Hey , when you first stated it,it sounded like it was only running on one cylinder, ( like mine did) my solution was running a hotter plug , those NGK plugs fowl out pretty dang easy !!!
Nice work, Rick. I've heard on the Triumph models that don't have the 38 degree timing mark built into the alternator, you can take the bolt off of the center and there's a small notch that will show you where the timing mark should be. That's what Todd from Lowbrow told me. Looks like that's what the previous owner did when they put that pencil mark on it.
assuming this is a electronic ignition conversion......so on a 66 bonnie there are 2 notches on the crank flywheels (it should be the same for a 68 but I can't be certain) one notch is TDC the other is 38 deg BTDC the pin marker in the primary chain case is the 38 deg firing timing mark (not TDC mark) so....timing is usually set on cylinder No.1 (the RHD side cylinder sitting on bike) make sure cylinder No.1 is on the compression stroke (both valves shut) if you pop the rocker adjustment covers off inlet / exhaust you should just be able to feel a very slight amount of movement in the rockers (providing the rocker clearances are correct) pop the TDC finder tool (or screw driver...LOL) into the back of the crankcase fitting hole.....put the bike ona stand and put it in 3rd gear and slowly rotate the wheel in the direction of travel as if the bike would be travelling forward the first hole your tool drops into should be the 38 deg BTDC (timing firing mark) roll it on a tad more the second hole your tool drops into should be the TDC timing mark to confirm this just look down the plug hole and it will become evident as you should be able to see the piston easily......the notch on the magnetic rotor should line up with the pointer in the primary side casing remember though that 38 deg is only really the starting point to tuning your timing.....using a strobe light for the finely tuning by revving the enginie to about 4000 rpm using the strobe see how the notch is lining up with pointer if it's out a touch you can finely adjust it so they line up by loosening the 2 pillar bolts off and rotating the timing side stator plate ever so slightly either to the right to retard the ignition or to the left to advance the ignition it'll depend if the notch on the magnetic stator rotor was falling either behind or infront of the primary side casing pointer once you got it bang on at 4000 rpm tighten the 2 pillar bolts......and voila....jobs a good'un...........happy riding
hopefully you've picked up a service/shop manual for the bike. They're all over on parts shops and even ebay. There is a circular diagram in there on the precise timing cycle for the valves, when they're supposed to begin and complete movement. Also the timing procedure is key, and probably also the manual on your electronic ignition will be helpful. Some of those have an LED that shows the firing position. In any case guessing about the prior owners marks and screw holes can be risky (depends on the prior owner!) so the manual's procedure for the model and year is a real help. I've even started checking the diagrams every time i disassemble anything just to make sure the last guy didnt lose a gasket or part!! Good luck with it!!!
Its running on one cylinder check for a fouled plug,bad wire.or coil issue if you have two.Set tdc on compression stroke then bring it back 38 deg before tdc. Then fire up and strobe time it and verify 38deg at advance.
First thing to do is feel the exhausts, the cold one ain’t firing. Change the plug is first thing to try. Then check the coil, lead and cap. Yours is a single carb so it ain’t fuel. If it’s running on one cylinder it ain’t timing, can only be coil, lead, cap or plug.
1 carb running on 1 cyl. means its electrical. Which cyl is it running on? Swap the coils to see if it follows. Those coils can be shorted by overtighting the clamp.
So I watched this like 5x I’m trying to get my 74 t100r going. Wondering if you could answer a couple questions. I have the tool when i have it in it lines up perfect with the factory mark on my stator but piston is not all the way up so I’m assuming that’s my 38btdc mark. I also tried having piston one what looked like you had it open not closed? It almost wants to fire it’s just not. Do you have piston one with rockers lose (closed) or is it fully open when you set timing? Thanks!
I've got a 78 Bonnie, and previous had a 64 Tiger, the two cylinders should be 360 degrees out of phase, if I remember right, so both should ignite on the same mark. Your two cylinders should be as you describe. When everything is right, they shouldn't hesitate at all, but fire right up. If it needs starting fluid, it's not right yet. Starting fluid washes the oil off the cylinders eventually, and causes lots of ring wear. I maintained 13 200KW generators for three years, back in the seventies, badly designed, wouldn't start without starter fluid, and several were pretty much toast three years later for that reason.
Check your battery ..is it fully charged ..how many volts is at the coil .. Instead of a stator ..that's charging while running ..your not starting yet ...not enough voltage to make ignition coils work.. Good luck..
You didn't really show what you did tho, you took off the cover, found the crank slot/hole for the screwdriver, turned the back wheel, and then it started? What did you adjust? Seems you left something out. I have almost the exact bike with same problem. Your video was kinda helpful so far tho.
There is no point in given it choke and then spraying starting fluid as the whole purpose of a choke is to, yes, choke it.... when using starting fluid you should have NO choke and give it full throttle so that the fluid can get in to the cylinders without resistance. Just some good advice :-)
Another idea ,have you tried taking off the petrol cap on the petrol tank ?,
It could cause an air block , it sounds stupid but can happen .
That happened on my 1977 XR75
Vacuum lock .. yes ..
Hey , when you first stated it,it sounded like it was only running on one cylinder, ( like mine did) my solution was running a hotter plug , those NGK plugs fowl out pretty dang easy !!!
