Grounding Question

With the Norton Commando the engine is isolated from the frame. And that all ground is grounded at a central point closest to the battery like the rectifier area. I read that if EI is added to the motorcycle a second ground from the EI is to be mounted on the the engine somewhere for the EI but not everything else(headlights, tail lights ect..). Is this a myth or should I add another ground to the engine to the single grounding point on the frame? Or even the positive side of one of the coils? I hope my question makes sense. I see none of this mentioned in the trispark documentation but rather a document which explains the closed circuitry of British twin motorcycles. Thanks fellas, Doug

Doug, I have a trispark,

if you have a single coil with two spark plugs leads like the one CNW sells to work with the Trispark, then just
run that ground to to the other coil lead

Yes, you could also ground it to any good place on the frame but easier to the coil

1up3down said:

Doug, I have a trispark,

if you have a single coil with two spark plugs leads like the one CNW sells to work with the Trispark, then just
run that ground to to the other coil lead

Yes, you could also ground it to any good place on the frame but easier to the coil

Click to expand...

I didn't purchase that slick single coil setup CNW sells so I am still running the two 6 volts. But I am having trouble starting the bike. TDC triggers the red light on the Trispark. Turning the key on lights up the headlamp and taillight. brake light works fine. Testing spark with spark plug removed results in a nice blue spark on both cyclinders. And pouring fuel into the cyclinders does nothing to start the bike. I have the JS flatslides. But the the odd thing is the bike will start when it wants to. And when it runs it hauls ass, no pinging, idles perfect. Its just fustrating that it won't start when I want to ride it. Luckily I have a Thruxton to takes its place. But its not the same as you all know.

TDC triggers the red light on the Trispark.

Click to expand...

Then you have the timing wrong? Rotate the trispark so light comes on when not running around 30 degrees before TDC.

I set my Trispark two years ago so I don't remember exactly, but check your instructions, don't they say that the

red light comes on at about 30 degrees DEFORE TDC?, and you say it now is set to fire the plugs AT TDC?

I also have had my JS flat slides for a year and a half. You say the bike starts "when it wants to".

What does that mean? Are you new to the flat slides? You do know that with the motor cold, pull up the chokes
and open the throttle a good quarter turn then kick twice, the first one draws the gas in and second get it running.
Then close the chokes right away and maintain the idle with the throttle for about 30 seconds and ride away.

Even when motor warm, I still need to open the throttle while one good kick, you need to get gas flowing!

Seems you have the spark firing wrong if as you say the light comes on at TDC, should be well before TDC,
and then that is a starting point, you should put a strobe light on it to verify timing is fully advanced at what does it say, some 4000rpm at 30 degrees BTDC or so?

Sorry. You are right. Trispark light comes on at 28 degrees BTDC. Does 2 degrees make that much of a difference?(I.E.30 degress BTDC?) I follow the instructions outlined in your start up procedures with the flat sides also. But I just keep kicking with no start up. Baffling.

Do you hold the throttle open with your right hand a really good amount while you kick?

The flat slides NEED an open throttle to draw the gas into the combustion chambers.

With the trispark and flat slides your bike should fire up second kick when cold and first kick when warm

keep battery fully chraged?

I don't hold the throttle open to much..maybe a 1/4 inch turn. But I did take a syringe and inject fuel into the cylinders to see if it was a fuel starvation issue. I'll try kicking with the throttle open a bit more.

I added a ground from my engine to my frame. With ur EI... Take the each plug out one at a time, set the tip of the plug on the engine. When u kick/start it, there should be a strong spark. If not re check the wiring and/or timing.

SierrasCafe530 said:

I added a ground from my engine to my frame.

Click to expand...

Bingo. Thats the answer I was looking for. Where is your grounding wire(what gauge did you use) point on the engine?

If your Tri-spark is lighting up then you have a ground connection already otherwise it would not light. Are you sure the magnet rotor didnt move just a touch when you were buttoning it up to the crank? thats what happened to me until I reinstalled it.

speirmoor said:

If your Tri-spark is lighting up then you have a ground connection already otherwise it would not light. Are you sure the magnet rotor didnt move just a touch when you were buttoning it up to the crank? thats what happened to me until I reinstalled it.

Click to expand...

I like it. And I'll check that right now. That is very possible. Thanks for the tip. And sorry you had to go through the same issues...it sounds like.

sole survivor said:

SierrasCafe530 said:

I added a ground from my engine to my frame.

Click to expand...

Bingo. Thats the answer I was looking for. Where is your grounding wire(what gauge did you use) point on the engine?

Click to expand...

Sorry been out of town. I used a honda ground wire. Just connected it to the bolt on the engine frame to the battery and then from the battery to the frame... Here are the pics. Sorry the engine ground pic is sideways, but you can see the ground attached to the bolt of the engine. The greenish wire is from the battery to frame.

yes!

that is an excellent ground point to also run a wire from the positive battery terminal to nicely ground the battery

from that point, I also run a thick wire back and down to one of the bolts that attaches the oil filter to the cradle frame, cradle paint around the bolt dremmeled off of course

I have just ordered a new rectifier to replace my 15 year old Boyer Power Box which has expired

I had the boyer grounded to the inside top shock mounting nut, with the new rectifier I will ground it to the oil filter cradle mount bolt