[Blaqkfox]

2008 Electra X. Gone through it and got it running great. Been riding for about two weeks now with no problems, then suddenly tonight when I was booking it back home to meet a deadline, 3/4 to WOT the whole 32 miles home, I get what felt like a fuel cut or a lack of spark, it immediately came back, and then immediately did it again. I thought shoot I must be out of gas (even tho I filled up this morning and had only rode maybe 60 miles) but I flipped it to reserve, the problem still persisted. Luckily made it home, bike died as I slowed down to pull into the driveway. Fired right back up no problem though. I check and ive got half a tank of gas still. Clean gas, I just cleaned the tank and I have a filter in line. Figured maybe im running too rich and fowling a plug (I pulled the baffle in the header out and upped it to a 118 main jet). But no spark plug looks great and isn't even a week old. So now im kinda stumped.

Are these bikes fancy enough to have a governor? I doubt it, Ive done 75 before and I was doing about 70-75 when this all happened.

So I figure I must be randomly dropping spark? Maybe a coil issue or something? Is this a common problem y'all can quickly pinpoint for me or do I just need to go through it and check the transistor coil and points(?) (idk if this thing even has points or what. I haven't had to mess with the ignition systems yet). Like are these coils known for failing or misfires happening at higher speeds or something common?

[Adrian II]

Check the vent in the gas tank filler cap! If you want the gas to flow out, air has to flow in. This has caught me out with more than one Indian Royal Enfield.

A.

[Blaqkfox]

Adrian, you are a god send. I seriously cannot thank you enough for the help. You're on every one of my post with great info. Like seriously, DM me or something and ill buy you a steak dinner and a beer.

I just posted a lengthy related reply in my other thread about the exhaust bluing. I have not checked to see if those vents are clear but I will. It would honestly make sense, its been 80+ these last few days (thats like 27C for y'all across the pond) and most of my ride is in the tree covered shade except for the long ride on the highway home. It just did it again today in the same spot too after a solid 100 mile ride. I stopped at my grandparents house earlier mid ride and went to move the bike into the shade after showing it off to my grandpa and when started to roll it I heard a loud vent of air purge from the gas cap. Which makes me think it was blocked up and suddenly released as I jostled it around. So I bet you are onto something....

[Blaqkfox]

Learned in the other thread the green TCI box has the spark delay built in, but I have the green box AND I have the small black relay looking box on the side of the battery that is the old spark delay unit. I wonder if my spark is being extra retarded due to having both. Going to try and sort that out…

[Adrian II]

The spark delay, as far as I can tell, delays the switching-on of the sparks rather then altering the actual ignition timing, at least that was its job.

A.

[Blaqkfox]

oooh ok. so its just there to delay the TCI unit while cranking is what you mean?

here's the green TCI module under the seat by the R&R and flasher relay (mines orange and electronic for the led turn signals)



and the black spark delay box...



I will say, I hope its not related but one night while rushing to assemble it I forgot to connect the main ground, and the little ground wire in that last photo (with the torpedo connector) that looks like its tied into the delay unit did get very hot when I tried to crank it. even smoked a little and melted the outer rubber of the wire slightly. obviously I stoped everything immediately realizing what I had done. but it ran fine for like a week after that so I don't think its related, and if it is it sounds like it would only effect the spark delay unit, unless its tied into the TCI in a manner and I might've damaged the TCI unit slightly perhaps. But if that were the case I imagine I would be having more constant issues, not a random misfire after 40 minute rides like I am having. Ill keep digging I suppose. Im starting to suspect that metal spark plug cap, I think ill replace it. I have some trail 90 screw in type rubber boots laying around that aught to fit...

[Adrian II]

The OEM plug carb IS worth replacing with a quality item. Best not to use a suppressor cap AND a resistor plug as it might weaken the spark, either or...

A.

[Blaqkfox]

The OEM plug carb IS worth replacing with a quality item. Best not to use a suppressor cap AND a resistor plug as it might weaken the spark, either or...

A.

So today I took the old metal cap off and was able to use one of the rubber caps laying around from spare trail 90 Honda parts I had. I went on a ride for an hour and a half, mostly doing 60mph (I live in the far out in the country in the south in the USA so its miles and miles of highway around here and 30mph through town, but that doesnt last long, small town. nearest large towns are 45 minutes away).

Anyways I ride for an hour and a half, no problems. That is, until I got about two blocks from the house again! wtf. It hickup'd (misifred) one single time as I was slowing down to enter my driveway off the highway, and was dead by the time I was fully in my driveway. Once again it fired back up like nothing was wrong.

A few hours later I go for a ride again. No issues, but I only rode for maybe 10 minutes.

I am honestly starting to wonder if its not a problem with the bike but an outside influence...

