Ignition cuts out shortly after getting under way

Do this first.
Wait till night.
Connect a timing light to the battery and spark plug wire. Run the bike and look at the flashing timing light. If it misses along with the motor at least you know you're looking at an ignition problem instead of carburation.
 
Well, if anyone is still following this post, the culprit was the Boyer unit. It was an mk4. I think the last time (and only time) I paid for someone to work on my bike, he replaced the mk3 unit that was in there. Not sure why he did this because when I put it back in, the bike started right up. I rode it for about 10 min. I didn’t want to get too far from my house. I even put the mk4 back in just to make sure something else was not in play, but the bike would not start. So there we go. Now I’m wondering if there is some electrical condition my bike is in that caused the mk4 to fail, and that the mk3 might suffer the same fate! The mk4 was probably close to 20 years old, although it didn’t see all that many miles over that time. Fingers crossed.
 
Blimey .
Ignition cuts out shortly after getting under way


This has a vauge resemblance to whats inside those things on your handlebars .

Now , a sensable person MIGHT put a relay , on. The Headlanmp. And the IGNITION .
asw putting 5.000 volts ( somewhere along those lines . or was it amps . Maybe microfarads .

The Grotty snotted up filthy dusty not CLACK oxidised CONTACT may not be .
Par tickular ly , as it'll Be ' Contact ' , Not Disconect . Or Short to Ground - like onna magneto . on the KILL SWITCH .

IF it has a Kill Switch , Off will be DISCONECT . Whereas ON may well try to CONNECT , but as its been neglected for near fifty years ,
It may well say ' Toss It ' , given the opertunity . Like NOW .

Hence the ADVICE to take along a ' Hot Wire to Test DIRECT , if it dissfunctionsd . again & again & again .

Gee Gwarrs went to a 24 volt ' ring circuit ' with Solenoid Robots operating everything . Like Crowd Zap . or wotever they think theyare .
So THEREFORE , a substantial cable To 7 from solenoids to Ign. & High & Low beams - Gets Electricity DIRECT . wiff the little ole handlebar SWITCHES just carrying solenoid activation current .
Not the national grid.
as it were .

Ignition cuts out shortly after getting under way


Pitchers of the woiks race / rally cars , assembling the wiring . is pretty basic . theres all pretty colours , so as they know wotswot .

the FIVE strand TRAILER wireeing lead , almost matches diameter for handlebar stuff . and seven lead . If theyre to be replaced ,
WHICH brings us too , CONDUCTIVITY .

dismantling a wiring loom , Somethimes the wire STRANDS are knackered . BLACK non thingo wotsit al over every tiny little strand .
and there can be lots of strands . All individualised and USELESS . If its not that it can be oxidation . Which is white and powdery .

Likely caused by the guy ( or girl ) overseeing the wire making machine spilling their coffee or dropping a ham sandwich init .Perhaps.

ANYWAY . A muliti meter wotsit and checking the CONTINUITY & CONDUCTIVITY / Resistance off each wire . Connect ends to meter ! .

So as , for ' us blokes ' wotarnt colour blind , you can just ' do a new one ' and youve got a new one . Otherwise a fire wextinquisher could help .
If it all goes horribly wrong .

Neumero Uno / . Check DIRECT . ' hot wire / jump wire . direct to battery .

Numero Next / . If the wireing looms battered and grotty , picnched chaffed and burnt . It is . And youd better do something about it .
 
Semitone said:
Well, if anyone is still following this post, the culprit was the Boyer unit. It was an mk4. I think the last time (and only time) I paid for someone to work on my bike, he replaced the mk3 unit that was in there. Not sure why he did this because when I put it back in, the bike started right up. I rode it for about 10 min. I didn’t want to get too far from my house. I even put the mk4 back in just to make sure something else was not in play, but the bike would not start. So there we go. Now I’m wondering if there is some electrical condition my bike is in that caused the mk4 to fail, and that the mk3 might suffer the same fate! The mk4 was probably close to 20 years old, although it didn’t see all that many miles over that time. Fingers crossed.
Click to expand...
When you say Boyer unit do you mean the black box?

