Intermittent problem

[Glenn]

The temperature here today is 74 degrees Farenheit or 23 degrees Celcius or 296.5 degrees Kelvin. I never remember the temperature being that warm in NC this time of the year. So I went out for a ride. I did discover a new problem. It does not happen all the time. Ever so often it will sputter. I noticed that when it does and I turn the headlight off it smoothes out. Then after a while I can turn the headlight on and it runs fine. Then it may happen again. This is a real mystery to me. When the electric starter was installed Ozzie changed out the stator with a new high output one. I just installed a new battery when the new wiring harness was installed. I have never experienced this problem before. If it was a constant problem it would be easy to solve. Since it is intermittent this creates a problem in itself. My first thought was that there was a problem with the new wiring harness. Since the problem only happens when the light is on makes solving the problem easier because if it is the wiring it will only be in the hedlight wiring circuit. Tomorrow I will check the voltage output coming out of the charging system (to eliminate the charging system as the source) as well as the wiring coming out of the lights (although the bulb holder is new). It has a H4 bulb which was in there when I bought the bike. I never had this problem with the old wiring harness although I changed out the wiring harness because of other serious problems. Anyone ever had this same problem?

 

[The Seeker]

I am thinking it could just be vibration causing an intermittant short in the headlamp handlebar switch.

 

[DaveM]

Also check out your battery for any issues with that as you will drawing more current when the lights are on

 

[CarlS]

I have not heard of this problem before. Please let us know what the source of the problem is when you find it.

 

[grandpaul]

Headlight has the following connections:

battery
fuse
keyswitch
lightswitch
dipper switch
ground

Lots of places for faults to crop up!

 

[Glenn]

I checked the 2 connectors coming from the alternator (new single phase high output 200W stator and rotor. This is what was on the bike when I bought it. I was surprised that Triumph had installed a single phase alternator in 1979 because I thought that they had switched to 3 phase stators and rotors before that year) to make sure they were secure where they connected. I also checked the headlight connectors and pushed them in secure. At some point I plan on swapping out the old style bullet connectors for more modern auto spade connectors because I just don't trust the old style bullet connectors. I have not gone into the two handlebar switches but will do that this spring when it is warm outside. The kill switch quit functioning so I jumped this but plan on looking in this switch because I want everything to function properly. If you have never been in this switch there is a very very small spring and a very very small piece of flat copper that slides right to left. These two parts can verfy easily get out of line and create problems. I could attach another more realiable kill switch on the handle bar but that would detract from the originality so I plan on fixing the problem. I wish there was a modern switch that I could simply replace the original kill switch and be able to mount it where the original switch is located but I don't think that this is a possibility. I rode it around the neighborhood and it seemed to work fine so I am hoping that the problem was a connector that was not making full contact. Anyway, the temperature is suppose to be 70 degrees here next Wed. (40 degrees today and 70 degrees next Wed. That is strange) so a couple of Triumph rider friends and I are going to take a ride and hopefully this will prove to be a zero headlight problem ride. I will let you know how it goes.

 

[CarlS]

I hope you fixed it.

 

[Rocky]

Bullet connectors work fine, but it's important that the metal to metal contact areas be clean and tight.
I'm a big believer in using dielectric grease in all electrical connections to prevent corrosion whether they be bullet or spade connections.
But the important thing is for the metal be clean and free of any corrosion and years of crap. The same goes for ground wire connections - solid bare metal contact.

 

[Glenn]

A few weeks ago I posted a problem with my '79 Bonny and the new wiring harness about the problem with the bike intermittently sputttering when I would turn the headlight on and if I turned the headlight off the bike would then run smooth as silk. I went to the three headlight wires (hallogen bulb update) and soldered all three of the crimped old school bullet connectors since the plug attached to the 3 prong bulb was the original used on the bulb and made sure they were pushed up into the barrel substancially. Since I did that the problem disappeared. So, hopefully the problem was a bad crimped wire. I guess time will tell. I have contemplated replacing all of the original bullet connectors and barrels with new auto connectors which seem to work much better without the chance of the vibration causing the old style bullet connectors and barrels from working themselves apart. If I do that will be a warm weather job. I do however like the look of the original connectors. I am thinking that I will go to radio Shack and get a tube of dielectric grease and lube them up good and see how that works because like I said I like the look and want to keep it as close to original as possible.

 

[otherwise]

I'd do the same now that it looks like you've found the problem.
Good going.

 

[CarlS]

Good to hear that you found and solved the problem.

 

[The Seeker]

I don't feel the old bullet connectors are that bad actually. They are simple and easy to work with. I have a 44 year old Triumph TR-6 roadster with Lucas electrics and bullet connectors which still works perfectly!

 

[hendo01]

sorry man start at the bottom and work up tic them off as you go

 

[Glenn]

hendo01, Please clarrify. For some reason I don't understand your instructions. If I consume a couple of quarts of Country Club Malt Liquor it would probably clear right up, but it is too early in the day for that.

 

[hendo01]

start with problem one fix it and work up some club malt liguor want hurt at all

 

[otherwise]

start with problem one fix it and work up some club malt liguor want hurt at all

Sorry but I'm also having problems without punctuation.
I aint no English teacher (can't spell to save my life) but the odd capital letter, full stop and a comer or two helps heaps.

 

[grandpaul]

Fix one problem at a time.

 

[hendo01]

sorry all must have been that jim beam honey i had a bit well i had a lot fix one problem at a time thats what i was trying to get out thanks gp