Electrical Device Identification & Coil Problems

The key switch is also a good point. I know the other day when I was trying to get it started I lost all power at one point. No spark, lights, horn, etc. I took off every connector to the key switch and sanded and cleaned them after which I restored power. Also, I checked and sanded ground from battery. But I have had about half a dozen problems like this since getting the bike. Broken or disconnected wires, dirty switches, and capacitors... That is why I am thinking electrical all the time as every time I take the tank or side covers off I find some new wire that is disconnected or broken.
 
Snortin Vache said:
The key switch is also a good point. I know the other day when I was trying to get it started I lost all power at one point. No spark, lights, horn, etc. I took off every connector to the key switch and sanded and cleaned them after which I restored power. Also, I checked and sanded ground from battery. But I have had about half a dozen problems like this since getting the bike. Broken or disconnected wires, dirty switches, and capacitors... That is why I am thinking electrical all the time as every time I take the tank or side covers off I find some new wire that is disconnected or broken.
Click to expand...
Yes and if you've got many original lucas bullet connectors, they can be a liabilty as the inner metal sleeves typically crack, giving poor unreliable connections between circuits and components. Renew all critical (ign) connectors. Using silicon, dielectric type grease in the connectors helps keep them moisture free.
Note the original ign switch has internal contacts are can get unreliable as spacers etc in the switch wear out. You can by pass the ign switch power to boyer and just use a single throw toggle switch as a test for a few runs. Another switch to by pass test is the kill switch. Can clean up the contacts to ensure a good clean closed circuit if suspect.
 
Tornado said:
Yes and if you've got many original lucas bullet connectors, they can be a liabilty as the inner metal sleeves typically crack, giving poor unreliable connections between circuits and components. Renew all critical (ign) connectors. Using silicon, dielectric type grease in the connectors helps keep them moisture free.
Note the original ign switch has internal contacts are can get unreliable as spacers etc in the switch wear out. You can by pass the ign switch power to boyer and just use a single throw toggle switch as a test for a few runs. Another switch to by pass test is the kill switch. Can clean up the contacts to ensure a good clean closed circuit if suspect.
Click to expand...
Good, solid, practical & expedient troubleshooting tests listed here.
Very refreshing.
 
So there certainly might be other electrical problems to deal with/shore up, but I think I can conclusively point to the battery for my hard starting issues. If I put a charger on it and get 12.6 V, I get the bike to start cold with one or two kicks every time. Leaving the battery untended it will sit at 12.16, and it becomes much more difficult to start. I find it hard to believe that 12.16 V is inadequate for the Boyer, or perhaps it is something else, but the evidence of 12.6 V and ease of starting every time is hard to ignore. It may also be of note that my alternator cannot in the course of normal running charge the battery much past 12.16 V; I can only get the higher voltage necessary for cold starts with a 2 amp charger set to the battery.

The battery is only a year old but I suppose that's what I get for leaving the leads attached to the terminals and untended over the winter. I am going to buy a new one regardless.
 
Snortin Vache said:
So there certainly might be other electrical problems to deal with/shore up, but I think I can conclusively point to the battery for my hard starting issues. If I put a charger on it and get 12.6 V, I get the bike to start cold with one or two kicks every time. Leaving the battery untended it will sit at 12.16, and it becomes much more difficult to start. I find it hard to believe that 12.16 V is inadequate for the Boyer, or perhaps it is something else, but the evidence of 12.6 V and ease of starting every time is hard to ignore. It may also be of note that my alternator cannot in the course of normal running charge the battery much past 12.16 V; I can only get the higher voltage necessary for cold starts with a 2 amp charger set to the battery.

The battery is only a year old but I suppose that's what I get for leaving the leads attached to the terminals and untended over the winter. I am going to buy a new one regardless.
Click to expand...
If lead acid, one winter without heat and/or charging is all it takes to sulfate. IMHO, your battery is bad. If it is lead acid (I think you said so earlier), I recommend replacing with AGM. They cost very little more, don't get acidic fumes all over the place, and last better. A bad battery cannot be charged higher so I would not worry about your charging system until you put in a good battery.
 
marshg246 said:
If lead acid, one winter without heat and/or charging is all it takes to sulfate. IMHO, your battery is bad. If it is lead acid (I think you said so earlier), I recommend replacing with AGM. They cost very little more, don't get acidic fumes all over the place, and last better. A bad battery cannot be charged higher so I would not worry about your charging system until you put in a good battery.
Click to expand...
But it is an AGM, BikeMaster if I recall correctly, which to your point are supposed to be much more tolerant of the mild abuse I subjected my battery to than lead acid batteries are. Well, perhaps the "new" battery was sitting on the shelf for a spell.

I've been learning a lot about JH magnetos recently, maybe I should just buy one of those and my problems will be solved. Ha!
 