Or the black box AND the trigger unit on the end of the camshaft?
 
The yaki said:
Resistance seems a lot higher than I remember. I have a Boyer Mk4? from my mk3 working perfectly when removed for pazon unit. Free if you pay postage. Roy.
Click to expand...
Generous offer Yaki. Well if you read my last entry, you’ll know that I got the bike up and running with an old Boyer mk3 unit. My Boyer mk4 failed. I would like to have another on hand. If offer still stands, I would like to give you more than just postage. Nevertheless,
johnm said:
When you say Boyer unit do you mean the black box?

Or the black box AND the trigger unit on the end of the camshaft?
Click to expand...
Sorry, just the black box.
 
The yaki said:
Resistance seems a lot higher than I remember. I have a Boyer Mk4? from my mk3 working perfectly when removed for pazon unit. Free if you pay postage. Roy.
Click to expand...
Also, I am not familiar with the Pazon ignition. Is this considered an upgrade to the Boyer?
 
Matt Spencer said:
Blimey .
Ignition cuts out shortly after getting under way


This has a vauge resemblance to whats inside those things on your handlebars .

Now , a sensable person MIGHT put a relay , on. The Headlanmp. And the IGNITION .
asw putting 5.000 volts ( somewhere along those lines . or was it amps . Maybe microfarads .

The Grotty snotted up filthy dusty not CLACK oxidised CONTACT may not be .
Par tickular ly , as it'll Be ' Contact ' , Not Disconect . Or Short to Ground - like onna magneto . on the KILL SWITCH .

IF it has a Kill Switch , Off will be DISCONECT . Whereas ON may well try to CONNECT , but as its been neglected for near fifty years ,
It may well say ' Toss It ' , given the opertunity . Like NOW .

Hence the ADVICE to take along a ' Hot Wire to Test DIRECT , if it dissfunctionsd . again & again & again .

Gee Gwarrs went to a 24 volt ' ring circuit ' with Solenoid Robots operating everything . Like Crowd Zap . or wotever they think theyare .
So THEREFORE , a substantial cable To 7 from solenoids to Ign. & High & Low beams - Gets Electricity DIRECT . wiff the little ole handlebar SWITCHES just carrying solenoid activation current .
Not the national grid.
as it were .

Ignition cuts out shortly after getting under way


Pitchers of the woiks race / rally cars , assembling the wiring . is pretty basic . theres all pretty colours , so as they know wotswot .

the FIVE strand TRAILER wireeing lead , almost matches diameter for handlebar stuff . and seven lead . If theyre to be replaced ,
WHICH brings us too , CONDUCTIVITY .

dismantling a wiring loom , Somethimes the wire STRANDS are knackered . BLACK non thingo wotsit al over every tiny little strand .
and there can be lots of strands . All individualised and USELESS . If its not that it can be oxidation . Which is white and powdery .

Likely caused by the guy ( or girl ) overseeing the wire making machine spilling their coffee or dropping a ham sandwich init .Perhaps.

ANYWAY . A muliti meter wotsit and checking the CONTINUITY & CONDUCTIVITY / Resistance off each wire . Connect ends to meter ! .

So as , for ' us blokes ' wotarnt colour blind , you can just ' do a new one ' and youve got a new one . Otherwise a fire wextinquisher could help .
If it all goes horribly wrong .

Neumero Uno / . Check DIRECT . ' hot wire / jump wire . direct to battery .

Numero Next / . If the wireing looms battered and grotty , picnched chaffed and burnt . It is . And youd better do something about it .
Click to expand...
So I Google translated this and think I know what you’re saying. I need to check my flux capacitor. Thank you!
Seriously, I did go through the loom and checked continuity, replaced connectors on anything that looked suspect when I restored the bike. I replaced the loom when I first got the bike. I keep forgetting that 1995 was a long time ago! In hindsight I should have replaced it during this latest restoration. If I encounter any more electrical shenanigans, I think instead of tracking them down, I’ll just get a new loom.
 
