Ironhead Winter Project - more questions

IronMick · #1 28th January 2012

1. Testing the VOES

Is this correct? - with VOES disconnected and on the bench there should be no continuity between the two wires [to ground and from ign module]; with vacuum applied there should be continuity.

2. Lube'ing Cables

I clean the cables with brake&parts cleaner. Then i have always used a light oil for the throttle and clutch cables and a light grease for the speedo and tach cables. I do not recall why i have done them this way other than that they are different internally. There are more options now such as graphite spray and silicone spray. So what do you do?

3. Does the speedo drive gear ever need new grease or other lube? It cannot be dismantled but i suppose some grease could be injected with the cable removed [although i no longer have a grease gun]. What do you do with this?

4. How often to change the fork oil and brake fluid? Every year? Every other year? After so many miles?

Smerch · #2 28th January 2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by IronMick

1. Testing the VOES

Is this correct? - with VOES disconnected and on the bench there should be no continuity between the two wires [to ground and from ign module]; with vacuum applied there should be continuity.

That is correct. The ignition won't go to advance mode until it sees continuity caused by manifold vacuum (switch closed). If a wire gets cut or the vacuum line pops off the switch fails to safe, i.e. open/no continuity and the ignition stays in "retarded" mode.

ryder rick · #3 28th January 2012

#1 one way or the other, if it doesn't change the switch is bad....

#2 I don't "clean" the cables, I just dribble some Tri-Flow or Marvel oil down them.

#3 Don't need no stenkin speedo

#4 Fork oil = 5000 miles Brake fluid = no spec given, I would change when it becomes discolored

bustert · #4 28th January 2012

hmmm!!! the original speedo drive had a zerk on the bottom. yes a little lube helps as eventually the drive and worm will wear and the drive will try to climb the worn, lockup and bend the drive tang. two options, install a zerk or go to the drug store and buy a hyperdermic needle with a fair size hole and a seringe, make sure they are the twist lock design. then fill the seringe with grease and inject through drive tang plate seal. i use this method on sealed and shielded bearings. a good product is desco 220 made by chemola in beaumont,tx. for the speedo chain and if mixed 1/2 with grease, can be used in bearings. this product will go from flame bucket launch to the cold of space, burn it to nothing and it still lubes. this stuff is so slick, if put into a bearing, the ball will pass through it and not carry it around, so the need for grease. got a boat, mix with grease for trailer wheels and never worry about water. however, not recommended for tight tolerance bearings as this stuff plates itself to it.

dot 5 silicone fluid does not absorb water and really has an extremely long life unlike dot 3 which is glycol based and will absorb water and cause corrosion. the darker the fluid, the more water in it, swap every three years or if it becomes dark.

IronMick · #5 29th January 2012

Thanx for the tips.

Yes, the VOES is toast. I picked off the silicon cap and tested while adjusting the screw one full turn, 1/8th turn at a time, each way. No joy.

I wonder how long it has been like that as i have not been getting any noticeable pinging, and i had installed that VOES as it was needed to get rid of the pinging - or so i thought anyway.

However in my spare parts i have an old VOES that tests good so i'll put that one on. I took this one off my 1980 a few years ago as it was not working. I did later get it working by resetting the screw.

2007Low · #6 29th January 2012

Yep, always good to have spare parts around.

ericfreeman · #7 29th January 2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by IronMick

I wonder how long it has been like that as i have not been getting any noticeable pinging, and i had installed that VOES as it was needed to get rid of the pinging - or so i thought anyway..

The VOES will default to the less advanced setting if it goes bad. So, you've been riding without full advance when the VOES would have allowed it. Your performance would have been marginally less with the bad switch, probably not noticeable under normal riding.

Eric

bustert · #8 29th January 2012

the beauty of the ultima ignition is that voes or not, the advance will be the same, just altered to be slower on ramp without voes and quicker on ramp with voes, unlike the hd module.