Going Electronic MK ll

[Gerry]

Hi all, Here's another thought I just came up with. Would the fact that I have mounted the Boyer magic box right next to the DVR2 in the tool box give me problems. I know the Boyer requires 5K Ohms plug caps to stop electrical interference so would the same problem occur due to the way I have mounted the Boyer box? Cheers. Gerry

[WozzA]

It certainly would create a lot of back pressure in that side...
I'd check that both headers are clear through, then give her another run with the mufflers on...
see how she goes..    good luck..   

And usually Harley GENTLEMEN would only stick them in their exhaust to pass a RWC... 
then removed asap..   

[duTch]

 Yep- had me baffled too..!

[Gerry]

But not as baffled as me Dutch!!

[bsa-bill]

Coincidence -  on Sunday, I was saying the Goldie pipes are quite loud and had thought of trying  a pair of (alleged) Campell's and someone mentioned these baffles to quieten the Goldies a tad, all the rest of the lads told me not to be silly

[Gerry]

The saga may be over!!!! Fitted the correct monoblock from a friend who informed me it had come off his bike and gave no problems......still no joy. Then he lent me two K2F mags to try. Chucked off the Boyer and tried the first mag....still got the problem, so in desperation and as a last resort, fitted the second mag. Couldn't get it to run for more than a couple of seconds!! Checked the timing and it must have shifted while tightening the gear nut. Reset it and double checked it was correct and AWAY SHE WENT!!!!    WHOOOOHOOO at last she goes well on both cylinders. The mag I am borrowing until mine gets overhauled is a manual advance job and luckily I had the correct gear for it which I had used on the Boyer. So four different mags including the Boyer before all came good. One or two kicks and she springs into life beautifully. Thanks for all the suggestions guys, I couldn't have got this far with out your expertise and help. Many many thanks you are the best!! Gerry

[Brian]

Thats great news Gerry.

I know I will get critised for this but I still reckon a mag is better than electronic on our old bikes. The catch is you must have a good mag and it must be reconditioned by a reputable repairer.

I have a few old bikes and they are all still on magneto's, they all start first or second kick hot, cold, or anywhere inbetween.

[duTch]

 That's good to know Gerry thanks and good luck - now get out and give it a good floggin'..!!!

[Gerry]

Thanks Brian and Dutch, I can't believe how much heart ache this bike has given me...now comes the running in and can't wait to hear that wonderful sound. Trouble with the Boyer, even if it is good, how important it is to keep the battery fully charged or your left in the lurch with no spark, but with the mag, providing it is a good one, you don't have to worry about the battery being low as I know I have a good dynamo which will soon bring the battery back to a good condition. I can remember when the British bikes first came to rely on a battery being good to be able to get a spark and how load the outcry was against it. Cheers fellas. Gerry

[bsa-bill]

Gerry I have both systems and when their both good their really good, if not in top nik both have in my mind a similar propensity to fail sure the battery has to be good for electronic but that's about it, a Maggie is independent but has more opportunity (bits) to cause grief.
All in all I'd be inclined to call it a draw maybe ease of timing and able to use modern plugs is a extra benefit for electronic to out way the original look of a Maggie which I do like

[beezermacc]

Everybody hates an 'I told you so' so, at the risk of becoming very unpopular it was 30th March when I suggested borrowing a known good magneto off another bike!  I shudder to think of the time and melted brain cells used up trying to get this bike running properly. Everybody will have their preferences but these bikes ran perfectly well in the 50's and 60's on magnetos. The material we use nowadays when restoring magnetos is superior to the original Lucas stuff so a properly restored magneto should last yonks and cost a lot less than all that oversophisticated electrickery. The lesson here is, unless you are trying to get racing performance [in which case go and buy a Suzuki Bandit] keep it standard, then if anything goes wrong you can fix it using the technology of the day. I'll put my crash helmet on whilst all the usual suspects throw insults and bits of electronic ignition at me!

[Gerry]

Hi Bill, Yep at least three pounds of dead brain cells!!!  Took it for a run yesterday and sounded good for the first kilo then started to miss at low revs but picked up fine if I opened it up!! Now, is it plugs, I doubt it as it wouldn't have come good when given a handful. So maybe starving while on the idle jet. I know I have good fuel supply which would have got worse when opened up but it came good every time. Slide cutaway? which is 3.5 and shouldn't have been so dramatic I don't think. I believe someone "up there" is telling me something along the lines of "give it up you old git, your too bloody old" Cheers and still trying.... Gerry

[bsa-bill]

so a properly restored magneto should last yonks and cost a lot less

Should last yes, cost less no not where I got mine done and it should start and run a bike even with 9.1 compression - unfortunately my "restored" Magneto didn't, it will last forever in a box however or until I get time and funds to have it looked at by someone here.
Yes I should have sent it back to them/him but was by that time leg kicked into submission

[Peter in Aus]

Hi Gerry just read this thread very interesting and glad you are having some luck with the problem you where having, I to had a similar problem but mine would run OK till it wormed up and then backfire/misfire and run on one cylinder, you didn't say if you had new valve guides fitted as I did and it turned out to be that the Ex. valve guides where to tight causing partial seizure.
Took the head back to the repairer had .001 honed out of the Ex. guides and it fixed the problem.
though this might be of some interest as you said it was misfiring when warmed up.
Cheers
Peter     

[Alex kettle]

A few people throughout this thread have mentioned the possibility about having thier magneto refurbed. If its alright too,  I can highly reccomend beezermacc aka Priory Magnetos whom i had do mine and did an excellent job, with fast turn around. It has to be the brightest spark i have ever seen on any igition system.
Many thanks again Andrew for a job well done

Alex kettle