74 850 Commando. So I'm blasting along for about 10 minutes minding my own business when she dies, complete cessation of all noise. Turning off the key I put her up on the main stand, kick her over once , turned on the key, kicked her again and beautiful noises happen so I'm away again. 8 minutes later it happens again, same solution, 6 minutes again, 4 minutes again and then she will not fire. By this time a officer of the law is taking a more than a passing interest in my stop start antics and asks me to remove the offending vehicle from the motorway. Unfortunately while waiting for a mate with a trailer said copper gets curious about my nervous tik and checks his computer. $200 for forgetting to register the bike later I get the bike home, kick her in the guts and she fires up first time. Must be electrical but what? Coils possibly? :?: blueboy.
What the !!!!!
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Its the computor getting jelous and aiming satilite death rays at you , as the H.P. is paid off .It thinks a mitsubuisk=hi is good . Better than a 58 olds . :roll:
Coils or fuel blockage . Or air vent to fuel tank . Ethanol . Star wars , or the Communists .
Coils or fuel blockage . Or air vent to fuel tank . Ethanol . Star wars , or the Communists .
my tr6r did something similar. One cylinder would cut out after a few miles of ridding, then wouldn't want to start again till a few minutes passed. Then it would a cylinder would cut out again and id limp it home on one cylinder. Replaced the coils and condensers and the problem disappeared, turns out a condenser went bad, so the old stuff went on a shelf for later. Start with the simplest solution and go from there
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if the key /ignition switch
the stock lucas key switches are horrible new and when old are asking for trouble - and the sparx replacements are even worse - best to get a new japanese or american replacement switch that are available and can be fitted in quite easy
m
the stock lucas key switches are horrible new and when old are asking for trouble - and the sparx replacements are even worse - best to get a new japanese or american replacement switch that are available and can be fitted in quite easy
m
htown16
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Could be a weak battery, especially if you are running with lights on. Shut lights off and sets a minute builds up enough to start again. How old is the battery? Might want to do a load test. Charge battery, check voltage, turn light on high beam for two minutes, recheck voltage, if significant drop, battery is probably toast.
If it's the ignition switch (and it often can be) then the loss of electrical power will also be accompanied by a lack of warning lights, headlamp etc. If the peripherals all function then it must be further down the line.
The ignition switches can be taken apart and reassembled with care. You'll find a couple of paxolin discs with small brass studs on. These will normally be green and clogged with grey dust. Watch out for the small springs but they're not too bad.
If you only bend the crimps open by the smallest amount necessary to remove the lower plate then it only takes a light punch to get them to retain again.
If it's the first time that you've done it, don't forget to make a drawing of where all the wires go.
The ignition switches can be taken apart and reassembled with care. You'll find a couple of paxolin discs with small brass studs on. These will normally be green and clogged with grey dust. Watch out for the small springs but they're not too bad.
If you only bend the crimps open by the smallest amount necessary to remove the lower plate then it only takes a light punch to get them to retain again.
If it's the first time that you've done it, don't forget to make a drawing of where all the wires go.
Another possibility is a blockage in the fuel system, e.g., petcock or fuel filter clogged. Ran into this recently (not on Commando). Bike would go great guns and then sputter and die. Let it sit a minute (and the float bowls refill....) and it would run fine again. Rinse and repeat....
Your comment about the little springs reminds me of a story from Egypt. An acquaintance had a Peugeot 504 wagon that he used as a taxi. Keeping it running was critical to the family survival. When he started having caburettor problems he took it to a local guru, who promply took the caburator off the manifold, spread a clean white bedsheet on the ground, squatted down on the sheet and started to take the carb apart.
My friend was curious why he would work cross-legged on the ground when he had a pristine shop with all the special tools. His reply was "If anything goes "sproing" it will be on the sheet and we can find it".
My friend was curious why he would work cross-legged on the ground when he had a pristine shop with all the special tools. His reply was "If anything goes "sproing" it will be on the sheet and we can find it".
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Your friend from Egypt was a very clever man Frank.
I spend hours looking for bits on the shed floor.
Something to do with looseing the feeling in my finger tips and failing eyesight..
Old age creeping up ?
AC.
I spend hours looking for bits on the shed floor.
Something to do with looseing the feeling in my finger tips and failing eyesight..
Old age creeping up ?
AC.
Thanks all for the comments. Replaced the key and she went sweet as for 30 minutes riding to a mates place. Stopped for 10 minutes and did a show off power take off ( higher than normal revs) and lo and behold shes back to her old tricks. Took nine stops to get home. I think it must be one of the coils not liking the higher revs. Anyway after reading Britspares info on the Boyer system I have decided to replace the lot with their new Power Arc they have developed for the Norton. Will keep you posted.
cheers Blueboy
cheers Blueboy
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Crummy electrical like when I chartered a boat to troll for Giant Nile perch in Lake Nasser, Egypt. Outboard kept croaking, 6 men and my mandatory police officer all yanking on the pullcord for most of the afternoon all stop n' go running till' I took a concerned break from fishing and wrapped the exposed solid core copper wire arrangement a lot tighter to the sparkplug cap. Migs overhead and radar installations to boot.
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