Hitchcocks Forum

My 'lovely' Electra X completely standard has an annoying problem, starts very well, runs for up to say ten minutes then dies, starts again virtually straight away, runs for few seconds and dies again, this goes on with the running bit sometimes a bit longer but still stopping. I have cleaned the carb, changed the coil, drilled an extra hole in the petrol cap but it does it all over again - any ideas people?

-------try the carb. float bowl vent pipe ??

Graham, when it stops, disconect the fuel hose and see if fuel is flowing, put a container under the tap and see if the flow continues for a few minutes

Is the key OK? My Electra X stalled a month or two back and when I stopped and tried to find neutral the ignition key was not making contact and there was no green neutral light. I wiggled the key a bit and on it came again. I'm told it's not uncommon - I sprayed some contact cleaner in the keyhole and turned the key back and forward to clean things....seems fine now.

Not too sure about electra x carb, is it a CV type? If its stopping after 10 mins then whats changing with the head getting hot? check the manifold to head joint, believe it has an o ring seal which may be knacked. would be drawing air on tickover as joint expands. check float and needle are not sticking in closed position.
Diaphragm not perferated?...... As 50% of carb probs are electrical... beg/ borrow a timing light, like a Gunson that fires off the HT lead pulses and watch the flashes for irregularity just prior to stoppage.
Is it points or electronic ignition?

Gwilly
It is CV and electronic ignition. Norm and Alan R - I went for the fuel supply and checked over the carb but I am now going thro it very carefully, lots of fuel flowing.

Hi Graham, seems like you are happy with carb/fuel flow and coil. Only other things I can think of is pulse coil or TCI unit expanding when hot and loosing contact somehow. I have never heard of pulse coil problems but TCI units have caused problems, not particularly this one. Can you borrow a TCI from somebody to try. I carry a spare one under my seat

Graham, maybe just unpluging the TCI might fix the problem, dodgy connection, it sounds like a connection getting hot somewhere and failing