Your channel is gonna save me a shit ton of headaches. I'm new to the Harleys went in head first and got a 77 and 80 Sportsters and a 79 fxe Super glide electric. Wish me skill.
Hell yeah man! Just remember these are simple tractor engines, don't overthink anything. I'm going to have more shovel content than ironhead for the foreseeable future.
Marcus thing that was exactly what I needed to say I just recently got a 74 Ironhead and I need to polarize the generator cause I have to change the battery thank you so much
I have a 1973 ironhead that I got as a basket case, mostly apart, and almost completely missing the wiring harness. PLEASE HELP!! Would love to see a video on a simple way to wire everything up just to see if the motor will fire. I'm not sure exactly how to connect everything between battery, generator, coil, key switch etc simply enough just to get it started before investing in a full wiring harness.
I just got a 77 Ironhead. I have so many questions! This will definitely come in handy. I'm having some charging issues currently. Need to test the generator.
I recently purchased a 70 ironhead sporster 900 kick only and, the red and the green wire that you have on where are they going to, I'm trying to figure out a simple wiring pretty much taillight and a headlight only
I have a 76 ironhead (bought new) that I have gone thru many batteries over the years. Never did I know I had to polarize the generator when I changed the battery. Bike always ran fine and the battery charged up. Now the generator light just blinks weakly when I run it (should burn steady and bright). Has time finally caught up to me and I need a new generator or regulator? Engine also cuts in and out when you drive it and can't get up to speed. How can I tell which one is bad?
Just bought a 77 ironhead and the previous owner put a new battery in it and I've rode it for like 2 days and now it's dead lol I bet it's because he didn't flash it after throwing the battery in it this is the first thing I'm gonna try
If you're talking about the plug wires, no, old point fired garleys have what's called wasted spark. Both plugs fire each time the points close. If your talking about the wires from the ignition to the coil, it depends on what coil you have. Some it matters, others it doesn't. That's mostly with electronic ignition though. Most points, if I remember right, will work either way.
Is it the same process if my '76 Ironhead has had the alternator conversion kit put on? I def have a charging issue and its a new battery so I'm looking for the next steps as in testing of regulator, alternator and possibly polarizing it as I've heard it may be that simple. Thanks in advance!
Marcus, thanks for this informative video. Couldn’t help but notice the primary cover gasket looks like maybe copper... am I right? Who make that? That has to be a great idea to limit leaks. Thank you!
QUESTION!! I have a pan shovel, there is a R and a L, the R goes to the positive on my battery. What is the “L” I feel like it should be a ground but idk because the “L” wire is missing... FYI I bought my dads bike like this...I need help please answer someone if you know!!! Thankyou!!
Hey great work, I have a 73 shovel and what I have run into is the back cylinder is the number one and front is actually back is this for real,any input would be greatly appreciated thanks again and dig what you do helps more than you know brother
I've never seen that. I know on pre 75 (I think) bikes there is a timing mark for TDC (top dead center) front and BDC (bottom dead center) front, one is a dot, the other is a vertical line. and BDC front is the same as TDC rear every few revolutions. Easy way to tell is shine a light down the spark plug hole, or stick a screwdriver in it once you have one of the timing marks in the timing home. If you hit the rear piston, your at BDC on the front, find the other mark.
Just to clarify, as I'm still fairly green to this electrical business, if I'm attempting the same deal as what you're doing here I hook the jumpers up to the battery and then positive to the "A" terminal, do I need to ground the the one that's hooked up to the negative?
CRT if you have an alternator there shouldn't be any need to polarize it. I would move on to your voltage regulator. They fail pretty regularly if they are stock. Im not around my tech manual right now but if memory serves me right, you should be able to check you charging system by putting an voltage meter on it. You should make 12.5 ish volts at idle and roughly 14.2ish at around 2000-2500 rpm. If you make over 13 at idle or 15 at 2500 your volt regulator needs replaced. If you make under 12.5 or 14.2 then your alternator might be going out.
