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Homemade Breakout Box

vtbikers

Active Member
P/N HD42682



Attached you will find the suppliers links for connectors
the rest of the stuff is just from Radio shack
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Batts Racing and DeutschConnector Batts

Pacer Group - Marine Wire, Battery Cable and Electrical Parts


Ok to start with let me explain what a Breakout Box is and what it does.
A Breakout Box is a way to tap into a wiring harness at any connector to get test points without causing any damage to the harness. It also allows you to start and run the motorcycle and have access to all the wires (test points) in that connector.
The HD Electrical Diagnostic Manual will instruct you at what connector to install the Breakout Box and when to install it. It also will tell you what to check (i.e. Ohms, Volts) and where to connect you meter (what pin for positive to what pin for negative).

The wiring for the box is as follows
The wire at pin 1 at the male grey connector goes to the pin 1 banana jack on the Breakout Box.
The wire at socket 1 at the female grey connector goes to pin 1 banana jack on the Breakout Box. ( Notice that both the wires from the grey male and female connectors join together inside the Breakout Box at the pin 1 Banana jack)

Do the same for pin 2,3,4 and so on.

Then repeat for the Black connectors.

The Parts I used are as follows:
Qty. Description Source

1 Project Box 8”x6”x3” Radio Shack
(Note: they come with a plastic and metal cover. I used the metal cover. You will drill 24 holes in the cover for the banana jacks. (Measure twice drill once!)

12 Red Banana Jacks p/n 81N1228 Newark Electronics
$0.31 ea. (if you buy 100)
(use red for grey connectors)

12 Black Banana Jacks p/n 81N1229
$0.31 ea. (if you buy 100) “
(use black for black connectors)

1 Deuthsch 12-Pos DT Recp. Connector Pacer Marine
p/n TDT04-12P (Grey male connector) $3.40 ea
You have to buy 5 min or you can get 1 from Batts for twice the price

1 Deuthsch 12-Pos DT Plug Connector Pacer Marine
p/n TDT06-12S (Grey female connector) $3.80 ea
You have to buy 5 min or you can get 1 from Batts for a lot more.

1 Deuthsch 12-Pos DT Plug Connector Batts
p/n DT04-12PB (Black male connector) $13.88 ea

1 Deuthsch 12-Pos DT Plug Connector Batts
p/n DT06-12SB (Black female connector) $17.72 ea

30 Deuthsch Pins

30 Deuthsch Sockets

16ga Wire (a lot)

Shrink Tubing

2 Gromets

2 sets Labels 1 Thru 12


I have inquired at Pacer Marine if they could get Black connectors. Don’t know yet

All connections were soldered together. The wire extend about 15" from the box. It's up to you how long you make yours.
I also made the adapters that you need 6 pin to 12 pin, 8 pin to 12 pin,
4 pin to 6pin. Any question send me a message.
 
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Hey great writing on the homemade breakout box, if I tried to make it I think my head would explode! I'm more of an Engine and Trans mechanic so electrical gives me a huge head ache. It sounds like you've got Electrical dialed in. I've got a problem with a 2000 FLHR (carbed). I hope you could give me some help. I have the Factory Manual on the bike but it keeps referring to the Breakout box. Here is what I've got. The bike quit running while riding, Checked for Spark at plugs none. Tried a known good coil with no change. I checked for Power to the coil and it's good. I;ve ohmed the wires between the coil and the ECM and they tested good. I took the Zippers Module out and put the stock one back in to see if that was it and no change but with the stock one I got a code 41 Crank Position Sensor(since I don't have a Scanner I jumped the wires like it said in the manual which says the Crank Sensor puts out AC Volts and when I checked it had 2 Volts while using the Starter. Do you have any Ideas where I should go from here ? Thanks for any help you can give me. SJSHD
 
VTBikers,

I finally finished mine. The only changes I made were:
  • I used solid pins and sockets
  • I used Dorman Fully Insulated Female Disconnects (from Walmart, P/N 82228) to attach the wires to the banana plugs

This allowed me to not have to solder anything.

Thanks again for the instructions and your help!!
 
Congratulations Dcfatboy and SJSHD if you break down a "project" into small steps, it need not cause one's head to explode...just a bit of creative juices and patience. Soldering skills and simple chassis sheet metal work are the main challenges and Dc found a simple solution to minimze the soldering, easing the difficulty number from a 4 to 3 out of 5 (for those not experienced in such things, like electrical wiring) and using buzz box or DMM to check your work.
 
The Breakout box I saw listed for my 2001 injected road king looked like it hooked up inline withe the ECM connector. I need something to test idle, injectors, intake temp, etc... Will this do that?
 
sjr, it sounds like you are referring to the ECM breakout box. This thread s not about that box. That box would definitely give you want you want.

The breakout box in this thread could give you the data too, if it available through connectors other than the ECM. (The wiring diagram in the 2004 Electrical Diagostic Manual has other connectors for the components you are interested in.)

HTH
 
VTBikers,

I finally finished mine. The only changes I made were:
  • I used solid pins and sockets
  • I used Dorman Fully Insulated Female Disconnects (from Walmart, P/N 82228) to attach the wires to the banana plugs

This allowed me to not have to solder anything.

Thanks again for the instructions and your help!!

Show it off with some pictures... Everyone loves pictures!:p:p
 
Here is a pic. I have not found any labels yet. The adapters are Deutsch. I will have some Multilock ones made up by the end of the week.

IMG_0125.jpg


 
Wow, Nice Job.! I know your dying to put it to the test. I would be.
Just owning it and having it ready to tackle a diagnostic job is enough to scare away the gremlins for sure. :p
 
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