[SRL790]

I had to go to a conference in Atlanta the other day and decided to ride my Bonneville down there.  She ran perfectly all the way but when I pulled up in front of the hotel she wouldn't shut off!!  Lights still worked, horn still worked, just wouldn't shut off!

Having never experienced anything like this before, or ever having hearing of anyone else in the history of Lucas having a problem like it, needless to say I was completely perplexed.  Finally I pulled the battery negative wire off the back of the ignition switch.  And it still kept running!  After a little more head scratching I pulled the other wires off the ignition switch and it shut off.

So I pulled the fuse out and attended the conference for 5 days.  When it was time to go home I put the fuse back in, reseated the wires on the igntion switch and rode it home (still wouldn't shut off).

Well it probably is no suprise that it turned out that it wasn't a Lucas problem at all.  A wire (battery hot) on the ammeter had chafed against one of the terminals on the head light switch and was back feeding the ignition circuit.  Since the wiring harness is home made I feel that it would be unfair to credit this phenomenon to the Dark Lord (although it was a Lucas ammeter).

Andy

[PhilJ]

Funny thing the 'Prince of Darkness' moniker. I had a '64 or '65 T500C, set up for off road. Used it for trail, motocross, trials, endurance, hill climbs, you get the idea for whatever my fancy of the moment was at the time. I even sank the thing in hare and hound a couple of times, pulled the plugs kick the water out, drained the carbs and finished the race. NEVER did I have an electrical  problem. Go figure!

[PaulF]

During his Brit bike exploits, my older brother bought his '75 Norton as an almost-new wreck in 1975. The starter solenoid went, a Lucas-made part. He ground off the rivets, went in and reparied it, put screws in it to hold it together. It still works to this day. He swears by Lucas and has never been left on the roadside because it.

Now the Indian wiring on my AVL starter circuit has left ME by the side of the road needing a tow.

I'm never gonna hear the end of it from him....