1980 IronHead

[Mikeywiththe]

I'd appreciate it if anybody could help with some info or tips greatly appreciate it. Well about 3  weeks ago I picked up a 1980 1000cc Sportster I'm very new to older harley's this is my first Harley aswell I'm 17 and just started digging into this "Potty mouth" show the previous owner left me and when I picked it up and bought it it ran but didnt move which I expected bc the guy told me he smoked the clutch but got it back to my house and replaced oil lines put on aftermarket oil tank and chopped frame didnt mess with clutch yet at all just basically beauty stuff cleaning it up and replacing oil lines but I started it yesterday me and my dad listening to it sounds good not bad no knocks pings or rings but I flipped the switch off on the handlebars when we were done but I forgot to turn the key off lol really stupid move i know but went to the grocery store while the key still being on me not knowing an I come back I notice my damn key is in its on position and I charge the battery hoping it'd fire back up but surely not so I did some research and went to autozone got a condenser because some people said it could be fried and sometimes that happens with these ironheads but I replace the dam condenser and still nothing the bike just cranks with no spark it sounds like I know its not my plugs there brand new just got em and well I think possibly fried my coil pack to I think so. So I ordered a coil pack and about to be here in a day but any tips guys I would really appreciate it I'm very new to harleys like I said. just ah 17 yr old  kid tryna get his 42 yr old bike running thanks guys.

[JW113]

First: Congrats, I too had a 1980 XL.

Second: That is probably the longest run-on sentence I have ever see. Whoa! Periods, my friend. Periods...

Third: Get a factory shop manual! Invaluable, especially for someone new to a motorcycle.

If it was running, you left the ignition on, then yes indeed it can melt the innards of the coil. However, if you had the Run/Stop switch in Stop, that should have removed voltage to the coil and not fry it. Maybe you killed the engine with the switch then turned it back to Run?

You mentioned you purchased a condenser. Leaving the power on does not harm the condenser, but more importantly, if this bike really is stock, it should have solid state ignition, i.e. no condenser. Maybe someone converted it to points ignition? If so, then you can damage the points by leaving the power AND the Run/Stop switch on. Same with the solid state ignition module, it will get hot and possibly get fried.

Do you have access to a multi-meter? If not, they are dirt cheap these days, get one. Disconnect the coil wires, including spark plug wires. Measure the resistance across the (+) and (-) terminals, should be somewhere between 5 and 7 ohms. Then measure from either (+) or (-) terminal to spark plug terminals. Should be infinite resistance.

Measure the voltage at the white wire (goes to (+) side of coil), turn on ignition switch, it should be somewhere around 12V.

Lastly, if all checks out, take a plug out, connect plug wires to both plugs but hold the removed plug against the cylinder head, and crank the engine with Run/Stop in Run position. You should see a spark at the plug gap.

-JW

[Mikeywiththe]

First: Congrats, I too had a 1980 XL.

Second: That is probably the longest run-on sentence I have ever see. Whoa! Periods, my friend. Periods...

Third: Get a factory shop manual! Invaluable, especially for someone new to a motorcycle.

If it was running, you left the ignition on, then yes indeed it can melt the innards of the coil. However, if you had the Run/Stop switch in Stop, that should have removed voltage to the coil and not fry it. Maybe you killed the engine with the switch then turned it back to Run?

You mentioned you purchased a condenser. Leaving the power on does not harm the condenser, but more importantly, if this bike really is stock, it should have solid state ignition, i.e. no condenser. Maybe someone converted it to points ignition? If so, then you can damage the points by leaving the power AND the Run/Stop switch on. Same with the solid state ignition module, it will get hot and possibly get fried.

Do you have access to a multi-meter? If not, they are dirt cheap these days, get one. Disconnect the coil wires, including spark plug wires. Measure the resistance across the (+) and (-) terminals, should be somewhere between 5 and 7 ohms. Then measure from either (+) or (-) terminal to spark plug terminals. Should be infinite resistance.

Measure the voltage at the white wire (goes to (+) side of coil), turn on ignition switch, it should be somewhere around 12V.

Lastly, if all checks out, take a plug out, connect plug wires to both plugs but hold the removed plug against the cylinder head, and crank the engine with Run/Stop in Run position. You should see a spark at the plug gap.

-JW

Thank you alot man for responding but yes just tested the + an -'s and I get nothing and no spark either at the plug gap which definitely leads me to thinking my coil pack is fried so when that arrives ill hook it all up and get back to you if it works or not once again thanks for responding man.

[Mikeywiththe]

Trying to post pic of ignition module at least what I think it is but keeps saying server responded with code 500 but the ignition module is just a black box right with wires going into it ? If so im having a hard time finding a replacement on eBay or amazon if I fried it.

[JW113]

Yes, the black box. Don't waste your time with trying to find a stock one. Everybody has their own favorite aftermarket ignition module, mine currently is the Ultima. Which, as I understand it, is a repackaged Dynatech only a lot less money. Surf and find the info on the Ultima, it may (or may not) require a 3 ohm coil. It also mounts in the timing cover in place of the pickup module and timing advancer. Dyna used to make an external module similar to stock, but I don't think they do anymore. Someone else may, if you want to go that way.

-JW

[Mikeywiththe]

Ahhh thankfully she's back to running put the coil pack on and and all good definitely gonna look into ultima an getting rid of points but I really appreciate the help and such quick response JW definitely gonna be back if I ever have any more issues thxs man.