark too.
If you have juice at the points and to the coil you should have spark.
If not,bad coil.

[a45junkie]

well first things first, are the points closing?
if they are, are they opening?

[Y2K]

well first things first, are the points closing?
if they are, are they opening?

:smoke good points 'er point :p :roflblack

[74ironhead]

the points are opening and closing. I just put brand new ones on and they were from oreillys for a chevy six. I went ahead and replaced the condensor as well. Two brand new spark plugs. , the generator was tested and is working well. When i flip on igniton i get lights, I'm going to borrow a tester and check the coil. I check the plugs by pulling the plug out, puttin the wire back on and grounding it to the block. I then turned the lights off in the garage and fired it up. No spark. Am i doing this wrong??

I don't have a manual, which one do you recommend. Thanks!

[a45junkie]

thats right, its most likely the coil unless its not getting voltage in the first place

[a45junkie]

just out of curiousity do you have a kill switch on the bars?

[a45junkie]

here's a pretty good manual
http://www.repairmanual.com/catalog/H2534

[74ironhead]

Is the clutch and headlight switch. the two push buttons on the left hand side don't work, horn is gone, turn signals are gone, only headlight and taillight, righ hand controls are off and in a box. no front brake controls. which means no starter button. another buddy wondered if my killswitch was on, but i wouldn't know how to check, i guess that wire could be grounded.

[Y2K]

You're getting there,with the ignition on open and close the points with a screwdriver and look for a spark or use a current tester and see if you have power to the points .
Check for power to the coil too.
I would suspect a wire not connected or a switch not hooked up or grounding out before a bad coil but it's possible.

[74ironhead]

the right side is the wire going to the points. Where should the other wire on the left side be going to??

[74ironhead]

I am with my girls right now,b ut I'm going out afterwhile to remedy this. The positive wire on the coil, i traced it, guess what. It wasn't hooked up to anything. My guess is it goes on the ignition side of the ignition switch??

[a45junkie]

just make sure it gets hooked up to the ignition circuitbreaker. thats about what i thot, lol have fun with that

[74ironhead]

coil circuit breaker???by that i'm guessing you mean the terminal that the wire is connected too. The part where i put the nut on and screw down the wire to the coil??

[74ironhead]

I reread your post. I got to lay off the booze.

[a45junkie]

just dont want you to go up in a ball of flames is all

[74ironhead]

IF your ever ridin through Missouri, we'll drink a few and hit some titty bars, on me! later guyz.

[74ironhead]

I Got Fire, The Wire Not Going To The Points Wasn't Going Anywhere, I Jerked It Off, Ran A New Wire, Put On The Ends, Hooked It Up To The Ignition And I Now Am Firing.

I Just Couldn't Keep Fuel In It Long Enough To Hear It Run, My Battery Died, I Bought A Charger, Let It Charge, It Would Die Before I Could Keep It Running. So I Jumped It With My Truck, All Was Going Well And Bam. Clunk, Bing , Boom, Starter Was Making Awful Noises Again. Take A Word From The Unwise.

Don't Put A Cheap Ass Thrust Washer On The Starter Where The Factory Has A Brass One. It Is Grooved And Eat Up Bad Only After A Few Attempted Starts. So,, I Am Going To Get The Right Washer, Put The Primary Back On And Get Back To Working On The Fuel Issue, The Petcock Was Closed Off, I Found That, It Would Run As Long As It Had Gas Directly In The Carb, So It Is Close, Just Some More Dicking With It And I'll Have Her Going. I Hope To Ride It This Weekend! At Least Aroudn The Block! Later Guys And Thanks A Ton For Your Help!

[IronMick]

... I check the plugs by pulling the plug out, puttin the wire back on and grounding it to the block. I then turned the lights off in the garage and fired it up ... I don't have a manual, which one do you recommend. Thanks!

That is the correct technique to check for spark.

If you are going to get just one manual get the Factory Manual [FM], Part Number 99484-85. They cost about $100.00 here in the great white north; cheaper in USA-land. J&P Cycles has them, item number 902-009, $59.99. Often can be found on eBay for a lot less.

Next choice would be Clymer ISBN 0-89287-126-1. Also available often on eBay.

[a45junkie]

glad to hear you got it figgered out:clap