Tachometer and Speedometer: I bought a mini tach and speedo that I have installed on my 1969 T120R. These are from Lowbrow and I thought they would work OK. However, the standard Triumph tach cable does not work with this - the standard cable has a square male fitting and these mini instruments need a round cable fitting. So I am wondering if anyone has used something like this before? Is there an adapter available to make these work on my 1969 tack drive and speedo drive? Any comments are appreciated.
1967/1969 Bonnie Rebuild Desert Sled Project
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The cable drive MUST have a profile, a round cable cannot work, it would just spin.
Too bad they don't align "vertically" as far as the faces...
No other options that I know of, without drive ratio issues...
suzook12
Well-Known Member
Yes, there are other options, you can also get electronic mini tachs that run from the positive of #1 coil, or you could source the right cable for the job, try asking the supplier.....
Got it, thanks.
So, I’m looking for some advice on troubleshooting a failure to start. I got my bike all put together, oiled and gassed. Went through the procedure with my carbs, no leaks but fuel tickled out. Power in the battery, etc, so as far as I knew it should kick over. It kicks over, just not getting any ignition. So advice on the best way to troubleshoot this newly re-built motor to see what the problem is. Thanks.
Start with pulling the plugs and checking for spark. Next, check to ensure the ignition timing is set properly. Before you move on, swap the two leads from the ignition stator plate.
Report back.
OK, thanks for the troubleshooting advice. Checked my wiring and wasn’t getting any power to the coils. I fixed that and tried again with great success. After a few kicks I got it running good enough to ride a bit and is sounds quite loud and strong. I’ll be needing to adjust the idle and then take it out to get it heated up a bit in the next day or so. Thanks for all the great help with this project. I’m sure I’ll be needing more soon as I work to get the bike running at it’s best! If I could figure out how to put a video on the site I would.
Fresh rebuild takes running up and down thru the gears without too much low end loading, 3,500 RPM or so, thoroughly warm it up. Re-torque headbolts, let cool, check valve lash. Do that three times.
Keep it under 5,000 for a tank of fuel, don't lug it at low speeds.
Never let it sit idling longer than a slow traffic light, blip the throttle a time or two (don't rev the snot out of it).
Should be good to go.
I've owned 44 Triumph big twins and three triples, a couple of BSA big twins, and over a dozen Norton Commandos. I've also overhauled/rebuilt/restored/custom built another 50+ client Brit big twins. The above has served me well. One soft seize on one big end bearing due to ME improperly installing a sludge tube.
I have used Pennzoil (long ago) then Castrol dino/petro-based oils GTX, then 4T, then "Go" (motorcycle oils). ZERO oil-related issues, ever.
suzook12
Well-Known Member
Hi GP
Not so far apart then from what we do with the newer stuff.....
One soft seize on one big end bearing due to ME improperly installing a sludge tube.- Bet ya still got pi**ed with yourself for it.
I dont suppose these old gals like fully synthetic too much, will probably go Castrol semi when we get going
Ignition off but keeps running.
OK, working to diagnose my engine/electrical issue. I have the pazon electronic ignition and the podtronics POD-1P-MAX regulator, rectifier with built in capacitor. I have one wire from the positive battery terminal that is fused. This fused wire is split into 2 power wires to 2 toggles. One toggle is my ignition toggle, and this is connected to: the coils, the podtronics regulator and the brake light. The second toggle is my lights toggle: power to the headlight and the tail light. So all these power wires are through the fused main wire from the positive terminal of the battery (I wired this with negative ground).
Today I started the bike as normal, with the ignition toggle on and the bike started right up. I then switched off the ignition toggle and it kept running. I then removed the fuse from the battery power wire and it continued to run. After I shut it down (with the gearbox/clutch) I was able to start it up without the ignition toggle powered on. After waiting a few minutes I was no longer able to do this, but was able to start it again once I had the power connected.
So I thought that perhaps the podtronics/rectifier was the reason it was running without the battery connection. But now I am not sure, because once I removed the fuse and it kept running, this meant the podtronics was no longer connected to the battery. By the way, the negative terminal of the battery has 2 wires connected - one to the podtronics and one to the common ground point on the frame where I ground everything else.
So I am not sure why it keep running, but it does. So I will need a kill switch, and am wondering to what should I connect a kill switch - thanks for any feedback!
OK, working to diagnose my engine/electrical issue. I have the pazon electronic ignition and the podtronics POD-1P-MAX regulator, rectifier with built in capacitor. I have one wire from the positive battery terminal that is fused. This fused wire is split into 2 power wires to 2 toggles. One toggle is my ignition toggle, and this is connected to: the coils, the podtronics regulator and the brake light. The second toggle is my lights toggle: power to the headlight and the tail light. So all these power wires are through the fused main wire from the positive terminal of the battery (I wired this with negative ground).
