Indications of VOES problems ?
Thread Starter
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6th Gear
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 11
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From: North Dakota, USA
Indications of VOES problems ?
Bike = 97 Sportster 883/1250, Mikuni carb.
How could one tell if there was a problem with the VOES ?
What sort of symptoms would show up ?
Thanks
Pat
How could one tell if there was a problem with the VOES ?
What sort of symptoms would show up ?
Thanks
Pat
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Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,658
Likes: 3
From: NorNev
The Service manual calls for a couple of ways to check it. One with the engine running and the other with a vacuum pump and ohmmeter.
Couple links that may help:
http://www.metrohog.com/what%20is%20voes.htm
http://www.mklsportster.com/xlvoes.htm
One more good one:
http://www.wildwestcycle.com/f_voes.html
Couple links that may help:
http://www.metrohog.com/what%20is%20voes.htm
http://www.mklsportster.com/xlvoes.htm
One more good one:
http://www.wildwestcycle.com/f_voes.html
Last edited by icecaps; Jul 25, 2009 at 02:31 PM.
Thread Starter
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6th Gear
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
From: North Dakota, USA
Thanks icecaps.
I've read the three links you gave.
Now I'm a little confused.
My 97 Sportster was originally a stock 883. I have made several changes to it over the years. Now, it is a 1250 with thunderstorm heads, SE air filter assembly, SE bolt in cams, strt. pipes + baffles and, recently, a new Mikuni HSE42 CARB. But it still has the original VOES. According to the articles that I read, the VOES needs to be changed, replaced with a new one that would work better with a larger engine, etc, or eliminate it.
If I do replace the stock 883 VOES, what type would I replace it with?
I've read the three links you gave.
Now I'm a little confused.
My 97 Sportster was originally a stock 883. I have made several changes to it over the years. Now, it is a 1250 with thunderstorm heads, SE air filter assembly, SE bolt in cams, strt. pipes + baffles and, recently, a new Mikuni HSE42 CARB. But it still has the original VOES. According to the articles that I read, the VOES needs to be changed, replaced with a new one that would work better with a larger engine, etc, or eliminate it.
If I do replace the stock 883 VOES, what type would I replace it with?
Tourer
Joined: Jul 2009
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Road Captain
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 656
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From:
As long as the stock voes is working.......test statically with a vacuum pump and ohm meter....then you can adjust it. You take a small screwdriver and pry out the rubber/silicone plug from the center of it and you can access the pressure adjustment screw, and when adjusting it, you'll need to temporarily use a rubber plug to seal the adjustment screw as air will leak through it otherwise. Voes switches are expensive, so I'd adjust your original if it's working. And if you haven't changed your stock ignition yet.....do so now, that will be a very well spent investment, as the stock 883 ingition is a bit to advanced on the ignition curve......after I did my 1250 conversion, i manually had to retard the timing by about 5 degrees. So at a minimum get a stock 1200 ignition, or better yet a good programmable ignition. I got a dynatek 2000i nosecone module, and that made a world of difference on my 1250 conversion.
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 4,525
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From: Wheeling, WV
The only problem I had with my VOES after my conversion was the tube finally dry-rotted & would loose vacuum a few minutes down the road so it would quit sending gas to the carb. Once I replaced the vacuum line, all was good. 
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Cruiser
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 172
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Voes
Potoole,
The VOES is just a micro-switch that closes when there is enough vacuum to cause it to switch. When there is enough vacuum, and it switches closed, that grounds a wire that goes to the Ignition Control Module. The Ignition Control Module is what actually controls the ignition timing, but the vacuum operated electrical switch causes the module to choose one of two advance curves.
If you're still running the original 883 ignition control module, then you're getting too much maximum advance because the 883s ran more total advance than the 1200s. The VOES is the same for both.
If you're still running the 883 ignition module, you really should replace it with one more suited to the 1250 engine that you're running.
If a VOES malfunctioned and failed to close when it should, the engine would be running with retarded timing and the idle speed would suddenly drop considerably. If a VOES failed to open, you'd be running on the advanced timing curve all the time, and you'd probably get incessant pinging every time you tried to accelerate at lower engine speeds.
