Frustration

[LOUD MOUSE]

Have you/have the cams been removed? I suspect you have the early issue cams with the late issue points cam. I recommend you don't run the engine until you replace the cam or points cam. . ..........lm

Loud Mouse,I lost the charge on the battery while re-timing the bike to see if the points cam is wobbling while running. It's on charge now, however I can say I am able to move the point camshaft lobe physically in all directions about an 1/8 of an inch. It seemed like a lot, but I'm not sure what's normal freeplay.

[cribbs74]

Loud Mouse,

I have not replaced the cams while I have owned the bike, Who knows what the previous owners have done before I got the bike.

Funny thing is I have put over 1000 miles on the bike since I've owned it without issue, just recently it's started to throw the timing after a couple minutes of riding.

I would be more than happy to snap a picture of the points area for you, Is it something you can see with the naked eye?

I will say the bike has always been a little noisy in the top end since I started riding it. I assumed it was loose piston pins or just normal noise from the valves. Now I'm not so sure.

No worries about me riding it, I can't keep it running for more than 5 minutes anyway. Thanks for all the help.

[cribbs74]

Well,

The problem is worn govenor springs not allowing the points cam to snap back to fully counter clockwise. So basically I have been timing my bike with some advance timing in the equation. Since the points cam comes to rest at a different spot each time the bike is shut of it appears that the timing is off when I check it. So I adjust accordingly and then the bike won't run or I lose cylinders. So in short I have been chasing my tail.

Thanks and credit goes to Loud Mouse for the diagnosis and the fix which is basically to ensure the points cam is fully CCW before I make a points adjustment. Long term fix would be to replace the worn springs...........

I rode the bike 11 miles into work today. It ran great.

[cribbs74]

Spoke to soon.............

I am getting a ride home from work. Lost the left cylinder can't get it to run right good timing or not. back to the drawing board.

Oh well the ride in was nice.

[e3steve]

Ron, with regard to your condenser:

• i) there should be no arcing & sparking around that area; it should all be perfectly insulated -- the arcing is probably the coils' HT and/or LT looking for a ground! Check for impedence (ohms) with your meter between the coils' bracket and the motor -- it should be absolute continuity (0 ohms, 1 ohm max)
  ii) an extra grounding strap/cable won't do any harm -- and the coils & condenser must have a good ground (has the frame been heavily painted at the hanger bracket?)
  iii) the CB ground strap is to ensure that the ignition system is at equipotential ('at one') with the motor -- not the other way round, so the CL won't suffer as a result of fitting one
  iv) you can't test a condenser for resistence/impedence; only for capacitance, for which you need that range on a DMM (Digital Multi Meter). Most of the later Flukes have a range for checking capacitance

I'd start with a grounding cable/strap from the coil brackets to the top engine hanger bolt, then, if that's not successful, a new condenser. Poor or intermittent continuity from the coils/condenser to the motor would produce the sympton you're describing, as would a duff condenser, which could break down intermittently.

Bad timing won't necessarily prevent the motor from running, although it would run badly, but could be fatal for the pistons. Don't ride with lousy advancer springs; inappropriately-advanced timing will burn pistons!

Good luck!

Steve.

[cribbs74]

e3steve,

I haven't had that arcing problem lately, I am leaning more towards the springs being the culprit of my timing problems. loud mouse went through it with me the other day and said to ride it as is, but it may be degraded beyond that point. Not looking forward to pulling the engine seeing as I just put it in a few months back.

I have not ruled out the grounding issue yet, I'm a electronics tech by trade so it's easy stuff like you mentioned and who knows it could be a 2 part problem along with the governor springs. The bike was parked at work this weekend so I have not had a chance to look at it yet. Thanks for your reply. I'll let you and the forum know what turns up.

[e3steve]

Good luck, Ron. Interested to know the outcome here!