Thank you again for confirming that I am not an idiot. I said chase down every electric component in my system to find out why I had an intermittent and sometimes no spark. In the process of chasing down the problem, I found that connectors and six locations with solve several other problems. But, alas, the spark problem was not solved until we switch to the electronic ignition, and that was when we found the small frayed wire. As you say, never the obvious.
I didn't expect that from anybody who rides an old English bike. First sign of trouble you look inside of a lamp, just to make sure your ammeter is not giving you any trouble. It means you can assume anything with your customers. Good find!.
Well done ! The Inspector Poirot of motorcycle mechanics strikes yet again. Please pardon me for having erroneously written Clouseau initially - a Freudian slip, I do assure you.
Victory at last ! - Well done Paul, I'd have to have been getting pretty desperate before I'd thought to have a look inside the headlight, but then that's why you're doing this for a living and I'm not !..
Great job. Combo problems can be very hard to isolate and often seem like something more serious. Been there with my lambretta. Indian ignition switches on an Italian generator. Never figured it out till I saw the spark jump in the switch in the dark with the headset off. Rubbish switches but the indian generators are 50 amps and italian ones 80. So the switches were just to weak and not even up to 50 amps. Surprised Paul had'nt pulled the ignition wire out of tje black box to cut the ignition out. Unless they are very different to scooters. Always one of tbe first things to check.
Something worth checking is the resistance on the ignition switch, I've had high resistance on an A65 and a rocket3 switch, when I dismantled them they were green and nasty inside. Cleaning them cured the high speed misfires on both bikes.
Well done a great find and a honest UA-cam post showing how it was diagnosed and found I'm sure it will help many people in the future. Well done and thanks for sharing 👍
Back in the day, my mate brought his A50 to me as it was running rough, He told me his battery was ok. It wasn't! It was dry! Topped it up and the bike was sweet! The itnition system does not like lumpy dc from the alternator, you need the battery to smooth things out. My Tiger Cub would do the same, even when swithched to emergency position, needs smooth dc.
Good work Paul. Just had a very similar result on my D14 Bantam, a detached solder joint in the ignition switch interrupting the live feed to the coil. Sorted now👍
Another success,Paul 🎉🎉. It was fascinating to watch you check all the possible causes of this bike’s problems, although it must have been frustrating for you. As you say, you have to check even the smallest of details sometimes, to solve the problem. Well done Paul. Dan. 👍🏍🇨🇦
Well done, I was wrong about the carbs ! Well done Paul! You should do more of these ! I really like trying to diagnose just through thinking through the problem!
elementary my dear henshaw ! 😉👍 well done paul .. there`s no `quit` in your diagnostic deliberations !,,ps i got some talc today and followed your tyre fitting suggestions, new avon fitted now thankyou
Hello Paul, my 1973 Triumph 500 Daytona has a Pazon Electronic Ignition fitted with two 6 volt coils wired in series. The box for the electronic ignition is fitted under the tank were it gets airflow and i also have a Wassell Electronic regulator rectifier fitted and it runs great. I have never had a problem with it and i just re gapped the spark plugs the other day for the first time in 4 years. Cheers.
Back in 1970 my TBolt was blowing bulbs and overheating. I was on a 3 month road trip so I had no place to work on it. By chance (after pushing it to a gas station) a bloke that knew BSA's listened to my dilemma, and advised me to look at the battery water level. He guaranteed that's where I'd find the gremlin. Sure enough the battery got dried up, but with the addition of fresh water, we were back on the road!
Nice find! I once had an issue with a car, that had a low voltage readings and I suspected the alternator but actually, by-passing the ammeter did the trick at once... I don't know why it was like that but better have voltage correct and ammeter acting as a showpiece, I thought... 😄
Good stuff mate! The planets must be in alignment, because it's only a few weeks since I've traced persistent random cutting out (bad in traffic!) to the ammeter on my A50. My electrical skill/knowledge is pretty bad, but the problem was slowly getting worse. Eventually, I bypassed the ammeter and the problem went away. So, well done to you for catching your issue so fast. Pity you don't live in South Australia!
That'sa Vape Wassell EI in that bike....a Boyer clone essentially but has a number of improvements....epoxy encased stator unit with better strain relief on the two connecting wires (Boyer's tend to break their wires are the stator board). Been very happy with the Vape unit on my Commando for 5 yrs now.