Pazon electronic ignition is made by an excellent company in New Zealand, with an extended warranty and good customer support
 
Far Out .

Its from ' It started right up ' when they found a 38 chev in a shed . 50 years ago .

Yea , if the looms not butchered or been left outdoors for a centurie , sound good .
Tho sometimes they need the spade connecters re adjusted so they fit firm .

The Orrible andlebar ' switches ' ; can be justhat . Not a big deal to unscrew bits & inspect the contacts .
Tho a drop of crc on the screws , overnight , might facilitate it .

the ' Big deal ' is if ALL the current is going across those contacts .
A solinoid for the lights , and a ' circuit breaker ; for a direct Ign.
wouldnt hurt . ( THIS was may main ' archiles heel ' concern ) .

Im assumeing ( a guess ) that the Kill Switch is ' Disconect - off ' -> LIVE - ON . as is the Ign Current HAS to go across those contacts .
If the handlebar switches have never been ' checked out ' , Id found even five years could get the ' contact / connection ' dull .

Hence the rant .
 
Pazon was started by ex Boyer employees who had wanted to sort out the 'low voltage' issues. Did not get permission so started up themselves. Eventually Boyer also sorted out the 'low voltage' too with the MK4 upgrade.
 
Semitone said:
Now I’m wondering if there is some electrical condition my bike is in that caused the mk4 to fail, and that the mk3 might suffer the same fate! The mk4 was probably close to 20 years old, although it didn’t see all that many miles over that time.
Click to expand...
Semiconductor components have a limited life unfortunately, where "life" countdown depends on time, not miles. Any of the electronic components can fail, and to me it seems that condensers fail more often than any other semiconductor component. EI units on a bike have a hard time coping with vibrations, moisture, and heat (and especially the latter). It would be great to have a self-diagnostic check built-in to these units.

- Knut
 
I'd say the Pazon Surefire and the Boyer MKIV are about equivalent. Both have similar advance curves and work at similar low voltage situations. IMHO I would not spend the money to replace a good working MKIV with the Pazon Surefire. I doubt you would see much if any difference in everyday riding. If I was replacing I would go with a Trispark with the idle stabilization feature.
 
Substitution . I use it always ( Actually my machine has had no electrical problems for 15 years now , all ironed out , and I drive a lot . ) . Substitute a known good part for the suspect one and test . Particularly for electrical . I run a Boyer MK 1V on the MK 111 .
The ( usually oxidized by age . ) kill switch , as previously noted , should be removed and both wire ends soldered together forever . Let's be honest , eliminate any device that prevents/hinders start ups .
 
Matt Spencer said:
Far Out .

Its from ' It started right up ' when they found a 38 chev in a shed . 50 years ago .

Yea , if the looms not butchered or been left outdoors for a centurie , sound good .
Tho sometimes they need the spade connecters re adjusted so they fit firm .

The Orrible andlebar ' switches ' ; can be justhat . Not a big deal to unscrew bits & inspect the contacts .
Tho a drop of crc on the screws , overnight , might facilitate it .

the ' Big deal ' is if ALL the current is going across those contacts .
A solinoid for the lights , and a ' circuit breaker ; for a direct Ign.
wouldnt hurt . ( THIS was may main ' archiles heel ' concern ) .

Im assumeing ( a guess ) that the Kill Switch is ' Disconect - off ' -> LIVE - ON . as is the Ign Current HAS to go across those contacts .
If the handlebar switches have never been ' checked out ' , Id found even five years could get the ' contact / connection ' dull .

Hence the rant .
Click to expand...
All makes sense. I’m tempted to solder the kill switch leads together as a preventative measure. I rarely use it, which probably only speeds up its eventual demise. I’d also like to better organize the wiring under the tank. There’s got to be a better way for all these connections other than a ball of wires that can get squished by the tank if I’m not careful.I have a Dave Taylor headsteady which seems to make routing even trickier.
 
Turning off the ignition switch does the same thing just not quite as handy! ;) Applying the brakes will also kill the engine if in gear. Done both with old motos! :eek:
 
Back
Top