The VOES is just a micro-switch that closes when there is enough vacuum to cause it to switch. When there is enough vacuum, and it switches closed, that grounds a wire that goes to the Ignition Control Module. The Ignition Control Module is what actually controls the ignition timing, but the vacuum operated electrical switch causes the module to choose one of two advance curves.
If you're still running the original 883 ignition control module, then you're getting too much maximum advance because the 883s ran more total advance than the 1200s. The VOES is the same for both.
If you're still running the 883 ignition module, you really should replace it with one more suited to the 1250 engine that you're running.
If a VOES malfunctioned and failed to close when it should, the engine would be running with retarded timing and the idle speed would suddenly drop considerably. If a VOES failed to open, you'd be running on the advanced timing curve all the time, and you'd probably get incessant pinging every time you tried to accelerate at lower engine speeds.
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Joined: Feb 2007
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From: Boynton Beach, FloriDuh
Potoole,
The VOES is just a micro-switch that closes when there is enough vacuum to cause it to switch. When there is enough vacuum, and it switches closed, that grounds a wire that goes to the Ignition Control Module. The Ignition Control Module is what actually controls the ignition timing, but the vacuum operated electrical switch causes the module to choose one of two advance curves.
If you're still running the original 883 ignition control module, then you're getting too much maximum advance because the 883s ran more total advance than the 1200s. The VOES is the same for both.
If you're still running the 883 ignition module, you really should replace it with one more suited to the 1250 engine that you're running.
If a VOES malfunctioned and failed to close when it should, the engine would be running with retarded timing and the idle speed would suddenly drop considerably. If a VOES failed to open, you'd be running on the advanced timing curve all the time, and you'd probably get incessant pinging every time you tried to accelerate at lower engine speeds.
The VOES is just a micro-switch that closes when there is enough vacuum to cause it to switch. When there is enough vacuum, and it switches closed, that grounds a wire that goes to the Ignition Control Module. The Ignition Control Module is what actually controls the ignition timing, but the vacuum operated electrical switch causes the module to choose one of two advance curves.
If you're still running the original 883 ignition control module, then you're getting too much maximum advance because the 883s ran more total advance than the 1200s. The VOES is the same for both.
If you're still running the 883 ignition module, you really should replace it with one more suited to the 1250 engine that you're running.
If a VOES malfunctioned and failed to close when it should, the engine would be running with retarded timing and the idle speed would suddenly drop considerably. If a VOES failed to open, you'd be running on the advanced timing curve all the time, and you'd probably get incessant pinging every time you tried to accelerate at lower engine speeds.
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 7,604
Likes: 38
From: Landrum, SC , elevation 986'
Potoole,
The VOES is just a micro-switch that closes when there is enough vacuum to cause it to switch. When there is enough vacuum, and it switches closed, that grounds a wire that goes to the Ignition Control Module. The Ignition Control Module is what actually controls the ignition timing, but the vacuum operated electrical switch causes the module to choose one of two advance curves.
If you're still running the original 883 ignition control module, then you're getting too much maximum advance because the 883s ran more total advance than the 1200s. The VOES is the same for both.
If you're still running the 883 ignition module, you really should replace it with one more suited to the 1250 engine that you're running.
If a VOES malfunctioned and failed to close when it should, the engine would be running with retarded timing and the idle speed would suddenly drop considerably. If a VOES failed to open, you'd be running on the advanced timing curve all the time, and you'd probably get incessant pinging every time you tried to accelerate at lower engine speeds.
The VOES is just a micro-switch that closes when there is enough vacuum to cause it to switch. When there is enough vacuum, and it switches closed, that grounds a wire that goes to the Ignition Control Module. The Ignition Control Module is what actually controls the ignition timing, but the vacuum operated electrical switch causes the module to choose one of two advance curves.
If you're still running the original 883 ignition control module, then you're getting too much maximum advance because the 883s ran more total advance than the 1200s. The VOES is the same for both.
If you're still running the 883 ignition module, you really should replace it with one more suited to the 1250 engine that you're running.
If a VOES malfunctioned and failed to close when it should, the engine would be running with retarded timing and the idle speed would suddenly drop considerably. If a VOES failed to open, you'd be running on the advanced timing curve all the time, and you'd probably get incessant pinging every time you tried to accelerate at lower engine speeds.
+2. I saved a lot of headache when I did my build and just put a 1200 programmable Module in. But you should at least put a standard 1200 module in.
