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Dec 6th, 2004, 06:17 PM
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#1 | | Rookie 10+ posts
Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: California
Posts: 19
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Anyone know what a "VOES" switch does? | 
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Dec 6th, 2004, 10:58 PM
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#2 | | Administrator Has posted 500+
Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Tucson AZ
Posts: 1,552 Interests: Fishing, wood working, flipping off Fred Fox Occupation: Founder of Bike Talk....retired and lovin' it
| Yes. But, if we tell you... 
The Vacuum Operated Electrical Switch or VOES acts like a vacuum advance did on older automobiles. Under cruise conditions when the manifold vacuum is highest usually above 5-6" of vacuum the switch closes to ground. The triggers the ignition to advance the timing to get better mileage and throttle response. IF you whack the throttle open, vacuum drops, the switch opens and the timing retards to it normal timing for that RPM. We called it vacuum advance but H-D insists on calling it vacuum retard. Sort of a retarded way to look at since it is a normally open switch that when closes advances the timing. | |
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Dec 7th, 2004, 07:18 AM
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#3 | | Rookie 10+ posts
Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: California
Posts: 19
| Thanks for the explanation, where on the bike would it be located?  | |
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Dec 7th, 2004, 08:15 AM
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#4 | | Administrator Has posted 500+
Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Tucson AZ
Posts: 1,552 Interests: Fishing, wood working, flipping off Fred Fox Occupation: Founder of Bike Talk....retired and lovin' it
| Depends on the model but 99.99999% of the time it is up under the frame between the carburetor and the top engine mount. Usually is mounted off of the mount itself. | |
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Dec 7th, 2004, 07:59 PM
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#5 | | Rookie 10+ posts
Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: California
Posts: 19
| Have 98 softail. Bought it used. Don't see one installed. Something I need right?  | |
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Dec 7th, 2004, 09:27 PM
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#6 | | Has posted 500+
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 1,935
| Beast, if you want to know where stuff is and how to work on it get a service manual for your bike it will have every thing you need.
It will help with doing 5 and 10K services yourself, save you a ton of $$$ on those deals alone. | |
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Dec 8th, 2004, 07:22 AM
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#7 | | Rookie 10+ posts
Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: California
Posts: 19
| I do have one. What I don't have is the switch  | |
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Dec 8th, 2004, 07:42 AM
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#8 | | Administrator Has posted 500+
Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Tucson AZ
Posts: 1,552 Interests: Fishing, wood working, flipping off Fred Fox Occupation: Founder of Bike Talk....retired and lovin' it
| The other tool that works with the service manual is the parts book. It will show you where most items are located on the bike.
The VOES may have been removed if someone installed an aftermarket ignition. A lot of aftermarket ignitions allow you to decide to eliminate or to use the VOES. Look at youir ignition module and see if it is stock or aftermarket.
If you are not having starting, cruising or other problems then are you just looking for it or?????
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Dec 8th, 2004, 10:08 AM
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#9 | | Has posted 500+
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 1,935
| Did'nt realize you were missing the part thought you were just looking for it SM and PM help alot. | |
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Dec 9th, 2004, 11:22 AM
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#10 | | Rookie 10+ posts
Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: California
Posts: 19
| It had a stock HD module when I got it. I put a Screamin' eagle in it. It seems to run good. Cold blooded as hell, but once she's warm its all good. Just wondered if it better with or without it? | |
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Dec 9th, 2004, 04:46 PM
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#11 | | Administrator Has posted 500+
Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Tucson AZ
Posts: 1,552 Interests: Fishing, wood working, flipping off Fred Fox Occupation: Founder of Bike Talk....retired and lovin' it
| The SE and the OE modules are set up for the VOES. I would get the correct one and install it. | |
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Dec 9th, 2004, 10:31 PM
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#12 | | Rookie 10+ posts
Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: California
Posts: 19
| Yeah that's what I thought. Going to have to do that. Just wanted someones opinion who has been around HD's a lot. Thanks CD | |
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Dec 11th, 2004, 06:06 AM
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#13 | | Rookie 10+ posts
Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Pima, AZ
Posts: 43 Interests: Flying, Bikes & "Projects" Occupation: Honey Do's
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You are at a unique point in your life. There are a couple of different VOES switches made with different settings for different model bikes. Also, you can "play" with most of the settings by removing the plug on top of the VOES, adjusting the screw and resealing the hole with black RTV. CD can fill you in but basically some model VOES switches retard the spark at a lower vacuum then others. This could change your bike's response to throttle advance. Just an option to think about.  | |
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Mar 15th, 2008, 07:19 PM
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#14 | | Very Active Poster 50+
Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Upstate NY 20mi SW of Albany
Posts: 63 Model: Old Blue what used to be a 95 Heritage Interests: Bikes wrenchin And ridin with friends and making new friends Occupation: Rail Road
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CD. has your answer, On my 95 heritage I was having a problem where the bike was in advance all the time it had just started doing it. I also run Screamin Eagle Ignition Looked all over for the switch.finally found it when I pulled the tanks. located near the top engine mount you counldn't see it from looking underneath and it ended up being a rubber cap that was missing on a T type connection to the vacume hoses. The one that had the cap on it , Harley at one time ran a vacume operated petcock? on some of thier earlier models. So being efficient they just used them up, but that little rubber cap can rot off and throw a wrench in the work's. strict9Rob | |
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