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rpatton wrote:I prefer resistor plugs over caps because I've had resistor caps go open short, or infinite resistance twice. Besides, if you want to get a platinum or iridium plug these days then they are all resistor. When these plug failures occurred they took out the dual lead coils I was using leaving me stranded. They were NGK caps, BTW. I don't think you want resistor caps, and plugs, and wires on a Boyer though.

This is bad news to me. I did some Googling and others have reported problems with the NGK resistor caps going open too. Some shops recommend changing them out every 2 years.

Which ones were you using? Some versions are waterproof. The ones that came with my Pazon Altair (LB05F) are not according to the NGK lit sheet (http://www.ngksparkplugs.com/docs/Resistor_Covers.pdf). They do have boots on both ends though. It looks like maybe the problem is a contact problem rather than the resistor blowing open. There is a hokey spring in there which bears against the resistor and makes a pressure contact. I still use the N7Ys and copper core wire (and have a lot of each) so will stick with the NGK caps but will try the waterproof ones (LB05FP) next time. They are $2.95 at motorcycle superstore. At least it is easy to check the caps for a flaky contact. Mine measured 4.69K and 4.79K with solid readings and they are maybe 10 months old. There is not much else out there. Champion makes one (WCX600) but they have problems too.

Was there any warning before the problem occurred like hard starting or popping and banging? How long were they in use before dying?

Russ

L.A.B. wrote:The Pazon Sure-Fire isn't digital.

I guess that makes me a Luddite. But then I like being a Luddite, just ask my wife.

Dave
69S

Russ,
I can't recall if they were waterproof or not. They had boots but it looks like they all do. There was no wet weather involved, in fact the first time it was over 100F in the Arizona desert.

The first time it happened I broke them apart when I got home and one of them read infinite resistance. The spark didn't break up before it quit. I was running around 4000-5000rpm doing 75-80mph one second and coasting the next. The second time it happened I checked the caps intact and one was a goner. The caps were in use for a few years when they quit. 2-3 years. The reason I didn't drop the NGK resistor caps altogether is that when I brought it up on the BritIron list at the time the consensus was that it was a rare occurrence. This was 15 years ago.

Interesting page on Boyers by John Healy.

http://www.tioc.org/boyer/boyertestnewweb.htm

If you read the part, Securing the Wires, what's a "J Loop" ?

rpatton wrote:...

If you read the part, Securing the Wires, what's a "J Loop" ?

Just some slack in the cable. The wire bundle coming out of the timing case should be looked at like the left/lower end of the "J". While the right/upper end of the "J" is the wire going up the frame tube. While this is done to cover the vibration travel limits between engine & frame, usually one sees this sort of thing when you want water to not enter a hole - it mostly will drip off the bottom of the "J". So maybe it "kills two birds with one stone".

DogT wrote:

L.A.B. wrote:The Pazon Sure-Fire isn't digital.

I guess that makes me a Luddite. But then I like being a Luddite, just ask my wife.

If you were a true Luddite you would've kept the points!

L.A.B. wrote:
No, the plugs are not wrong, but I take it that resistor caps are fitted?

http://www.trispark.com.au/images/Class ... ooting.pdf

It is recommended that high tension lead suppressor caps be used with this system. Use 5k Ohm caps such as NGK LB05EP.

Just simple copper core wires, non resisted.
Been running like this for the last 2 years.
Have I just been lucky?

The R factor is mostly over rated worry. First R was for AM radio static then Police radio's and now the digital signals for sensors and ignition feed back. Best place to put R factor is the caps as wires of carbon core can break and R factor varies with length too. But if cap go bad then ride goes too. Sparkplugs are 2nd best R factor but also vary a good bit in their ohm values. Even though all the digit ignitions warn to use 5000-ish ohm factor most all of then work fine as long as digit brain not sitting right next to coils which is where most the back lash RF ringing radiates from. On purpose or accidental situation substitutes of nil R factor in HT leads can reveal if your case is R sensitive or not. The BMW bike range are the folks to learn about the R factor faults and solutions from in ignition systems from this. Ideally inductance ohms can be measured then balanced out with added resistance ohms. The R factor limits spark current not voltage btw. Fat current flow is what starts fast fires more than brightness of the spark.

Guido wrote:Just simple copper core wires, non resisted.
Been running like this for the last 2 years.
Have I just been lucky?

I think Steve Kelly of Tri-Spark would be the best person to answer that question.

I ran non-resistor (copper core) wires on a car with a Pertronix ignitor, and it would misfire above 2800 rpm. When I put resistor wires on, it stopped misfiring. The distributor is buried in the engine compartment, surrounded by the iron block and body sheetmetal, so I am sure there is plenty of RF "echo" going on, but I think the sensitive little brains of these things like electronic peace and quiet.