Engine cutting out. Help.

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buddybonny

moped
Hi Peeps. I have a 2002 Bonnie.[carb type]. I have recently had a problem where , after travelling for about 15 mins, [when the engine got quite warm] she completely cut out. I done all the fuel checks etc etc and stripped the carbs down, replaced rubbers etc etc. Put it all back together and she fired up. Left her standing running for 15 mins, CUT OUT AGAIN...
I then took a spark cap off, and what do you know....NO SPARK.
The engine cooled for 15 mins or so when i tried again with the spark test and what do you know, ive got a spark.
15 Mins later, she cut out AGAIN....to the tune of NO SPARK.
Can anyone please tell me what the problem is before i have to spend fortunes in my local Triumph dealer. Could it be the Coil?? Could it be the Pick-up-coil in the timing case.....worse of all, could it be the ECU board. I am desperate to find anyone that this has happend to before. By the way, with my new overhauled carbs now, she does sound nice. PLEASE HELP. tHANKYOU.
 
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buddybonny

moped
Thankyou boys.....Pieman. could you tell me why you would go for the Coil ?? Would there be any sign of a coil Breakdown???
 
S

strokerlmt

Moderator
agree with the others.....just a note don't believe it is advisable to let teh bike idle at a stand still for 15 minutes....anyone else have any thoughts on that.
LMT
 
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drlapo

Hooligan
can the coil be tested in situ by turning on the key and disconnecting the negative terminal? this should cause a good coil to spark
 
BlueJ

BlueJ

Blue Haired Freak
I know it sounds stupid, but... try undoing and redoing the negative AND positive connectors to the battery terminals. More than once this has been my problem here - the positive one must vibrate loose or something. You report your problem when engine warm - thermal expansion somewhere? Check all connections. Good luck!
 
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darksider4570

Scooter
Do you have a freind that has a compareable Triumph you could swap parts around with? We had an ignitor box go bad last year, his bike would run fine until it got hot, then die out. we went through the fuel system first, thought maybe he had gotten some bad gas since the problem surfaced right after fueling up.
Ended up taking the ignitor off of my Thruxton and putting it on his when his wouldn't run, his started right up and ran fine, so we put his igniter on my thruxton and mine wouldn't start.
 
FoothillRyder

FoothillRyder

Two Stroke
I'll toss in my $.02....

While there have been several good suggestions here, the most likely culprit is the CDI box (IMHO). One coil wouldn't do it, and while you should check all your electrical connections just to be certain, it isn't likely they would repeat this failure so reliably. Might be the igniter pickup as well, although an 'active' device (ie. CDI) is more likely.

YMMV...
 
sweatmachine

sweatmachine

moped
FoothillRyder said:
I'll toss in my $.02....

While there have been several good suggestions here, the most likely culprit is the CDI box (IMHO). One coil wouldn't do it, and while you should check all your electrical connections just to be certain, it isn't likely they would repeat this failure so reliably. Might be the igniter pickup as well, although an 'active' device (ie. CDI) is more likely.

YMMV...
Click to expand...

BTW: the Bonnie only has one coil, and NO modern Triumph twin has a CDI box. There's an ignitor, but a CDI is a completely different type of ignition system. As long as we're using technical terms we might as well use the correct ones.
 
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buddybonny

moped
Thanks to all you guys. I think what im going to do is have the coil replaced, if that fails, the pick ups, it can only be the ECU ignighter then. Ive had this priced up already [ecu] at £360.00 ouch. Thanks for alll your help, and thanks Darksider. It sounds like my fears are coming true with the ignighter but.......you say you swapped with your friend........Triumph told me that i would need all sorts of frame numbers and codes and engine numbers for them to get the correct one. [we are talking about this electronic pack that sits on the rear mudgaurd under the seat arnt we ?]. How did yours start if triumph say i need the correct one for it to work???? Are they telling fibs or something??
 
Sal Paradise

Sal Paradise

Hooligan
Pieman, can you test the ignitor? By the way, the coil is easy to test , let me know if you need the specs
 
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buddybonny

moped
I think it all points to the ignighter.......im confused now..... can anyone say for sure that the ignighter is the box on the rear mudgaurd under the seat with all the numbers on it about the size of a cigg packet ?????
BTW....thanks again for your help.
2---if the coil did fail, would both sparks fail, ???
3---is it likely to be the pick up coils in the timing cover........???
 
mark66

mark66

TT Racer
buddybonny said:
I think it all points to the ignighter.......im confused now..... can anyone say for sure that the ignighter is the box on the rear mudgaurd under the seat with all the numbers on it about the size of a cigg packet ?????
BTW....thanks again for your help.
2---if the coil did fail, would both sparks fail, ???
3---is it likely to be the pick up coils in the timing cover........???
Click to expand...

Yup, thats it. On the Bonnevilles (standard and T100) the ICU, ignition control unit, is right there in the middle where you said. On the America and Speedmaster its located on the left side of the main frame under the fuel tank.
 
sweatmachine

sweatmachine

moped
Before you go buying expensive electrical parts, you might try to find someone (or a dealer) with spares to test out. Electrical components need to be diagnosed before being replaced unless you have VERY deep pockets. I for one would NEVER replace an ignitor just because I thought it might be bad. I would make damn sure that was the problem before plonking down $$$.

Also, check ebay, search for "pinwall" They are what I think you'd call a breaker, and often have lots of good parts for sale.

wait, here you go:

http://stores.ebay.com/PinWall-Cycle-Parts-Inc
 
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drlapo

Hooligan
I have a ProCom unit that worked well on my Thruxton; +3 degrees advance
they are half the price of OEM
 
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buddybonny

moped
Thanks for the links Sweatmachine. You have been a real big help. I appreciate it. And yes, us Britts do call them Breakers. Thanks to everyone else too.
 
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