Perplexed

[Eljeef]

OK, back at it. New details for the mystery. Tried something new last night. Checked the points voltage with key on- nothing. Hit the starter button-5 volts. Hook up new battery charger with 75 amp boost feature and turn it on- 12 volts to the points with key on and whilst hitting the starter button. Started right up, ran for about 20 seconds and apparently flooded itself out. Also wierd is when we pulled the plug out and hit the starter there was no spark at the plug until we let go og the starter button and the there would be a spark. What-the-heck? :(

[rrietman]

have you cleaned the ground strap connections? I mean really cleaned them. remove the engine hanger bolt and the strap and make everything brite and shiny. also sometimes the dream woven ground straps get so gummed up and saturated that they develop high resistance and will cause intermittent ground problems(which it sounds like you are having). these bikes can also benefit from running extra ground wires to the headlite bucket and taillite bracket.
Also I think that if you disconnect the lead from the points and THEN check voltage at that lead, you will find that running the starter won't change the reading (except to show a voltage drop from the starter draw)
Good luck
Randy

[Eljeef]

have you cleaned the ground strap connections? I mean really cleaned them. remove the engine hanger bolt and the strap and make everything brite and shiny. also sometimes the dream woven ground straps get so gummed up and saturated that they develop high resistance and will cause intermittent ground problems(which it sounds like you are having). these bikes can also benefit from running extra ground wires to the headlite bucket and taillite bracket.
Also I think that if you disconnect the lead from the points and THEN check voltage at that lead, you will find that running the starter won't change the reading (except to show a voltage drop from the starter draw)
Good luck
Randy

Hi. I actually repaired my ground strap with a new braided strap. I took my starter off today and I am going to take it in to see if there is an issue there. Regards, Jeff.

[conbs]

If you are not getting 12v at your points with the key in the on position, your bike isn't going to run. I would go back to the points. It was running fine before you changed them, right?

It is never a good idea to run 75 amps through the electrical system on a Dream, even if it forces the bike to start. Its just too much juice for your system. You may have fried your rectifier doing it.

1. Confirm 12 volts at the battery. If not charge the battery.

2. Confirm you have 12 volts at the red wire going into your switch and out of your ignition switch to the black wire in the "ON" position. If not you have issues in your switch. Not likely since your problems started after you changed your points, but you need to verify it is working.

3. Disconnect the green hot wire from your points and with the key "on" check to see if you have 12v. If you do, then the problem is in your points. If you don't have 12 volts, then trace the green wire back to the coil and then the black wire from the coil back to your switch to find where your voltage drops. Also check to make sure the wire to your condenser is not touching a ground somewhere. Could be a shorted condenser, but not likely since the problem started when you changed your points.

4. Once you get 12 v at the hot lead to your points, make sure your points are gapped accurately and then try kick starting your bike. Whether your electric starter is working correctly or not, your bike should start with the kick starter. But, you have to have 12 volts going to accurately gapped points.

Good luck and let us know if this works.

[Eljeef]

Update: I now have 12 volts from the battery all the way to the points. With the points open I have twelve volts at the points lug. If I put a test light on the points wire it only shows 3volts. ??? I want to try starting it with the starter power disengaged like was suggested. Do I just disconnect the outside wire that is on the starter? I am still trying to isolate my power draw. I have swapped out my condenser. I have changed my points three times and followed the diagrams for correct assembly. Pretty soon I'll be hopping on a plane to Texas.

[rzgkane]

You can remove the starter from the circuit by disconnecting its cable at the starter relay or the starter itself.

Update: I now have 12 volts from the battery all the way to the points. With the points open I have twelve volts at the points lug. If I put a test light on the points wire it only shows 3volts. ??? I want to try starting it with the starter power disengaged like was suggested. Do I just disconnect the outside wire that is on the starter? I am still trying to isolate my power draw. I have swapped out my condenser. I have changed my points three times and followed the diagrams for correct assembly. Pretty soon I'll be hopping on a plane to Texas.

[Eljeef]

I removed the starter wire and tried to kick start my bike. I now have 12 volts at the points when they are open so I can see there is a problem somewhere in the starter circuit. I tried to kick start her and she is firing. It even backfired once. Progress! I checked the points again and I don't have power until just past the "f"notch and actually when the rotor hits the "t" notch. I will try to adjust this. Any feedback on whether this sounds like an issue?