I got an 81 xlh 1000..engine cranks but no soark..bike had no battery in it for over a month...I got no spark n it ran before batt was re oved... do I need to flash my gen?
my 75 Harley sportster xlch, when I turn ignition on an hit the start button I just hear a click but no starter engaging or motor turnover, not sure if it's the relay sound or starter solenoid sound, have any ideas why this may be, also I did not polarized gen first?
Did you just call your replacable graphite brushing magnets? There are no permanent magnets in harley gennys, that's why the need polarization from time to time.
Hey Marcus, Great video. I'm wiring my pan at the moment without a battery. It's got a mag for ignition. Genny will just run headlight and tail. I haven't got a spare battery sitting around, can I flash it with a car battery? And do you have any other tips for wiring without a battery? I have a 65a genny. Electric franks reg, a circuit breaker and that's about it. Thanks in advance Luke
hey Luke I'm pretty sure you can polarize with a car battery. and I haven't got the chance own anything with a mag yet...so I'm sorry but I'm clueless on your pan. if you find out though let me know!
I've done it twice when my bike is running and doesn't seem to be workin should I try when bike is off my bike is a 74 ironhead or should I go ahead and buy I new generator ???? and if so are they easy to install
hey man I missed your comment sorry!! try it while it's off. you can't reverse the polarity when it's already making a magnetic field! but if you do it while with the motorcycle OFF and it doesn't help take your battery to autozone and get it checked. if it's good replace the voltage regulator, if that doesn't fix it then the genny. and yes they are easy to install, two bolts and a few wires.
the red and green wires go to my voltage regulator that's bolted on the front of the genny. then the black wire goes from volt regulator to the positive battery terminal. if your getting hot parts then you might need to rebuild or replace the genny and replace the voltage regulator.
+333peacock333 damn if it's brand new then there is something some where not hooked up right. getting hot means it's not sending it's voltage to the battery. it might be acting like an electric motor and sucking power from the battery if it's polarized to the negative from putting regulator wire on the neg terminal. hook everything up normally. volt regulator to the positive battery terminal. then try polarizing it like in the video.
no, the genny connects to your voltage regulator. the generator puts out way too much voltage for your battery, your regulator makes sure the batter doesn't get overloaded. but you have to set the polarity correct on the genny so it puts out + voltage instead of -.
genny is wired to reg, reg is wired to bat. the regulator uses small relay switches to shunt voltage to ground through a set of resistors. that shunting only occurs if the voltage is too high for battery health, and by design the relay and resistors act as a voltage divider with the "bat" tap only seeing voltages that charge the battery in a healthy manner, lol. the relays are like a bank of turn signal flashers, and the "ign" terminal on the regulator is hooked to a "master" relay that only connects the "bat" tap when the ignition is on, preventing the battery from bleeding to ground through the resistors. the regulator has a few sets of contact points, and bimetal springs, and electromagnets. all those fidgety bits basically mean most charging problems are regulator related, unless the genny has a mechanical issue (like completely worn out brushes as above)
....Well....decent video, so thumbs up...but there at 0:25...those aren't 'magnets'...they're called brushes.... Generators...I have a 46 Knuck and 72 sportys (2).....I found a easy fix with bolt-on alternator from Steve Fredricks at Joe Hunt Magnetos out here in Rancho Cordova (Sacramento) calif....10 amps at idle...16 at 2,000...uses the Harley black box alternator type regulator....no brushes to wear out....been running them for over 15 years... These same units have been advertised in V-Twin Cycle catalog and other places...all are the Steve Fredricks units... Nothing wrong with the old HD generator and relay type regulator....you just need to do regular maintenance...and replace commutator end needle bearing with a ball bearing...
so bike I bought has been sitting for 13 years, I emptied oil out and refilled, the service manual I have is very vague but I was told I have to prime the oil pump to get oil to the top ?? any way you could show this ? I have a 1973 xlh 1000 sporster
