Request for help from Australian members

[Tony Smith]

This is a call out to owners (preferably in Australia) for owners of post 1981 bikes who could test some ignition modules for me.


The saga so far.

I bought a new coil for my bike and realized after that I am also supposed to fit the latest "Heavy duty' Ignition Amplifier to go with it.

I bought two HD modules - 1 a VW part form Poland and the 2nd form Euromotorelectrics (who also supplied the new mount required for the HD Ignition Amplifier.

It didn't work, in fact neither of the two new modules worked, so after a long think about it, I decided that the 7 pin socket on my bike didn't look too clever and I bought a replacement beancan/Ignition amplifier/ coil wiring harness.

Fitted the new harness yesterday and neither of the two "new' modules work at all. In fact they both fail the basic
turn on the ignition, crank, then flick kill switch on and off to get a "pop" test.


Now I have received the odd dud part from eBay sellers in my time, but the VW module came packed up in original and undisturbed packing and when the EME unit didn't work either I simply dismissed the prospect that I had two dead modules and assumed I was looking for a different fault.


As at yesterday I have even rebuilt a failed beancan with a Chinese 2AV54 and it works perfectly with my old Bosch module (which I'd like to be rid of because it isn't rated to handle the power drain of the new coil) and does not work with either of the new modules.

Logic tells me that I have simply had bad luck and got a dud module from the eBay seller and from EME as there simply is not any other test I can do on my own wiring (I even went as far as painting Prussian Blue onto the pins of the module and then inserting it in both my old connector and the new one to assure myself I was getting an electrical connection.


To prove to myself that I do not have a weird 1/1,000,000 fault i would like to send my two new HD modules to someone, preferably in Australia (for postage cost reasons)  for them to fit to their bike and see if they work or not.

If they both work, you are welcome to keep the VW one (as if it works it will be electrically identical to the EME one), if neither work I'd like the EME one back so I can write to them and see if I can get it exchanged for one that works.

I will send you you the two modules and the the mount for them. It will take you about 5 minutes to remove tank and exchange the modules.


Anyone up for this?

[peteremc]

If my bike wasn't still in pieces you'd be more than welcome to drop around and give this a go - save the postage costs. Good luck.

[Tony Smith]

If my bike wasn't still in pieces you'd be more than welcome to drop around and give this a go - save the postage costs. Good luck.

Thank you.
bye the way, if there is any help or assistance I can offer you, let me know.


I reckon I've got two dud modules (and with that kind of luck I will never buy lotto tickets), but I'd like to eliminate a 1/1,000,000 "weirdness" in my bike.


I'm really just about totally over BMW and their stupid ignition systems. Wife and i have been using Boyer/Bransden systems for more than 30/20 years respectively with ZERO failures - ever. But it seems like every time I look sideways at BMW's hall effect offering it plays up and costs me money. i got momentarily interested in the Emerald Island (sold locally as Red Center) system, but it is simply more of the same with the addition of an additional controller in their re-worked bean-can to handle advance retard, still uses a hall effect and a (rebadged) Bosch Ignition module....

[Kookaburra]

Tony, I will take this experiment on for you if you can't find someone local. I have a 3/1985 twin shock which has benefited from the wisdom of your good self and  others over the last couple of years.  My postal address is: 8 Tinana St Haberfield NSW 2045.

[Tony Smith]

Tony, I will take this experiment on for you if you can't find someone local. I have a 3/1985 twin shock which has benefited from the wisdom of your good self and  others over the last couple of years.  My postal address is: 8 Tinana St Haberfield NSW 2045.

Thank you - I'll get them on their way sometime this week.
Could you PM me a name to put on the envelope? "The Occupant' is a little impersonal :-)

[peteremc]

Thanks Tony, The offer of assistance is gratly appreaciated.

I'll keep that in mind. I have a question up in another post about internals of forks that I need help with.

[Tony Smith]

Tony, I will take this experiment on for you if you can't find someone local. I have a 3/1985 twin shock which has benefited from the wisdom of your good self and  others over the last couple of years.  My postal address is: 8 Tinana St Haberfield NSW 2045.

Thank you for your kind offer but I've found a car owner nearby who uses the same module, he is testing them for me later today.

[Kookaburra]

Excellent Tony, Please report on the result of the cage experiments.

Chris Elenor

[Tony Smith]

Excellent Tony, Please report on the result of the cage experiments.

Chris Elenor

Complete failure.

I don't think I'll buy lotto tickets for a while. Both the EME and "Anonymous eBay seller" modules are as dead as door-nails. i will return the EME device to them for warranty.


No wonder it was driving me insane, I mean what are the odds that an supposedly new module (it came in a box with visually undisturbed packaging) from eBay and a brand new module for a seller of decent reputation (EME) would both be dead!

I wanted to borrow the VW owner's module and try it in my bike, but the friendship, unsurprisingly, did not extend that far :-)


At least I know now......

[georgesgiralt]

Tony,
I'm in France, and actually for the next 6 weeks in NZ... But I can help you.
See the attached picture. It is an excerpt from a French motorcycle repair article showing how to test an ICu ...
If you can't understand th epart, I'll translate it for you.
Hope this will help !

[Tony Smith]

Tony,
I'm in France, and actually for the next 6 weeks in NZ... But I can help you.
See the attached picture. It is an excerpt from a French motorcycle repair article showing how to test an ICu ...
If you can't understand th epart, I'll translate it for you.
Hope this will help !

Thank you, a very kind offer.

My problem was that I simply refused too accept what testing and logic told me.

I had two brand new modules, neither worked. I refused to accept that I have been sent two dead modules from unrelated sellers, one of whom has an excellent reputation.

Because of my refusal to accept that both modules were dead I searched for other causes and eventually decided to (unfairly as it turn out) blame the ignition harness on my bike. I bought a new harness and they still tested dead.

Then I rebuilt a beancan I happened to have which worked perfectly with my existing module but failed to produce a spark from either of my new heavy duty modules.

In a state of absolute despair I further tested both modules by putting them in a VW car that uses a known compatible module - both were dead, but my existing module fired up the car perfectly.


I was finally forced to accept that both of my brand new heavy duty modules are absolutely dead.


I have made a test rig to test beancans but baulked on making a rig to test modules due to the cost of the 7 way JPT socket, but as I now have a spare ignition harness I think I will now build a combined module and bean can tester along the lines of that suggested in the image you kindly posted.

A 9v battery can supply more than enough power to drive both the module and the hall effect and it is easy to rig the wiring so that a module can be tested in the absence of a hall effect and a hall effect tested in the absence of a module, two switches should do it.