HarleyTechTalk

It all starts like this: I washed my Fatboy last week to get all the dirty fingerprints and other grime off after putting the new motor in. Anyway, I had to move the coil outwards a bit due to the larger cylinders/fins, so it no longer has the chrome cover over the top of it. Later that nite I went to start the bike and it took awhile, but it finally started. I just figured I had gotten some water in the coil/plug wires somehow. Friday evening I was out riding it and after a stop, I started it again and reached down to make sure the petcock was on. Well I wasn't looking where I was reaching and touched one of the plug wires, and wow, there was that familiar jolt! This is the second time my plug wires have done this in several years. The stock wires did it to me and now the Accels finally must've given up too. I've got a new set on the way. I can't help but think that I should get a little bit better performance with new wires on it. And no, I don't actually know which wire zapped me, but I don't really care to do that research again. Anybody else ever have the pleasure of experiencing this "shocking experience"?

Lil' Chief

Um , well yeah , being a mechanic for 39 years has given me more pleasurable shocks than I can remember, though I do remember a co worker years ago, had an old hot rod charger and asked me to crank the motor for him while he looked for a problem, well I guess he was holding the coil wire to far away from ground and it literally knocked him out, rolled the eyes back in his head...It had MSD ignition and Accel high voltage coil...

You want a good hit try a Spyke 80 kv coil. Hit Harley and go for Screaming Eagle catalog and find spark plug wire set and get the one that fits your set up (10mm - $19.95) and see if they hold up.

I stand corrected on my plug wires; I currently have Crane Firewires on there now and I'm replacing em with the Accels. I run a Crane single fire coil. Man, it's a jolt that reminds me of my days when I was an electricians apprentice! I got my moneys worth outta the Firewires. I think they've been on there for at least 9 years.
Eventually I'll upgrade the coil but I couldn't see replacing this one when it works just fine.

Lil' Chief

You sure you don't want to test it again   

Lawnmowers used to get me when I was a kid.
Haven't had the pleasure of that feeling in over 45-50 years.
Scott

Mine does it too rarely. Usually when I'm not paying attention and reach for the gas shutoff or the choke. I push the wires in and it goes away for awhile. The wires keep jiggling out just a tad and causing it.

My first thoughts were that one of the wires jiggled loose off of the coil and caused it, but as soon as I shut the bike off and recovered from the jolt I checked em and they were both snug on the coil and plugs. I'm just assuming old age caught up to em just like it does with all of us! As previously stated, I really didn't want to test em again! New ones are on and good to go.

Lil' Chief

Years ago I had a set of those clear plastic boots that you can see the spark through on my rigid Sporty.  Thought they were cool as heck until one day, riding home in the rain, my wet pants leg got up against one of the wires.
Interesting trying to control the bike and recover from the shock at the same time. 
Them damn Sparkies went in the trash the next day.

Quote from: Old Crow on June 29, 2011, 03:19:37 AM
Years ago I had a set of those clear plastic boots that you can see the spark through on my rigid Sporty.  Thought they were cool as heck until one day, riding home in the rain, my wet pants leg got up against one of the wires.
Interesting trying to control the bike and recover from the shock at the same time. 
Them damn Sparkies went in the trash the next day.

............someone made a ton of dough from the sale of those sparkies, and your right, they were the cause of not only shocks, but ill running bikes as well.
Scott

Get a auto test light with a regular incandescent bulb and put the clip on ground and hold over wire and move up and down the wire. You'll fine the sparker as it will hit the test light end instead of you. I hate getting hit so that's how I find a shorting spark plug wire.

Accel is Junk, buy something a little better. heck the Screamin Eagle 8mm wires are great.

   Yep, had it happen.      Nope, I didn't like it any better than you did. 

  just blew a set of Screaming Eagle 10 mm wires and put my modified Accels back on and runs great.