Bad Boyer???

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calbigbird

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Dec 9, 2008
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Okay, so I'm gliding down the freeway and Doris is running perfectly. I detect a bit of misfire from the right cylinder, so I head for the slow lane. Just as I get there, Doris decides she has had enough and quits. I got her off the freeway where it was a little safer and began to tinker. When I pushed the start button (thankfully it is a MK III with a great starter) the engine turns over fine but will not start. Every once in a while there is a loud pop through the exhaust. There is plenty of fuel and a great battery. When I got it home, I pulled the plugs, which looked great, and laid them on the cylinder head fins. It appears as though there is little spark through the plugs and that only once in a while. There is no regular pulsing spark. The bike has a Boyer ignition that was on the bike when I bought it, so I have no idea how old it is.

1) Should I suspect the Boyer ignition box?
2) What is the best way to trouble shoot it?
3) (I know this is a loaded question) If it is bad, what should I replace it with?
 
calbigbird said:
1) Should I suspect the Boyer ignition box?
Click to expand...

Yes, but first, check/replace the wiring from the box to the pickup plate, and also check the soldered connections on the pickup, and of course check all electrical connections to the box, and the ground connections to the frame or harness. Temporarily wire the Boyer directly to the battery and see if that instantly cures the problem (which would suggest a bad connection or a wiring fault somewhere?)


calbigbird said:
2) What is the best way to trouble shoot it?
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http://www.tioc.org/boyertest.htm

http://www.boyerbransden.com/faultfinding.html

calbigbird said:
3) (I know this is a loaded question) If it is bad, what should I replace it with?
Click to expand...

Another Boyer? (Micro MkIV)
Tri-Spark Classic Twin?
Pazon Sure Fire?
 
I started digging tonight and found both wires from the pick-up plate were brooken loose. A shop I deal with said they can get a new pick-up plate for about $60.00. That should be better than trying to adequately solder the wires back on. I should be back on the road by tomorrow afternoon, IF I can get the new plate on and properly timed. That could have been a bummer had I been farther away from home.
 
calbigbird said:
I started digging tonight and found both wires from the pick-up plate were brooken loose. A shop I deal with said they can get a new pick-up plate for about $60.00. That should be better than trying to adequately solder the wires back on. I should be back on the road by tomorrow afternoon, IF I can get the new plate on and properly timed. That could have been a bummer had I been farther away from home.
Click to expand...

I had the same problem; one wire broken at one time and a loose connector recently. What was recommanded was to immobilise wires and connectors in silicone to avoid vibrations. I'm afraid a new pick-up plate will eventually suffer the same problem from vibrations if not if not adressed. 8)
 
SGOUD said:
calbigbird said:
I started digging tonight and found both wires from the pick-up plate were brooken loose. A shop I deal with said they can get a new pick-up plate for about $60.00. That should be better than trying to adequately solder the wires back on. I should be back on the road by tomorrow afternoon, IF I can get the new plate on and properly timed. That could have been a bummer had I been farther away from home.
Click to expand...

I had the same problem; one wire broken at one time and a loose connector recently. What was recommanded was to immobilise wires and connectors in silicone to avoid vibrations. I'm afraid a new pick-up plate will eventually suffer the same problem from vibrations if not if not adressed. 8)
Click to expand...

Probably better to solder the wires back on and then figure out how to support them better.
 
calbigbird said:
I started digging tonight and found both wires from the pick-up plate were brooken loose. A shop I deal with said they can get a new pick-up plate for about $60.00. That should be better than trying to adequately solder the wires back on. I should be back on the road by tomorrow afternoon, IF I can get the new plate on and properly timed. That could have been a bummer had I been farther away from home.
Click to expand...

I always shove something under the points plate to absorb the vibration! I bought 2 Sparx pickup plates for around $20 each plus postage from England. Better connectors and works great with Boyer. :D
 
calbigbird said:
I started digging tonight and found both wires from the pick-up plate were brooken loose. A shop I deal with said they can get a new pick-up plate for about $60.00. That should be better than trying to adequately solder the wires back on.
Click to expand...

It's an easy repair, so you could have saved yourself $60.00.


calbigbird said:
That could have been a bummer had I been farther away from home.
Click to expand...

Repair the old one, and carry it as a spare?
(if you carry any spare part, the chances are you will never need it!) :wink:
 
I have seen the standard Boyer crappy crimp lugs fail, onece on mine and alos on a mates, funny thing was the issue happened about a year apart in almost the same remote location about 150km from Sydney. I prefer the solder with shrink-wrap. Done correctly with an iron that can get the heat in quick so the solder is isloated to just the joint and you have a great joint. But if you are a little in experienced and you play around too long the solder travels up the wires to make a rigid joint and potential trouble. Just my too bobs worth.

I bet we could start one of those really long winded post out of this one if we tried!

Cheers Richard
 
I think there's a reason auto manufactures, aircraft manufactures and current motorcycle manufactures crimp rather than solder.
 
FWIW, solder is not "approved" for any marine connections due to vibration/breakage. Soldered elec connections on a boat will get a safety-related "must be corrected" notation on a marine survey. Also, if you look at any car harness you will also see no solder connections - only crimp connections. If doing crimp connections, be sure to use a ratcheting crimp tool, NOT one of those crappy crimp plier thingies that are supplied with those crimp connector "kits" in the auto parts stores.
 
I would not usually use soldered connections myself, but in the case of my own Commando's Boyer pickup, the wire fractured right at the soldered joint under the epoxy reinforcement, so I had little choice other than to re-solder the wires, although I did go up a gauge on the wiring and since I have a Tri-Spark unit fitted, the Boyer is now an emergency spare.


Bad Boyer???
 
Yeah, I agree, not much other option except re-soldering. My back up for my Trispark is the original points/AAU! :)
 
Sorry about the crappy picture. There are two holes on the board that will take a couple screws to use as posts. They are in the masked sections on circuits. My wires broke right under the zip tie in such a way that the problem was intermittent.
Bad Boyer???
 
bpatton said:
Sorry about the crappy picture. There are two holes on the board that will take a couple screws to use as posts. They are in the masked sections on circuits. My wires broke right under the zip tie in such a way that the problem was intermittent.
Bad Boyer???
Click to expand...

Do you like the post solution? I think it's clever.

I removed the zip tie and will pad the wiring with silicone.

Picture pre-silicone.

Bad Boyer???
 
bpatton said:
Sorry about the crappy picture. There are two holes on the board that will take a couple screws to use as posts. They are in the masked sections on circuits. My wires broke right under the zip tie in such a way that the problem was intermittent.
Bad Boyer???
Click to expand...


That is the only way to fix the Boyer. Resoldering, silicone, zip ties, are all temporary. If Boyer actually knew anything about solder and vibration, they would have manufactured it correctly (per the bpatton fix) in the first place.
 
That is the only way to fix the Boyer. Resoldering, silicone, zip ties, are all temporary. If Boyer actually knew anything about solder and vibration, they would have manufactured it correctly (per the bpatton fix) in the first place.
Click to expand...

Actually the early Boyer (Mk I) has screw on connections. (I have a '74 MkIIA on the lift now that has an old Mk I, still works!) When did they quit making the MkI, 1980?? This is only the second one I have ever seen.

I have been using the brass screw fix for a few years. Solder the head to the stator plate for good connection.
 
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