Nice work, Rick. I've heard on the Triumph models that don't have the 38 degree timing mark built into the alternator, you can take the bolt off of the center and there's a small notch that will show you where the timing mark should be. That's what Todd from Lowbrow told me. Looks like that's what the previous owner did when they put that pencil mark on it.
assuming this is a electronic ignition conversion......so on a 66 bonnie there are 2 notches on the crank flywheels (it should be the same for a 68 but I can't be certain) one notch is TDC the other is 38 deg BTDC the pin marker in the primary chain case is the 38 deg firing timing mark (not TDC mark) so....timing is usually set on cylinder No.1 (the RHD side cylinder sitting on bike) make sure cylinder No.1 is on the compression stroke (both valves shut) if you pop the rocker adjustment covers off inlet / exhaust you should just be able to feel a very slight amount of movement in the rockers (providing the rocker clearances are correct) pop the TDC finder tool (or screw driver...LOL) into the back of the crankcase fitting hole.....put the bike ona stand and put it in 3rd gear and slowly rotate the wheel in the direction of travel as if the bike would be travelling forward the first hole your tool drops into should be the 38 deg BTDC (timing firing mark) roll it on a tad more the second hole your tool drops into should be the TDC timing mark to confirm this just look down the plug hole and it will become evident as you should be able to see the piston easily......the notch on the magnetic rotor should line up with the pointer in the primary side casing remember though that 38 deg is only really the starting point to tuning your timing.....using a strobe light for the finely tuning by revving the enginie to about 4000 rpm using the strobe see how the notch is lining up with pointer if it's out a touch you can finely adjust it so they line up by loosening the 2 pillar bolts off and rotating the timing side stator plate ever so slightly either to the right to retard the ignition or to the left to advance the ignition it'll depend if the notch on the magnetic stator rotor was falling either behind or infront of the primary side casing pointer once you got it bang on at 4000 rpm tighten the 2 pillar bolts......and voila....jobs a good'un...........happy riding
As you are sitting on the bike, right hand cylinder is the one to set timing to. Both valves should be closed on right cylinder.
Thanks James. I am slowly figuring this all out
Thats friggin Awesome🤘
Yea buddy, super excited 😄
hopefully you've picked up a service/shop manual for the bike. They're all over on parts shops and even ebay. There is a circular diagram in there on the precise timing cycle for the valves, when they're supposed to begin and complete movement. Also the timing procedure is key, and probably also the manual on your electronic ignition will be helpful. Some of those have an LED that shows the firing position. In any case guessing about the prior owners marks and screw holes can be risky (depends on the prior owner!) so the manual's procedure for the model and year is a real help. I've even started checking the diagrams every time i disassemble anything just to make sure the last guy didnt lose a gasket or part!! Good luck with it!!!
Its running on one cylinder check for a fouled plug,bad wire.or coil issue if you have two.Set tdc on compression stroke then bring it back 38 deg before tdc. Then fire up and strobe time it and verify 38deg at advance.
Wire was loose at the coil so you were right
First thing to do is feel the exhausts, the cold one ain’t firing. Change the plug is first thing to try. Then check the coil, lead and cap. Yours is a single carb so it ain’t fuel. If it’s running on one cylinder it ain’t timing, can only be coil, lead, cap or plug.
Running on fouled plugs. With choke, first time it starts (or burps) take off choke immediately. Install fresh plugs, restart with out choke.
When you were kicking it over there was a clear spark at the points. That usually means that the condenser needs replacing. 11 m in.
1 carb running on 1 cyl. means its electrical. Which cyl is it running on? Swap the coils to see if it follows. Those coils can be shorted by overtighting the clamp.
That's true. One of the plug wires was pulled from the socket at the coil on the left side aswell
So I watched this like 5x I’m trying to get my 74 t100r going. Wondering if you could answer a couple questions. I have the tool when i have it in it lines up perfect with the factory mark on my stator but piston is not all the way up so I’m assuming that’s my 38btdc mark. I also tried having piston one what looked like you had it open not closed? It almost wants to fire it’s just not. Do you have piston one with rockers lose (closed) or is it fully open when you set timing? Thanks!
I've got a 78 Bonnie, and previous had a 64 Tiger, the two cylinders should be 360 degrees out of phase, if I remember right, so both should ignite on the same mark. Your two cylinders should be as you describe. When everything is right, they shouldn't hesitate at all, but fire right up. If it needs starting fluid, it's not right yet. Starting fluid washes the oil off the cylinders eventually, and causes lots of ring wear. I maintained 13 200KW generators for three years, back in the seventies, badly designed, wouldn't start without starter fluid, and several were pretty much toast three years later for that reason.
Check your battery ..is it fully charged ..how many volts is at the coil ..
Instead of a stator ..that's charging while running ..your not starting yet ...not enough voltage to make ignition coils work..
Good luck..
I will definitely check that out. Thanks bud
You didn't really show what you did tho, you took off the cover, found the crank slot/hole for the screwdriver, turned the back wheel, and then it started? What did you adjust? Seems you left something out. I have almost the exact bike with same problem. Your video was kinda helpful so far tho.
There is no point in given it choke and then spraying starting fluid as the whole purpose of a choke is to, yes, choke it.... when using starting fluid you should have NO choke and give it full throttle so that the fluid can get in to the cylinders without resistance. Just some good advice :-)
I don't understand how it could have "all of a sudden go out of tune
Same here
It's a British bike,,,,things of mystery
You need it on compression stroke
You are right. That was one of the issues
FLOAT LEVEL NEEDS SET
Sounds like it's running on 1 cylinder.
I thought the same
running on one cylinder
weak mixture
Sounds like it's running on one cylinder....