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[bologne]

Good Afternoon,

I have a 2001 Indian Bullet 500.

It has a Boyer Electric Ignition fitted by the previous owner.

We're having some issues with starting the machine. We have charged the battery and then it starts fine. However, on about the 4th or 5th start, the battery has drained from 12.5v to below 12v. The bike will then not start.

Using an ammeter, we have tried to work out when the drain is occurring, and it all seems to be neutral until (using the kick start) we get to the exhaust phase of the engine cycle, and then there is a drain.

I can only assume this has something to do with the ignition?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Dennis C]

Only 12.5 on a fully charged battery dropping below 12 after 4-5 starts, sounds like a new battery is needed.

[bologne]

Problem is, this is actually a new battery.

We replaced the battery before due to having difficulty starting.

[Midge]

If you click on the 'Technical Notes' button on the left, there are some great guides on how to check the charging and electrics. If the Boyer is earlier then Mk4 it won't like low voltage.

[Les H]

As Dennis says. If the battery is only reading 12.5 and quickly drops to 12V then the battery if new requires a good charge. It should read about 14.5v fully charged (On charge) and around 13V off charge. Even so, 12V should be enough to run the Boyer even if it is an earlier one than the Mk4. Note that the unit does not continually consume a high current, it only takes power in response to the trigger, so you will have the ammeter flick on and off when turning the engine over...this is normal. There has been another thread regarding the Boyer just a few posts back...see "start or finish". As a quick check for spark timing, take out the spark plug and connect the HT to another new plug (If possible) or use the old plug if it looks clean. rest the plug and lead somewhere on the engine so you can view the spark gap. Place your finger or thumb on the plug hole and kick the engine over. You should see a spark at the moment your finger is blown off the plug hole by the compression and you should see another spark occur midway through the cycle up to the next compression point. This method sounds crude but it will give you a very good indication as to whether the spark is occuring at the right time. The Boyer must recieve a good voltage to work correctly so to irradicate supply problems run seperate discrete wires back to the battery from the red and white wires on the trigger/amplifier unit (Black BOX) not the sensor plate. Let us know how you get on.

[Alan R]

Hi all--------just a thought but BOLOGNE says ----" fitted with Boyer Electric ignition"-------. Is it the POWER BOX or the INDUCTIVE DISCHARGE ??--- both a BOYER product.

[bologne]

Just as an update on this, it appears to be faulty wiring causing the issue...

The bullet is now running properly, but as soon as I attempt to put the headlights on, the ammeter drops very low. Also, the main bulb and only one of the side bulbs turn on.

When I get the chance, I'll have a fiddle, but am not very proficient on the electrical side of things.

[Norm]

Bologne,
Obviously you have a meter, so what you need to check if the alt is charging. First basic check rev motor with headlight on and it should brighten.Also check across the battery with the motor running and at at least 1500rpm it should read around the 14 volt d/c mark. If not charging system needs checking. You need approx 30 volts a/c at the alternator connectors usually found above the gearbox. If you have 30 volts there it is probably a rec/reg problem. Still could also be a wiring problem but you have to start testing somewhere