Today I started the bike as normal, with the ignition toggle on and the bike started right up. I then switched off the ignition toggle and it kept running. I then removed the fuse from the battery power wire and it continued to run. After I shut it down (with the gearbox/clutch) I was able to start it up without the ignition toggle powered on. After waiting a few minutes I was no longer able to do this, but was able to start it again once I had the power connected.
So I thought that perhaps the podtronics/rectifier was the reason it was running without the battery connection. But now I am not sure, because once I removed the fuse and it kept running, this meant the podtronics was no longer connected to the battery. By the way, the negative terminal of the battery has 2 wires connected - one to the podtronics and one to the common ground point on the frame where I ground everything else.
So I am not sure why it keep running, but it does. So I will need a kill switch, and am wondering to what should I connect a kill switch - thanks for any feedback!
suzook12
Well-Known Member
So you have switched to negative earth, and are somehow powering the system through the charging system.....
Can I ask what purpose the capacitor has? Sounds very much like the ignition may be being powered by the capacitor.....
Can you post up a diagram of how you've wired it?
Can I ask what purpose the capacitor has? Sounds very much like the ignition may be being powered by the capacitor.....
Can you post up a diagram of how you've wired it?
suzook12
Well-Known Member
That is the diagram for podtronics running negative earth.... Note, the switch for load breaks the whole positive line so ignition could not then be back fed.... I have often put a relay in the positive line for the reg/rec to electrically isolate the charging system, depending on the ignition switch used, those with an aux position lend themselves to an electrical break....
Thank you for the many comments and advice on my issue!
So, the issue has been resolved . . . with help from Mike Grage at The Bonneville Shop. I posed my questions to him and rather than summarize, here is what he wrote - Thanks Mike!!
I did have my red+ wire from the podtronics and my + wire to the coils on the same circuit. So even when the switch was in the off position and even when the battery was disconnected, power was still going to the coils from the regulator. I moved the red+ from the pazon to another (it’s own) circuit to the battery and all is well.
From Mike:
Hello Brian,
I had to draw out a wiring diagram to help me understand what’s going on here.
One question. Do you have the red (+) wire from the podtronics connected to the same ignition switch terminal as the coils? In other words, are they on the same side of the ignition switch? If so, that is the problem. Nothing is stopping the charging system from providing power to the coils. Moving the red wire to the other side of the ignition switch will fix it.
If that is not the case, and it continues to run with the ignition switch in the off position, the contacts inside the ignition switch are failing to open the circuit (cut power to coils). In other words it’s stuck in the on position. You can check it with a test light. With the key in the off position the test light should remain off (not even dim) when checking the terminal with the white wire.
Link for ignition switch: GENUINE LUCAS IGNITION SWITCH BODY TRIUMPH NORTON BSA PN# 30608 G 31403 G 31899 S45 60-0989
Personally, I like to make the power to the coils (white wire) run through a handlebar kill switch like the one in the link below in case the main ignition switch fails.
TRIUMPH NORTON BSA 2 WIRE KILL SWITCH BUTTON PN# 35835 LU35835
Hope this helps.
Sincerely,
Mike Grage
Technical and Customer Support
So, the issue has been resolved . . . with help from Mike Grage at The Bonneville Shop. I posed my questions to him and rather than summarize, here is what he wrote - Thanks Mike!!
I did have my red+ wire from the podtronics and my + wire to the coils on the same circuit. So even when the switch was in the off position and even when the battery was disconnected, power was still going to the coils from the regulator. I moved the red+ from the pazon to another (it’s own) circuit to the battery and all is well.
From Mike:
Hello Brian,
I had to draw out a wiring diagram to help me understand what’s going on here.
One question. Do you have the red (+) wire from the podtronics connected to the same ignition switch terminal as the coils? In other words, are they on the same side of the ignition switch? If so, that is the problem. Nothing is stopping the charging system from providing power to the coils. Moving the red wire to the other side of the ignition switch will fix it.
If that is not the case, and it continues to run with the ignition switch in the off position, the contacts inside the ignition switch are failing to open the circuit (cut power to coils). In other words it’s stuck in the on position. You can check it with a test light. With the key in the off position the test light should remain off (not even dim) when checking the terminal with the white wire.
Link for ignition switch: GENUINE LUCAS IGNITION SWITCH BODY TRIUMPH NORTON BSA PN# 30608 G 31403 G 31899 S45 60-0989
Personally, I like to make the power to the coils (white wire) run through a handlebar kill switch like the one in the link below in case the main ignition switch fails.
TRIUMPH NORTON BSA 2 WIRE KILL SWITCH BUTTON PN# 35835 LU35835
Hope this helps.
Sincerely,
Mike Grage
Technical and Customer Support
Yeah, that was a long-distance warranty. I told the client to pick whichever local shop he could trust, never mind the cost. I paid it to the penny, it was a good, honest shop that charged a very fair price.
NO SYNTHETIC in classic Britbikes.
