Replacing Boyer Leads

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Stephen Hill

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The wires running into the Boyer stator were in bad shape, so I removed the epoxy and unsoldered the wires from the plate. I am trying to decide whether I should use screws and nuts for terminals. Or should I just resolder new wires to the stator and rebed them in epoxy, like the original.
I found a Hobot reference to Greg Fauth Boyer wire upgrade, but no detaills.
Anybody have any experience on any of these fixes?
Stephen Hill
 
Greg's kit uses a screw and nuts but be sure not to screw up like me and put two thin nuts on back side as it then clips the mag rotor and does bad things to red hot pipes of super advanced timing. I didn't follow instructions which lead to a wonderful event that upset whole fields of rally campers all blowing horns and yelling at the gathering of famous Nortoneers that were stumped on what to do after fixing 6 spearate fault each producing same idenitcal symptoms till I passed out the 'shine and Rod Raybourn saw a slight gitch in trigger rotation and got Peel going on boyah again.
 
Thanks Hobot. This "kit" sounds like two screws and four thin nuts which install in the location of the orignal leads. Any reason not to make this mod with hardware on hand? What am I missing here?
Stephen
 
The main issue is the vibe cause broken copper inside insulation for crazy making intermittent till dead misfires. Solder is brittle and can fracture there so not the best way as at some point leads will go again to replace or engine diss-assembly, so screw terminals more handy is all. Most the vibe action happens at the terminals, so try to back up with Sillycon or heat shrink and find thinest copper strand leads for flex tolerance. I definitely would carry spare leads for the long haul as has caught me out and my buddy to ruin a day or weekend figuring out and fixing. Ping Greg for his fork kit too and see why he and I like its cheap improvement you can further refine to suit. I put in plastic inline screw connectors to never have to touch the fussy terminals and leaves wire ends raw so small easy to thread the TS cover hole. On boyah leads its when not it. Your call or theirs.
 
I also found more information on Greg's site at Decent Cycles: http://www.decentcycles.com/the-decent-store
I have the bits I need so I am going to go with a DIY screw and nut solution. If I have the length I need, I will attach the wire that comes into the timing chest directly to the terminals on the stator. If not, a couple of short leads like you see in Greg's kit will be required.
Thanks for the info everybody.
Stephen
 
A number of years ago i re-soldered the leads on one of my boyer plates, but instead of epoxy (which gets hard) i used RTV to hold the wires in place. Its a lot more flexible, but still supports the wires appropriately.
 
mjfriesen said:
A number of years ago i re-soldered the leads on one of my boyer plates, but instead of epoxy (which gets hard) i used RTV to hold the wires in place. Its a lot more flexible, but still supports the wires appropriately.
Click to expand...

+1 The epoxy is unnecessary. RTV is sufficient. It was Trispark or Pazon that recommended placing a foam rubber block under the points cover to hold the wires steady. The rubber sleeve where the wires come into the engine goes a long way to minimize the stress on the wires. Gotta state the obvious sometimes. There's a lot of shaking vis-a-vis the engine and the frame. You can try using two zip-ties to attach the wires to the frame. One tie tight on the frame to hold a second for the wires. The second one came be a looser without going anywhere.
 
Those short leads are made from wire that can not break. The hollow braided cover off the very old coax cable used on TV's. The cover is shrink wrap that has never been heated the motor will do that once everything is in place and running. Good luck to you.
 
Stephen Hill said:
The wires running into the Boyer stator were in bad shape, so I removed the epoxy and unsoldered the wires from the plate. I am trying to decide whether I should use screws and nuts for terminals. Or should I just resolder new wires to the stator and rebed them in epoxy, like the original.
I found a Hobot reference to Greg Fauth Boyer wire upgrade, but no detaills.
Anybody have any experience on any of these fixes?
Stephen Hill
Click to expand...

Why, yes, I do... Saturday morning I had to repair (after I found the source of irritation) the Boyer pick up wires. After clipping the rudimentary strain relief (ty-wraps), simply pulling on the wire, elongated and then snapped the plastic jacket, the conductor was failed.
Replacing Boyer Leads


After stripping, unsoldering it, the break can easily be seen, no where near the solder joint, but (very predictably) near the "strain relief"
Replacing Boyer Leads


I had on hand some fine strand machine tool wire (used in travel loops, continuously flexing) shown here beside the course strand wire.
Replacing Boyer Leads


New wires soldered in
Replacing Boyer Leads


Tied in, terminated, potted with RTV (oops, that wasn't yet done when the camera fired) and marked for easy roadside diagnosis.
Replacing Boyer Leads


Very simple, and fast. Once again.... thanks to all those who've gone before me, documenting pattern failures. :mrgreen:
 
The failure of solder joints subjected to vibration is due to relative bending or flexing between the parts joined by solder. This is like bending a metal tab back and forth until it breaks off. Concours notes the wire broke at the restraint. Same effect! The restraint prevented relative movement, but where the wire was free to flex, it failed. I am sure those of us who have well used corded tools know the effect...the wire always fails on the flexing side of the cord restraint.

Making the joint rigid by RTV or epoxy, prevents the relative bending or flexing, and a solder joint can then be expected to survive vibration.

Except for specialty high flex wire, Machine Tool Wire (MTW) is the best choice of wire subjected to flexing.

Slick
 
As long as ya RTV or JBW support the plate terminals that cat is buried. Its the making and breaking connections that strains the normal press fit terminals integrity next. Someday will be wireless transmission. Til then I'm sold on these for that.
http://www.posi-lock.com/
 
Based on my experience and that of others on this website, I don't think we can conclude that the solder joint is the reason for the failure of the wire leads on the Boyer stator. If you look at the location of the break in the wire (see concours photo), the soldered joint is nowhere near the break. The source of the problem as I see it is engine vibration combined with a "hard spot" in the wire. Epoxy and tie wraps just move the problem around. RTV would help by making a softer transition. Elsewhere on the list, someone described using a piece of packaging foam under the points cover to dampen the vibration of the wire. Fine strand wire would help deal with the vibration. I can see value in using screw terminals on the stator plate, if for no other reason than it would be easier to shorten the wire when it breaks by the lug connector.
Stephen Hill
 
I bought this Type NT1a in about 1977 for my 750.
Notice the screwed terminals used at that time.
Replacing Boyer Leads
 
Bob Z. said:
I bought this Type NT1a in about 1977 for my 750.
Notice the screwed terminals used at that time.
Replacing Boyer Leads
Click to expand...

I have the same type of terminals on mine and it still works along with its original amplifier box.
 
Some of you just can't seem to give up the soldering iron. Oh well!

Maybe you can take a clue from the auto industry or the airplane industry. Might even try looking for soldered
connections on newer motorcycles.
 
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