Hitchcocks Forum

Had an Electra x for a year now 07 model no problems until very recently, no spark, got the manual and confirmed components satisfactory except there does not seem to be any instruction on confirming whether the TCI is okay. Can anyone confirm a testing method. Cheers Curly

Hi Curly

I too have an 07 Electra-x and had similar sparklessness about a year ago. Initially blamed the tci but to cut a long story short, it was a failed HT coil. If you have the manual, it gives a procedure to test this using a multimeter which showed up my problem and a replacement coil cured it. If you don't have the manual, email me: stephen_herbert at btopenworld dot com and I'll scan and send you the page concerned.

Stephen

Hi, I have an 05 Electras X. Not long after I bought it I had the same problem. I did all the usual checks and thought the tci box had failed, when I removed it I noticed that the wiring harness was pulled really tight resulting in one of the pins in a multi plug had been pulled out. I refitted it and it has been fine for the last 2 year's

Thanks for your advice gents, update: sprag clutch not engaging with alternator, so no easy fix now

Still the best solution for the Electra-X sprag clutch...







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Adrian, have you removed the sprag clutch and electric ignition? Is it just a case of removing the clutch gearing and does it make kick starting easier if so this could be a plan, any advice would be appreciated, cheers

Curly,



what I have done is replace the electric start inner primary cover with the kick start version, the electronic ignition trigger and alternator stator haven't been changed because that all sits in the outer cover, which is the original one. This option just removes the E/S mechanism completely (I also fitted the engine sprocket from a kick start Bullet).

There are some issues over this, the main one being the current scarcity of new ten-screw TCI inner primary covers in kick start form. Mine uses the four speed version with no hole for the gear change shaft, because the bike was converted to right foot gear shift a long time ago. Some covers with the gear change shaft hole were made, but I think these are now even rarer. If you can get a four speed version accurate drilling of a suitable hole will be need for left foot shifting.



As with any E/S to K/S conversion on an Indian Bullet, you will need to drill and tap three holes in the crankcase where the inner cover sits as the mounting holes in the covers are in different positions.



If all that is just too much hassle, you can strip out all the E/S gubbins out of the existing primary cover and fit one of our host's blanking plugs, which sits in the hole that's left when you remove the starter motor. Some owners have sawn off the blob with all the E/S gearing and sprag clutch and welded up the gap in the inner cover with alloy, though I have not yet seen this done really neatly.



Mine has usually been a pretty good kick-starter, good battery and carb tune help. For extra fun and games it is possible to junk the valve lifter and fit a classic Bullet decompressor into an Electra-X head, which I have on my other bike.











Hope this helps.



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Thanks again Adrian, I'll start with the simpler method, remove and plug the workings as this will allow me to put back the electric start at a later date if required. Cheers, Curly

Understood! My Electra's inner primary cover complete with knackered sprag and the starter motor are all stored away in case any future owner wants them.



As for starting, more than one source has suggested the Electra's valve lifter mechanism works much better if you take the cable out from the left hand switch cluster, and hook it up to a proper decompressor lever on the handlebars.



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