Help - services short stroke and now runs horribly

[moley]

Hi all have a 350 short stroke amongst others but the 350 is my favourite , I serviced it a few months ago and now it’s hard to start black smoking banging in exhuast and generally running crap

Before service I realised I must have left the ignition on and ran out the battery and the battery wouldn’t then take a charge so replaced it

I can only think it’s the points ,

I have changed condenser and coil in case I cooked them

Any ideas anyone ? Also has anyone got drawing of points and where wires go incase I have messed something up

I won’t to get my favourite ready for the road

Many thanks

Andy

[SPRIDDLER]

I can't see how black smoke (rich mixture/unburned fuel) would be the result of faulty ignition unless it's misfiring so extremely badly (eight or ten-stroking) that the bike's completely unrideable.
If you have a spark at all there's probably not much wrong with the wiring unless you've had the points out and miss-fitted an insulating washer.
First I'd give the points a clean.
I'd also try a new sparkling plug as a matter of course.
Do you have to seriously flood the carb to get it to start? If so, and since it hasn't been run for a while I'd check the carb jets and in particular that the pilot jet isn't obstructed/gummed up.

You don't say the year of the bike and it's not in your Profile but as it's a short stroke have a look at pages 111 onward and the the wiring diagram in the workshop manual here:

http://archives.jampot.dk/book/Workshop ... .NEILL.pdf

There will probably be more detailed info and illustrations of Lucas ignition wiring in the Archives here:

http://archives.jampot.dk/technical/Electric/Lucas/

[moley]

Thanks spriddler

I was thinking the same as well

There is a beautiful spark md I have already replaced the plug in an effort to sort it out

I think I will chuck away the fuel ( in case this new fuel is crap ) , take the carb to bits and clean it and try and start it again

Many thanks for replying

Andy

[g80csp11]

are you sure you remember which way is fully advance ? , choke stuck on perhaps . i had problems on my G15 when the choke outer cable became dislodged from lever and despite lever being in fully open position the check was stuck on . It ran like a piece of shit until i notice out cable . Instant fix

[Reynard24]

As you have replaced the coil, did you reconnect the wiring correctly? If you reversed the connections it will start but run very poorly. For a positive earth system the -ve or sw terminal should go to the ignition switch supply and the +ve or cb terminal should go to the points. The points wiring and flying condenser leads should fit next to the points spring and all three should be fitted on a plastic “top hat” insulator washer/spacer which insulates them from the stud and nut that they are secured on.

[moley]

Hi All

No magneto lever as advanced unit on magneto

Thanks Reynard - i will double check but was running rubbish before i repleaced coil but will double check

Andy

[moley]

Hi all. It was the crap fuel we now buy !!

I have only ever purchased esso e5 which in my area of the country and has no ethanol on it . Tbh I have heard my used the bike this year

But yes changed the fuel and we are back to normal quite running

Thanks

[g80csp11]

Perhaps E5 / E10 fuel should have a best before date on the pump

[SPRIDDLER]

It has always struck me as odd that (probably millions) of people don't seem to have any problem when starting up their petrol mowers and leaf blowers in Spring after maybe 5 months in a damp shed.