Power arc guinnea pig.

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Well, with start ups at Intel Santa Clara and Beal AFB, a GFI acceptance test in turlock and an A.T.S. PM at Fresno Heart hospital last week, I've been able to throw a couple hours at it. :D
 
caddy chris said:
HILLBILLY??? C'mon dude! I might be a country boy, but really?
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i actually think highly of coat hangers and tin cans - but a time and a place for everything :shock:

the curves on the box i'm sure are the same at start up - and change through out RPM's with the more "power" curve reaching advance earlier

each not starting the bike equally is a problem - a minor problem no doubt, but like we said kick back at start up is not acceptable ( unless you want to limp around and start thinking about buying MKIII) does it ping under load ?
 
I agree, which makes me think i was off tdc on initial install, and just got it sorted out with todays tweek. It seems some ppl are reading more into this than they need to. Kind of makes me want to drop this post. The adjustments I've made have taken about as long as it took to remove and replace the cover. Its pretty rare that someone can put new equipment on, start and ride away no problems, no tweeks necessary.
 
Yesterday it pinged lightly when leaving stop at light throttle. Today ( what riding I did ) its gone. Now. I'll let you know if it persist. I don't believe its a product issue. Its a human issue

I keep bailing wire in my road trip tool box. That and wire ties have saved my and friends butts more than once. What do you use the tin cans for?
 
Being a tad off on TDC sounds more like it to me. Rather than a problem with the unit.
Just keep dialing it in till kick back stops. I'd be interested in what degree's the timing
light tells you at that point.
 
Yah, the soda straw method for finding tdc has its down sides! :)
I'll post final timing when im happy that it will help some one else to set up system. One thing with this set up is an adjustment the width of a pencil lead equals about 3-4 degrees. There are other suggestions I have that I will post later. Right now im gonna go brave the wind and ride to the local dive, shoot some pool, and drink a few cokes.
 
Likely he means it takes a light sensitive touch to use soda straws to feel piston on each side of it rise to split difference for TDC. I use hard stop before head on to permanent mark TDC on stator and case. I've jammed the made for it plug hole stop, besides snapped off pencil eraser, so try to find TDC other ways. But trial and error timing is just fine for me, once I get close enough to even start.
 
hobot said:
But trial and error timing is just fine for me, once I get close enough to even start.
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I think you are on it here, hobot. Ain't no two Nortons beat exactly alike. With carb and timing, we are on our own to get proper. Old school. Anything written is only a baseline to start from. Eyes, ears, fingers and the seat of your pants is what it takes.
Nubes, take heed to this! The tech-ier you get (EI, Mikuni, etc) the more you are on your own.
Although there are exceptions to the rule, I feel it is better share your successes and failures then it is to ask for anything more than base line data(manual literature).
Not to be critical but in order to get confident to travel any distance, one must lock ones self in the garage (or living room if you lucky enough) and get intamate and real with your hobby.
Caddy chris, you are on the road but if you have a feel of what transpires in these posts, you must see that it can seem endless. That is the lure, the hope and the sickness of a Norton owner. Take the heat and stay in the kitchen!

Sorry, I got a little cheeky here, ala you know who.
 
caddy chris said:
It seems some ppl are reading more into this than they need to. Kind of makes me want to drop this post.
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When all you give is words it's pretty much a given that we have to "read into it". :mrgreen:

And this group never lets go until they know the owners is happily plodding along on the bike. That is one of the joys of being a member of a forum that is so passionate about their bikes.

You want to us to get off your back? Just tell us it runs great. Otherwise expect comments. :mrgreen:
 
Don't let swooshdave get ya down, he's just not riding off attitude static in winter.
Rest of us are enjoying the trial and error journey into your version of Commando sanctuary. Reminds me what I've missed out last couple years but got one in the oven to pop out this spring, with points ignition to diddle to perfection. So far that been the best to me, easiest starts as don't take much to spark as swinging magnets, idled to 400 and perked right up with least throttle twist ease. So easy and reliable to operate as pure factory, its what I may end up with to the end.

I may use tape on the surfaces to mark till dialed in, then knife edge permanent through the tape.
 
hobot said:
Don't let swooshdave get ya down, he's just not riding off attitude static in winter.
Rest of us are enjoying the trial and error journey into your version of Commando sanctuary. Reminds me what I've missed out last couple years but got one in the oven to pop out this spring, with points ignition to diddle to perfection. So far that been the best to me, easiest starts as don't take much to spark as swinging magnets, idled to 400 and perked right up with least throttle twist ease. So easy and reliable to operate as pure factory, its what I may end up with to the end.

I may use tape on the surfaces to mark till dialed in, then knife edge permanent through the tape.
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"Don't let swooshdave get ya down, he's just not riding off attitude static in winter."

Just answer me this chris, do did you understand my post or this one? :wink:

And if you know what "attitude static" mean would you let me know?
 
There's an invisible comma there. Attitude, static. I understand most of what he says... Its the technical stuff that stumps me sometimes. I also understand that he is a positive and helpfull kinda guy that doesn't waste ppls time with negative and unconstructive comments.
 
OK! So its all worked out. Fred called me, what a nice guy! The power arc fires at tdc though the first stroke, then it advances to 11° btdc. What was happening is I would turn the key and fuel on, slowly kick it through a few times to get it to the sweet spot try to start it. Well, the brains would see the tdc window, pass by and then advance the timing to 11°. That's why it was kicking back. So by retarding the timing I was just chasing my tail.
Fred has spoken to power arc about this problem and it turns out that this system is set up for electric start bikes and not lid kickers. They are reprogramming future units to be compatable with kick starting bikes and when the bug is worked out, Fred will swap out mine for the new unit free of charge. Now that's customer service folks!
Per Fred's instructions, I reset everything to tdc. Now I kick it a few times to sweet spot, then turn key on and kick. Fires right up...

Being a guinnea pig, and helping to work the bugs out of a new system is super cool!

That said, I put new roadriders and an xz650 breather on today, the bikes running GREAT, and its a beautiful sunny day, so... I'M GONNA RIDE!!!! Later!
 
Sounds like a smart system. I may go for one if I decide to ditch my points. Thanks for the test runs.
 
That's great news. I was going to buy one until I heard about your travails with kickback. Now I know by the time I get around to buying one they'll have it sorted.
 
Absolutely! Fred and power arc are both standing behind the product and are devoted to their customers and producing a quality system.

Now im off to other things, waiting on the lansdowns... :mrgreen:
 
Swooshdave is living the Commando life style and making video documentary for the future. He's holds the world record for kick starting endurance too, way more than rest of us could deliver, so already an icon to put up with.

The kick start feature was something I'd made sure was part of Peel initial programmed curves. Temporary solution might be kick over to start w/o ign on, then key on and ease down on kicker being careful not to let it out run your beginning kick like missing a punch to full locked joints.

I'd also put in a request to program in the little up/dn self stabilizing idle curve shown in the graph of various units' curves.

Does anything flash while its running?
 
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