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[kurt]

I bought a 1995 500 bullet with a cozy sidecar on Ebay for a retirement restoration project (I retired this year in May). The bike has 1,900 miles on the odometer but suffered from much neglect - broken exhaust valve spring, alternator wire almost cut through rubbing on primary chain, piston ring lands showing signs of the notorious collapse problem, most/all liquids a light chocolate brown in color, rust in the clutch plates, the list goes on.



I stripped it down to the nuts and bolts, re-painted, and restored or installed new parts. Here is a partial list related to my problem:



big bore kit

boyer power box

Boyer elec. ignition

had valves re-ground at machine shop

re-jetted micarb - needle jet P0, main jet 117.5, pilot jet 27.5

replaced carb float

replaced wiring harness

replaced alternator/magnet (2-wire)



After 6 years of part time work, I finally got everything back together in June of this year. My problem is I can't get it to fire at all. Not even once. I have spark (taped plug against engine fins to check). I tried using some starting fluid and that did get a few explosions but it spit them all back through the carb (had to take it off and clean it up).



I'm pretty sure I have the timing gears installed correctly (three little circles all touching on the timing gears). I followed the initial timing instructions included with the electronic ignition. I have a top dead center tool to assist me. I did not split the case nor touch the crank shaft and connecting rod - so little mileage I thought those would be OK.



I seem to have good compression. I can stand on the kick starter. I took off the head, turned it upside down and put gasoline in it to check for leaks. Passed with flying colors. I have new piston and rings.



The other electric circuits and switches work properly - head light, brake light, turn signals.



I've had almost everything on/off/on the bike multiple times double-checking my work to no avail (the nice new paint job is suffering terribly from this). I've jumped the coil straight to the battery to by-pass the ignition and kill switches and wiring harness. Nothing seems to work.



I'm over in the States and none of the bike shops here will touch the bike. They say they don't have any experience with it and wouldn't be able to guarantee the work. The closest Royal Enfield dealer is over an hour's drive away, and they said they only work on late model enfields.




I have Snidal's manual and that was a big help in getting to where I am now. I'm here asking for some help. Do you have any suggestions as to what the problem might be and/or I should do next?




My wife and son both say I chose the wrong bike to restore. They said if I had chosen an old Harley, I would have found all the parts and help I needed and been riding around on it for 4 years already.

[kurt]

It's my understanding the boyer ign. is a 'wasted spark' system. According to this document

http://www.hitchcocksmotorcycles.com/pi ... -08-17.pdf


you don't need to find the compression stroke.

[stinkwheel]

It does sound like the ignition timing is out. Is the battery voltage healthy? A lot of those electronic systems can become very random with a low voltage.



You might even want to try throwing the points back on temporarily to be sure?



Also check the coil has a good earth connection.



If you'd chosen an old harley, you'd have needed a second mortgage by now. And you'd have twice as many things to go wrong.

[PeteF]

The instructions for setting up the Boyer are a joke. No way you can set the timing accurately by following them. I had this problem when I fitted mine so just moved the plate back and forth bit by bit til the engine started. If can then fine tune it by how it goes. If it kicks back retard it a bit, if it slugish, advance it a bit. Course, if you have a strobe you could do it properly but I find these engines aren't that fussy.

[John M]

I would try and start the bike and then remove the spark plug to check that petrol is actually getting through,if the plug is not wet, I would suspect the carb.

If the ignition timing is out it should still try and run, unless it is massively out.

If the plug is bone dry when you remove it, try and pour a few mills of petrol down the plug hole before you replace the plug.

Is the float chamber filling with petrol? It may be a sticking float valve.

As an aside, have you ridden / driven a bike and sidecar before? If you haven't, take care until you get the hang of it, they can be a swine to steer, particularly turning in the direction that the side car is on. You can't brake and turn in the direction of the sidecar at the same time unless you have a sidecar brake.

Good Luck.

[Chris [Stockport]]

Have you tried it with a NEW, not just cleaned plug? I've had it where they work outside the engine, a test, as you say, but NEED A NEW ONE to work.

Whatever this problem will turn out to be.. eg if there's an issue with the Boyer box.... it wouldn't be any easier to find on a Harley... or anything else!

Hope it gets sorted soon, good luck and enjoy the chair; advice from those above is good; and I enjoy mine. Don't give up : )

[kurt]

Thanks for the replies, everyone. I missed including some other new items in my original list. I did add a new coil, new plug (br7es) and plug wire.

I had the points and condensor in it initially and had the same symptoms. I tried going to elect. ign. to see if that would solve it. I could put them back in, I guess.

I did try spraying some starter fluid into the carb and it did fire a little, but spit it all back out through the carb and stopped (I'm guessing) when the starter fluid all burned.



The carb has gas in the bowl, and the plug is wet and smells of gas when I remove it. I'll check it again.

I'll also try retarding/advancing the timing. The instructions do leave half the available space on either side of the adjustment slots.

I do have a strobe and intend on using it to fine-tune timing. But it is my understanding the engine has to be running to do that.


I have to say I was a little skeptical when the electronic ignition instructions say to 'reset the stator plate halfway along the adjustment slots and re-tighten..." Doesn't seem to me to be very accurate way to do initial timing seting.



thanks again. I'll let you know what happened.

On the sidecar, haven't even touched that yet. Just trying to get the bike to work.

[kurt]

While I'm thinking about the carb, Mr. Snidal's manual says the float height should be between 28mm - 30mm. However, this document:



http://www.hitchcocksmotorcycles.com/pi ... s_-_a4.pdf



says between 24mm - 26mm.

24 to 30 is a very wide range. What should I be using?

[Jamesy]

I set my height at 28/30 mm and it works well.This is on the Indian micarb which I am assuming you have.If you have fuel and a spark coming together I would have thought you would have at least some kind of turnover.Is you air screw approx Two and a half turns out and the auxiliary screw fully turned in?

[Rasp]

Wasted spark on a single?
How is that possible?
I think the ignition timing needs setting again.
Mick