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Boyer Ignitions TROUBLE SHOOTING Tech Tips
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NO SPARK |
IF BATTERY HAS POWER:
Switch on headlamp and activate stop lamp. They should stay
bright for more than a minute.
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FUSE KEEPS BLOWING:
Replace the fuse with a 21-watt indicator bulb. As individual
electrical circuits are switched on, the bulb will glow dimly, if a
faulty circuit is connected, the bulb will glow brightly.
If the bulb glows brightly with nothing switched on: Remove wires
from components in turn until the bulb goes out; the last one
removed will be the faulty circuit.
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IGNITION UNIT HAS
POWER:
Using a bulb or voltmeter check the main power feed to the ignition
unit. This would be the wire from the ignition or kill switch.
With the bulb connected between the ignition
feed wire at the ignition box and
battery ground, the bulb should
glow brightly. If dim or varying, try moving the fuse
holder, wiring, handlebars, to locate the faulty connection.
Then test between the ignition feed wire at the box and the wire
used to ground or earth the ignition system. If the bulb
glowed brightly when connected between the feed wire and battery
ground system, but is dim when connected between the ignition feed
wire and the wire used to ground the ignition, you have a faulty
ground (The bulb draws similar current to the ignition and is a more
useful test than a voltmeter only) Poor earth connections can be
hard to locate.
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THE UNIT HAS
POWER-SPARKS ON SWITCHING ON AND OFF:
Most early MKII (not
Micro-MKIII, Micro-Digital or Micro-Power which will not spark when
turned on and off) ignition units will produce a
spark on switching on and off, if this is so and sparks are produced
on all cylinders then the ignition coils must be in good order.
If one or more fail to spark a coil could be faulty.
On four cylinder machines try disconnecting one coil at a time, and
switching on and off checking for sparks. On other machines
that use more than one coil in series one coil failing can stop
sparking due to coil failure and cause all the coils not to spark.
Also one coil can have an internal short to ground, and
while it will fire, it can cause coils after it in the chain (which
are in good working order) to stop working. This is very
common in Lucas/PVL coils that are over tightened in the metal
clamp. The case becomes crushed and touches the windings
inside. This can occur when the coil warms up. The MIcro
MKIII, Micro-Digital and Micro-power units all turn off when not
being triggered, therefore, it is best to carry out the next test as
you may not always have a spark on turning on and off.
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THE UNIT HAS POWER-NO
SPARKS ON SWITCHING ON AND OFF AND NO SPARKS WHEN CRANKING:
After performing the bulb test above to ensure the box has power,
disconnect the wires from the ignition box that go to the stator
trigger plate. With the ignition on, touch these wires
together. Making and breaking the connection should make a
spark at the spark plugs. If no spark is present the ignition
box is most likely (see checking coil above) faulty.
The only units that will not trigger in this way are the racing
crank trigger Digital and Norton rotary units (a rapid tap on the
end of the pickup will induce the ignition to fire. A single
tap will arm the ignition, but if it does not see additional signals
after a few seconds will turn off the box and inadvertently fire the
coil) Check that the rotor magnets are running within the two metal
pole pieces on the trigger plate. On the British machines it
is possible to move the rotor out slightly by placing a thin metal
shim around the taper. The ignition will not fire by hand at
less than 200rmp.
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CHECKING THE STATOR
PLATE:
A full visual check of the condition of the circuit board and coils
looking for loose or broken parts.
Check for signs of the rotor touching the solder connections.
Using a multi-meter check the resistance of each pickup coil (should
be approximately 65 OHMS or 130 OHMS across the two coils) and
the total resistance across the wires or terminals. With the
meter still attached , run your fingers around the coils, if the
resistance changes there could be a broken winding inside.
Attach the meter across the trigger plate's wires and pull on them.
If resistance changes, you could have a broken wire. |
CHECKING THE ROTOR:
The magnets on the Boyer ignition rotor should just hold the weight
of the rotor when places against a piece of steel. Check
marking spots are the same way around. All magnets should have
similar amount of strength
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SPARKS ON CRANKING
BUT WON'T FIRE:
Check the stator wires do not change color in the wiring loom, as
swapping these will make the ignition fire over 50°
retarded.
With the digital system, check that you have suppressed plug caps
fitted of approximately 5,000 ohm. If timing has been done,
don't forget that the timing angle on the camshaft is half of the
crankshafts (i.e. on a 650 Triumph full advance timing is set at 38°
but is set on 19° the camshaft) |
CONTINUOUS SPARKING
WITHOUT CRANKING ENGINE:
A poor battery with a battery charger connected or
one or more bad cells in the battery.
A high resistance in the wiring circuit or ground. Check
that the engine is grounded back on to the frame and the battery
circuit. Plastic (powder coated) frames must have a good
ground
connection to the engine case and battery. A wrong type of
ignition coil with very low primary resistance (under 2 to 3 ohms)
will draw a very high current and product a large voltage drop
across with wiring. All these will keep turning the ignition
on and off, generating a chain of sparks.
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ENGINE RUNS FAST AT
IDLE AND KICKS BACK ON STARTING:
Poor fuse connection, battery running low or variable voltage to the
ignition. As the alternator charges the system with increasing
engine speed the problem can clear. But as the engine speed
decreases the system voltage drops and the problem reappears as the
motor returns to idle.
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ENGINE RUNS (POOR
STARTING), BUT MISFIRES:
Poor connection at rivet attaching terminal of ignition switch or
bad connection vibrating on and off. Also
suppressor spark plug caps with open
(internally broken) circuit.
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copyright:
Rask Cycle/Rask Cycles