Tornado said:
Yes and if you've got many original lucas bullet connectors, they can be a liabilty as the inner metal sleeves typically crack, giving poor unreliable connections between circuits and components. Renew all critical (ign) connectors. Using silicon, dielectric type grease in the connectors helps keep them moisture free.
Click to expand...
The original bullets were pretty good, but the connectors are thin and tend to crack over time as you said. Replacing the connectors with new from http://www.britishwiring.com/category-s/266.htm will go a long way to solving problems. There may be other suppliers but that's who I use.

New connectors and new bullets are quite hard to plug in and make a much better connection - the connectors are heavier metal and tighter than the original.
The original bullets work fine with them. I don't bother with dielectric grease, but it is a very good idea if using anything but new connectors and bullets and it certainly wouldn't hurt with new.
 
Snortin Vache said:
But it is an AGM, BikeMaster if I recall correctly, which to your point are supposed to be much more tolerant of the mild abuse I subjected my battery to than lead acid batteries are. Well, perhaps the "new" battery was sitting on the shelf for a spell.

I've been learning a lot about JH magnetos recently, maybe I should just buy one of those and my problems will be solved. Ha!
Click to expand...
Fair enough. I buy cheap AGM from Amazon. Three years ago, I bought five identical at the same time. Four are still fine, one was just like yours after one winter and my shop is heated - it only made it about 4 months.

If I remember correctly, a fully charged AGM is about 13.0 volts and when allowed to rest after being fully charged, about 12.85 volts. They are about 10.5 volts when they have 0% capacity left.
 
Snortin Vache said:
So there certainly might be other electrical problems to deal with/shore up, but I think I can conclusively point to the battery for my hard starting issues. If I put a charger on it and get 12.6 V, I get the bike to start cold with one or two kicks every time. Leaving the battery untended it will sit at 12.16, and it becomes much more difficult to start. I find it hard to believe that 12.16 V is inadequate for the Boyer, or perhaps it is something else, but the evidence of 12.6 V and ease of starting every time is hard to ignore. It may also be of note that my alternator cannot in the course of normal running charge the battery much past 12.16 V; I can only get the higher voltage necessary for cold starts with a 2 amp charger set to the battery.

The battery is only a year old but I suppose that's what I get for leaving the leads attached to the terminals and untended over the winter. I am going to buy a new one regardless.
Click to expand...
New batteries are both expensive (compared to what they used to cost) and unreliable (compared to how long they used to last) I just had to replace a year old battery as well
 
Tornado said:
Is the ign switch original? When I first got my MKII 850, still on points, it had hard starting issues. Turned out to be a poor contact within the original switch. There are threads shows a refurb procedure, but I just renewed with aftermarket pattern Emgo and solved the issue. Now on a Wassell EI, a boyer clone, new Premiers. Be sure to thoroughly go through the new carbs, lost of reports of debris in the idle circuit drillings on new units so that will give you issues. Note there is a change from older Amal's for setting fuel levels, as found on burlen web site. You are best to set actual fuel levels,not just the float position. Done using a clear hose off a spare bowl drain cap with a spigot fitted. Hold the hose against the bowl/body gasket flange and see where fuel level aligns with. I think it was supposed to be right at top of bowl line?

Have you confirmed the timing scale is accurate via a degree wheel on the rotor with outer primary case off and a piston stop in #1 plug hole? Mine was off nearly 1 degree, others report 3-4 degrees off.

How is the electrical grounding of your boyer? Many owners run a direct ground line from boyer to battery and another from engine clynder head/head steady bracket to battery.

How is your intake manifold balance hose? Leaks there can make for a rough idle and may give hard starts.

Btw the Amal guide that came with my new carb set states to crack open throttle at kicking. Works well for my bike. I am running with needle clips in lowest notch to lift needle/richen its flow, has helped general running but I'm on first over bore which may like a bit more richness.
Click to expand...
So I thought I would update you all as I only recently took your advice and put a degree wheel on the rotor to verify TDC with a piston stop. The timing degrees on my primary cover were 7.5 degrees off! I probably quadruple tested this to be sure, and in fact the protractor scale affixed to the primary cover was reading 7.5 degrees more advanced than the actual position of the piston.

I removed the protractor timing scale and filed the slots so I was able to get the correct adjustment. Someone had clearly fiddled with this before as the screws were mismatched and there were a few holes drilled next to one of the tapped holes in the primary cover like someone was interested in shifting the scale. I wonder why...

I removed the Boyer stator plate and rotor and reinstalled it at 30 degrees BTDC. This was incredibly tedious as the initial set up window on the stator plate got me nowhere near close to correct timing; I had to remove the stator plate two more times before I could get the adjustment right .

My bike seems to run better now, we'll see how things go.

Thanks.
 

Similar threads

robs ss
Coil Problems
2
Replies
24
Views
2,141
KiwiShane
KiwiShane
Back
Top