Someone with a Dyna-S and an Ohm meter... Help please?

[Guest]

Hello,

I was wondering if someone with a Dyna-S ignition could give me a hand please? Is it possible to have someone take a resistance/continuity reading between the red lead and the mounting plate with the unit disconnected?

I've got a Dyna-S on the bike that I bought a couple of years ago and during troubleshooting of a spark issue I decided to retest all of my electrical components. I've been in contact with Dynatek and they say I should have continuity between the red lead and the backing plate and the audible test is the easiest way to indicate that. Well, unfortunately I do not have any beep. Instead I'm showing a 922 when my meter is on the continuity setting and 8.0 when I set it to 200K ohms.

Before I send the unit away for assessment/repair (downtime and potentially additional cost) I'd like to make sure this is my best option. I bought the part, new, a couple of years ago and have been working on the bike in my spare time and have yet to actually turn the rear tire under power (so the idea of a new part going bad just sitting there irks me a little).

Thanks!

[cp___32]

Okay, how about another couple of questions then...

Does it make sense that the bike will indeed start under these conditions? It doesn't run well and the spark is weak and erratic but it does run.

I'm under the impression that since the Dyna-S is in line with the coils that it uses the spark plugs to ground itself, would this be correct (looking at Posplayr's 550 schematic)? Or does the mounting plate also act as a ground somehow?

(This may be a really silly question but...) Is there a ground wire for the motor that I should be inspecting or does the motor ground itself through the bolts that connect it to the frame mounts, the strap running from the starter motor to the battery, etc?

Could the silly spark be cause by a not-so-good ground and perhaps my Dyna-S is actually not faulty or should I send it out for service anyway?

[salty_monk]

There should be a ground wire going from the motor to the battery. Adding additional ones is never a bad thing....

[Killer2600]

The module does not ground through the plugs, the module has to ground itself through the mounting or a ground lead (I don't have a dyna s ignition so I am not certain which it utilizes). A poor ground or power feed to the module or coils will lead to a poor spark. The bike can run on a poor spark and it can even go unnoticed. Can't rule out bad coils, wires, plugs leading to poor or erratic spark, unless they functioned perfect before installing the dyna S.

[FLHGSRay]

There is a troubleshooting procedure included with the instructions for your Dynatek. They will also walk you through it on the phone. And they have a pretty fast turn around on warranty work, mine was not much more than a week. Doesn't sound like the bike is road ready, so does a week matter? But my guess is, the ignition is good. You've got other problems.

[cp___32]

Thanks for the info, and yes, that's the crux of the problem. The bike isn't road ready yet, so missing the part for a week isn't a big deal (But it could be more since I'm from Canada and they think I'm slow...eh <---Simpson's Reference). Part of the problem is that if the part doesn't work right now, it probably never worked right since I literally put it on when the original one tested faulty, and I haven't gotten around to working on the bike much till now. And like you said, FLHGSRay, there's probably something else afoot. The Dyna-S fails the continuity test on the red wire, but still runs, so I'm trying to diagnose if it's testing bad because it's bad, or if it's testing bad because it's fine and something else is causing it to read bad.
That's why I wanted another GS'er to do a reading, to see if maybe the readings the Dynatek guys said I should get were sort of 'idealized' and that older bikes may be fine with a less than perfect result (much like they have been noted as saying 10v at the coils actually is enough even though it's not 12 or higher as most of us would like).
Tested the coils, caps/wires, plugs (all OEM replacement) I got at the same time as the Dyna-S, and they're good. Installed a new RMStator and that tests good. Going to test the new RR from Electrosport later today. Already been through the wiring loom to check for continuity on all wires and they're good end to end, cleaned all connectors, new blade style fuse panel. So I've been fairly thorough, but have come to a point where I need some expert advice (and that's where you all come in to make sure I haven't overlooked the obvious as I usually do )

[FLHGSRay]

Have you timed it with a timing light? A static time, with a test light, is a good start, but it needs to be timed with a timing light. Each module, there will be two if it's a 4 cyl, will need to timed individually. Timing it with a light will make a huge difference.