Hitchcocks Forum

My 2008 (2010 registered) Electra X has today refused to start .Our hosts Amal carb kit and other mods have been made over the last 2 years.It's only done 2750 careful miles as i only use it for pottering around our local country lanes.Since fitting our hosts Amal upgrade kit it's never started on the kick start.It's also been making strange noises on the electric starter.Although i got it running this morning and again tonight it cut out and refused to start again.I tried bumping it without success.When the starter buttton is pressed the motor appears to do something but the engine doesn't seem to turn over.I called Carole Nash recovery and a nice man from the AA turned up on a Pan European.He told me amomg many others he owns a Velocette Venom and had no trouble kicking it into life.I admit to 35 years ownership of mostly electric start Jap bikes so my kick starting technique leaves a lot to be desired.From the noise the starter makes when the button is pressed he said he thought it was the sprag clutch that would need stripping and inspecting.There now seems to be a considerable amount of extra compression on the kickstarter.Any words of wisdom please?If it is the sprag are there any uprated parts that can be fitted and what's the cost likely to be?

Hi MARTIN B --------------Gentlemen, I think at this rate we really must get a "reply menu" loaded onto this site if only to calm those frayed nerves from the repetition of answers. SORRY, Martin---no reflection on your good self at all but I think you might JUST be aware that this subject matter is fast becoming a PANDORA'S BOX or a HOT POTATO---depending on your outlook..... I also have a friend who---like you---has come from a life of electric starting, quality in-built, Japanese bikes.... He has just bought a Bullet 65 and I recently helped him to get a grip(almost literally) on his starting skills..... When I'm around he tries his very best to kick-start but I know he "cheats" at other times..... Even now I just rest my hand on his throttle actions---just to stop that habitual "Twitching" and slow him down in general.I'm leaving the "Tech-stuff" to the others---hardy souls that they are !! Here's hoping we can get you sorted----- Best regards----

Martin,
What is it you would like us to do, just another wasted sprag. Years ago out here the mention of a sprag failure sent our message boards into a meltdown, but now they barely rate a mention because everybody realises they are junk and from day one the bobos in India refused to accept any responsibility for the crap design and blamed all the poor sods who bought these in the hope of being able to continue riding in their later years with failing legs. Well done Mr Enfield, you shattered many older peoples dreams, and I know quite a number of them

Hi Martin: You will need to upgrade your starting technique, the starter is trying to turn a large single- cylinder engine which is prone to kicking back (back firing), this is what wrecks the sprag clutch, you also made the mistake of changing the carburettor, which I presume was not broken.

Leon,
Trying to start an Electra is a whole different ball game than starting a cast engine with it's dumb assed excuse for a valve lifter idea

Martin, your bikes symptoms sound exactly like mine did when its sprag broke.
The noises are the sprag breaking up and the 'extra compression' is the sprag gear jammed up. Please don't attemp to start it again now as if it all shatters you will have a bigger job on your hands.
Replacing a sprag (in the condiditon that yours is currently in) is time consuming but not a difficult job. If I were you I'd purchase the parts required and get it done asap whilst we still have the good weather to ride in!
Important point Martin; has the black TCI unit been changed for the green unit on your bike? If not then this is essential to save the new sprag from kick-backs. Also a good battery and perfect ignition / carb settings will help prevent further damage.
I've got the green TCI and a new battery - never kicked back since, it used to do it all the time with the black TCI and bang (literally) went the sprag.
My bike was running great but now the chain has gone - see new message on this technical forum.
Enfields - dont you just love them??????

Thanks for posts.Mine's been upgraded to the Hitchcocks TCI unit but had the black one before.My emails to WS for the gren one were ignored?
Could it be the damage was already done to the sprag with the old black box?
Yes there was nothing wrong with the standard carb and as i said it was easier to start on the kicker.I was just after a bit more poke when i made the upgrades.
I could cetainly do with a lesson from a proper biker in how to kick off my bike?As said i understand the starting technique is different on the AVL engine with the none working decompressor.The AA guy had no trouble and he was sooo confident in his technique but i am 54 and live in fear of leg/ankle trauma!
I need to get the bike to my mate in Solihul-25 miles-to inspect and fix.Should i risk riding it there?What about the upgraded parts?I see there's a supposedly better bearing on Ebay and even ones in the US and Aus.Are the latter any good Norm?What about our hosts?
Thanks again in anticipation chaps....

Hi Martin,
As for the stronger sprag I have no info on them but I would believe they wouldn't be much better because the impact from the kickback is huge as you would be well aware. It is a sickening sound. What I'm not sure you could do to ride it to your friends place, I can't remember if removing the starter would stop the sprag locking up on you. Without the starter in there I think the sprag should be able to float and not bang itself up any more. Still means you would have to kick start it and you would also have to tape over the starter hole to stop the primary oil going everywhere. Just a thought

It is interesting that the sprag clutch whilst clearly a very elegant way of engaging an electric start particularly as a retro fit doesn't seem to be capable of handling the potential for kickback in older non computer regulated motors. The Ducati Darmah which was the frapped up model after my 860 (which had the option of an unspeakably crude bendex style starter with fragments of flywheel teeth dropping straight into the only partially filtered oil) had a sprag clutch which was a constant source of failure and often so catastrophic was the result that it would often begin end the life of the bike. Interesting in that my old GT with only a kick start is a superb machine and whilst it is nice to have the option of pushing the button it is such an easy bike to kick that I wouldn't swap for quids. What I would say is that the time to use these electric starters on old bikes is when they stall at the lights or at least when they are warm and not first thing on a cold morning.

I've arranged for safety's sake (and another £40) for the bike to be vanned over to my mate's where a stripdown/inspection can be carried out.