My great uncle had an Allen scythe for haycutting. I loved going to help stook the hay but my great aunt wouldn't let me help with the hay cutting she didn't want me to have to hop for the rest of my life. They had a lot of old machinery on the hill farm but when they retired it all went to the scrapman 😢
In the end it was found by meticulously checking everything. Well done. Whoever had been in there last and who insulated that earth need their lug tweaking.
Great result, Paul. Well done. A bit off subject, but I note that when you were tickling the carbs on this machine, you would jab the tickler repeatedly. I'm unfamiliar with Amal Concentric carburettors, so was wondering if the tickler could not be held down (as per old school Amal Monoblocs) until fuel trickled from the carburettor breathers?
Nothing wrong with points in a daily rider - I would prefer them and my Trident still has 3 sets. I recently removed a fried electronic ignition from my BSA A65, on it when I bought it, and retro fitted it with points.
May God , and you, forgive me, BUT...I Told Ya SO ! During a short 'honeymoon' with EI on my '68 T-bolt, I filed for a divorce from it and returned to Points
Glad you found the fault it was an interesting set of videos.
Thank you again for confirming that I am not an idiot. I said chase down every electric component in my system to find out why I had an intermittent and sometimes no spark. In the process of chasing down the problem, I found that connectors and six locations with solve several other problems. But, alas, the spark problem was not solved until we switch to the electronic ignition, and that was when we found the small frayed wire. As you say, never the obvious.
I didn't expect that from anybody who rides an old English bike. First sign of trouble you look inside of a lamp, just to make sure your ammeter is not giving you any trouble. It means you can assume anything with your customers. Good find!.
Well done ! The Inspector Poirot of motorcycle mechanics strikes yet again. Please pardon me for having erroneously written Clouseau initially - a Freudian slip, I do assure you.
As I've said before. Electrics = witchcraft!!!! Well done, sir.
Well done Paul, yet another shining example of your back to basics approach winning the day
Victory at last ! - Well done Paul, I'd have to have been getting pretty desperate before I'd thought to have a look inside the headlight, but then that's why you're doing this for a living and I'm not !..
Paul. Patience perseverance and knowledge. Well done.
Fantastic Paul. As usual. Job well done. 😎
Great job. Combo problems can be very hard to isolate and often seem like something more serious. Been there with my lambretta. Indian ignition switches on an Italian generator. Never figured it out till I saw the spark jump in the switch in the dark with the headset off. Rubbish switches but the indian generators are 50 amps and italian ones 80. So the switches were just to weak and not even up to 50 amps. Surprised Paul had'nt pulled the ignition wire out of tje black box to cut the ignition out. Unless they are very different to scooters. Always one of tbe first things to check.
Something worth checking is the resistance on the ignition switch, I've had high resistance on an A65 and a rocket3 switch, when I dismantled them they were green and nasty inside. Cleaning them cured the high speed misfires on both bikes.
Well done a great find and a honest UA-cam post showing how it was diagnosed and found I'm sure it will help many people in the future. Well done and thanks for sharing 👍
Woohooo.i knew ud sort it. U never let them get u beat.
Good on u paul
Tends to stall- clearly there is something in the headlamp shell needs tending! - Something I'd never guess!
Back in the day, my mate brought his A50 to me as it was running rough, He told me his battery was ok. It wasn't! It was dry! Topped it up and the bike was sweet! The itnition system does not like lumpy dc from the alternator, you need the battery to smooth things out. My Tiger Cub would do the same, even when swithched to emergency position, needs smooth dc.
Excellent discovery Paul, my goodness who would have thought, well done!!
Nice one Paul 'Sherlock' Henshaw.
Good work Paul. Just had a very similar result on my D14 Bantam, a detached solder joint in the ignition switch interrupting the live feed to the coil. Sorted now👍
Great stuff, well done Paul
Another success,Paul 🎉🎉. It was fascinating to watch you check all the possible causes of this bike’s problems, although it must have been frustrating for you. As you say, you have to check even the smallest of details sometimes, to solve the problem. Well done Paul. Dan. 👍🏍🇨🇦
Well done Paul, a great result. I would have been pulling my hair out.
