VOES

[Ex3t3r]

Replacing a very tired existing Screamin' Eagle® electronic ignition system for the following:

Ultima Single Fire Ignition Kit 53-660 : Amazon.co.uk: Automotive

Buy Ultima Single Fire Ignition Kit 53-660 at Amazon UK. Free delivery on eligible orders.

www.amazon.co.uk

Ultima Single Fire Ignition Kit 53-660

But I have hit a wall as it is unclear from the manufacturers installation instructions if I can remove
mechanically & electrically the VOES part and the bike will perform happily without it or does it need
to be left and wired into the new ignition kit as stated above?

I do understand why H-D fitted the VOES but to reiterate is it possible that it is now obsolete and unnecessary
as my new ignition kit takes care of the function of the VOES now?

Have attached Ultima's installation instructions and highlighted in yellow my queries but ignore that it
is for what seems a different ignition model kit being 'ULTIMA® #53-644 Programmable Digital Ignition System'
as the contents are identical to the hard copy literature that came with my specific Ultima ignition kit!.

Ps. Going for 'Single Fire' mode as recommended by other forum members and my own research

Your comments would be appreciated

 

[SJC69]

Basically if you have a fairly stock engine, i.e. displacement and compression, 'they' state it will run better with the VOES as this makes ignition in effect more adaptable to load etc, and adjust.
However it would appear from the instructions you do not need to have the VOES but may well need to select the best curve and possibly adjust the ignition timing to get the best set up with this not being able to adapt to changes in load detected by the VOES.

 

[Ex3t3r]

Basically if you have a fairly stock engine, i.e. displacement and compression, 'they' state it will run better with the VOES as this makes ignition in effect more adaptable to load etc, and adjust.
However it would appear from the instructions you do not need to have the VOES but may well need to select the best curve and possibly adjust the ignition timing to get the best set up with this not being able to adapt to changes in load detected by the VOES.

View attachment 1192970

Yes this was my interpretation of the installation instructions. Room for thought. But unsure how I 'select the best curve and possibly adjust the ignition timing to get the best set up with this not being able to adapt to changes in load detected by the VOES' Am I missing something in the instructions on how to achieve this as I don't want to go down the route of a Strobe Light, can you shed some light on this matter SJC69 please?

 

[SJC69]

A couple of things, first off Dynamic set up of the ignition with the strobe is better than static, messy but not that hard.
I never found I could see anything using those so call see through plastic timing plugs, thus messy or you mark the alternator and use those marks however I am not sure how much room you have to mark the alternator and use a strobe on the long primary, there is enough room on the short primary FXRs & Tourers to do this without removing the outer. (See Below)
You just need to clean the surfaces and use a quick drying paint!

Personally I would try and work with the VOES as this gives better flexibility and should hopefully remove the need for the trial and error of testing various curves and tweaking the timing!

This first section gives you the basics for selecting the curve, 'they' recommend to try and use the most aggressive, so curve 1, if that's your start point, then if issues curve 2 and so on.

So say an 80ci, standard compression, you select curve 1 and see how it goes, if you then get 'pinging' etc, you then try curve 2

This section then says your ideal set up may be between curves and suggests, you advance or retard the timing by moving the plate. If Curve 1 causes pinging and Curve 2 does not run great you would then try Advancing or Retarding one of the curves to get the best set up. This of course going to take a bit of trial and error to find what is best

 

[Ex3t3r]

A couple of things, first off Dynamic set up of the ignition with the strobe is better than static, messy but not that hard.
I never found I could see anything using those so call see through plastic timing plugs, thus messy or you mark the alternator and use those marks however you need the primary off to do this!

Personally I would try and work with the VOES as this gives better flexibility and should hopefully remove the need for the trial and error of testing various curves and tweaking the timing!

This first section gives you the basics for selecting the curve, 'they' recommend to try and use the most aggressive, so curve 1, if that's your start point, then if issues curve 2 and so on.

So say an 80ci, standard compression, you select curve 1 and see how it goes, if you then get 'pinging' etc, you then try curve 2

View attachment 1192971


This section then says your ideal set up may be between curves and suggests, you advance or retard the timing by moving the plate. If Curve 1 causes pinging and Curve 2 does not run great you would then try Advancing or Retarding one of the curves to get the best set up. This of course going to take a bit of trial and error to find what is best
View attachment 1192972

I will take on-board your recommendation and leave the VOES alone and try to work with it, I was reluctant to go down the Strobe Light route again as a friend and I could not get a happy medium with it in the manner you described by placing marks inside the primary case cover, and I suspect the cause was the old Screamin Eagle electronic ignition failing (after all it is 31 years old) I agree I to have had no luck with those damn clear plastic timing plugs so thank you for taking the time and trouble to help which is always gratefully appreciated SJC69

 

[kiwidave]

That module fits fits 71-99 Shovel and Evo. ''No VOES'' is for Shovel fitment. If the bike came with VOES i.e. an Evo, use it. I did so.

 

[watchman]

We used to fit evo sportster voes switches with cranes ignitions to most big twins evos shovels ect as the ignition curve was better on the dyno with lively cams