Well done, I was wrong about the carbs ! Well done Paul! You should do more of these ! I really like trying to diagnose just through thinking through the problem!
elementary my dear henshaw ! 😉👍 well done paul ..
there`s no `quit` in your diagnostic deliberations !,,ps
i got some talc today and followed your tyre fitting
suggestions, new avon fitted now thankyou
Hello Paul, my 1973 Triumph 500 Daytona has a Pazon Electronic Ignition fitted with two 6 volt coils wired in series. The box for the electronic ignition is fitted under the tank were it gets airflow and i also have a Wassell Electronic regulator rectifier fitted and it runs great. I have never had a problem with it and i just re gapped the spark plugs the other day for the first time in 4 years. Cheers.
Another good bit of detective work
Back in 1970 my TBolt was blowing bulbs and overheating. I was on a 3 month road trip so I had no place to work on it. By chance (after pushing it to a gas station) a bloke that knew BSA's listened to my dilemma, and advised me to look at the battery water level. He guaranteed that's where I'd find the gremlin. Sure enough the battery got dried up, but with the addition of fresh water, we were back on the road!
Nice find! I once had an issue with a car, that had a low voltage readings and I suspected the alternator but actually, by-passing the ammeter did the trick at once... I don't know why it was like that but better have voltage correct and ammeter acting as a showpiece, I thought... 😄
The proper T-shirt always brings good look.
Well done Paul. Always an inspiring education - never sugar-coated.
Good stuff mate! The planets must be in alignment, because it's only a few weeks since I've traced persistent random cutting out (bad in traffic!) to the ammeter on my A50. My electrical skill/knowledge is pretty bad, but the problem was slowly getting worse. Eventually, I bypassed the ammeter and the problem went away. So, well done to you for catching your issue so fast. Pity you don't live in South Australia!
Congratulations on finding that very obscure problem.
That'sa Vape Wassell EI in that bike....a Boyer clone essentially but has a number of improvements....epoxy encased stator unit with better strain relief on the two connecting wires (Boyer's tend to break their wires are the stator board).
Been very happy with the Vape unit on my Commando for 5 yrs now.
Another improvement is to run an independant earth wire from the top yoke to the frame earth point to stop the current flowing through the head races.
How about a video of you starting the Allen Scythe? They normally provide a good laugh for onlookers.
My great uncle had an Allen scythe for haycutting. I loved going to help stook the hay but my great aunt wouldn't let me help with the hay cutting she didn't want me to have to hop for the rest of my life. They had a lot of old machinery on the hill farm but when they retired it all went to the scrapman 😢
I must say that's easy to kick over and start.
Might be worth putting a drop of locktight on those ammeter nuts for insurance.
Fantastic, thanks for posting 👍🏼
ah I knew it was a loose Amp meter wire!! .. the oily r/h plug was a big clue 🙂
Its like a Sherlock moment - Congrats
In the end it was found by meticulously checking everything. Well done. Whoever had been in there last and who insulated that earth need their lug tweaking.
Good catch. That would of got by me
Great result, Paul. Well done. A bit off subject, but I note that when you were tickling the carbs on this machine, you would jab the tickler repeatedly. I'm unfamiliar with Amal Concentric carburettors, so was wondering if the tickler could not be held down (as per old school Amal Monoblocs) until fuel trickled from the carburettor breathers?
I made a video dedicated to this subject and some others not so long ago.
ua-cam.com/video/ExeUHx8cli0/v-deo.html
@@paulhenshaw4514 Hey Paul, Thanks for the info in your earlier video. I was just curious.
There's nothing wrong with a decent set of points. You wouldn't have them in your daily rider but for a weekend bike they're fine.
Nothing wrong with points in a daily rider - I would prefer them and my Trident still has 3 sets. I recently removed a fried electronic ignition from my BSA A65, on it when I bought it, and retro fitted it with points.
That wiring looks like my Dogs Breakfast ….what a MESS !
Well done Paul!
Mine won't be a challenge like that, lol.
I just hope being a bobber, it's not a rainy week!
So when do you want mine then?
😅😉
May God , and you, forgive me, BUT...I Told Ya SO !
During a short 'honeymoon' with EI on my '68 T-bolt, I filed for a divorce from it and returned to Points
I guess the ammeter didn't show any signs of life. Always a bad sign.
never put an earth lead through a stainles steel nut and bolt it will run like crap.
Who woulda thunk it eh?
well spotted. i wish my problem was that simple