Let me explain what I mean...

This misfire and dead by the driveway event has happened 3x now. With 100+ mile trips and hours of riding in-between events without a problem. It ALWAYS happens in almost the same exact spot about a block or two before my house. Always around the same time of day, in the evening around 6pm or so, except that one time on the weekend at like 3pm...

I do have a crazy neighbor that lives down the side road next to where this always happens, granted he is a good way down that road, maybe a mile(?)

#countryliving

but he is a nut job. His yard is plastered with like 15 or 20 GIANT signs that say F*&K Judge so-and-so and "don't trust the government" and a whole bunch of other stuff.

long story short, he and his brother had a shootout with the cops like 12 years ago or something, they thought the police were out to get them and harassing them and one day they ambushed the police, it was a whole thing, one of the giant signs has photos of the officers that were shot and killed. its graphic.

ANYWAYS. I would not be surprised if he has some sort of HAM radio or police radar jammer, or some sort of something emitting a signal that could be messing with my spark plug signal...

If it wasn't for the fact spark plugs today are sold with built in resistors to prevent radio wave interference I would say this is a loony theory to say the least, but it just strikes me as odd that my bike works perfectly fine for 150+ miles and hours in between and only misfires in this exact area at these exact times of day...

[Adrian II]

Unfortunately no-one sells a hot-tube ignition kit for the Electra-X! The blowlamp under the gas tank is probably a little too risky... I'm not sure anti electro-magnetic interference kits are a big part of Hitchcocks' inventory either, but you might be onto something. How would you investigate this? Are any or your other vehicles affected?

Azcal, any ideas?

A.

[Blaqkfox]

Unfortunately no-one sells a hot-tube ignition kit for the Electra-X! The blowlamp under the gas tank is probably a little too risky... I'm not sure anti electro-magnetic interference kits are a big part of Hitchcocks' inventory either, but you might be onto something. How would you investigate this? Are any or your other vehicles affected?

Azcal, any ideas?

A.

Not that I know of, but we don’t get a whole lot of traffic out here, and most vehicles on the road today use those spark plugs with built in resistors so they wouldn’t be effected. And there’s nothing but cattle fields in this area. I have ridden down that road and past his house a few times without any issues later in the evening to try and test this, but maybe it’s time specific or maybe it’s not him but something else. People do mow this area and he has neighbors that live down that road, I think there’s like 3 or 4 other houses down there, and we have family that lives in one of those houses. No reports of odd electrical events from them either though.

Honestly this is probably a loony theory, it probably is the bike, but it makes me wonder lol

[Paul W]

The resistor in a spark plug cap is there to prevent radio interference from the engine, not the other way round!

To confirm whether or not it’s fuel related, immediately the engine falters, switch off the fuel tap then the engine. Then see if the system has run dry.

[Blaqkfox]

The resistor in a spark plug cap is there to prevent radio interference from the engine, not the other way round!

To confirm whether or not it’s fuel related, immediately the engine falters, switch off the fuel tap then the engine. Then see if the system has run dry.

It’s not a fuel issue I don’t think, I have a clear fuel filter in-line between the petcock and carb, cuz that’s what it acted like and I immediately looked down at it and i could see fuel in it.

That being said, I do still have the old bowl style petcock on the tank, and the other day while messing with the bike I pulled the fuel line off, lost some fuel, and when I hooked things back up and turned the petcock on it acted like it was vapor locked- no fuel flow- I spun the petcock around a time or two and it slowly filled the clear filer back up.

I have recently cleaned the fuel tank due to the liner failing- there were chunks of it floating in the tank- I did not, however; pull the bowl off the petcock to inspect/clean it. I was afraid it would leak and didn’t have a gasket/o-ring/whatever it is on hand and was itching to ride the bike for the first time (bought it non running). Figured it’d be fine since the petcock has those tiny mesh screen tubes on it.

I always check before I ride and there’s always fuel in the filter. So I really don’t think it’s a fuel issue, but I’ll order a new petcock and/or tear that one apart and inspect it. It’s also worth noting the filter is still crystal clear and clean.

So I really think it’s a spark issue like a failing coil or something. It feels like a misfire and I can hit the throttle and it gets worse or let off the throttle for a second and it comes back for a second but stutters again.

But if it happens again I’ll try shutting the fuel off to see if it is a fuel issue.

It rarely happens, and when it does it’s always at the same place geographically is the part that gets me.

[AzCal Retred]

@ #8: Definitely Faraday shielding is called for, if not copper mesh gauze then HD BBQ rated tinfoil...

Plan #B would be to convert to diesel, direct injection. A weekend project? 

I went to the H's "alcohol" large bore fuel tap to feed my inline 40 uM clear fuel filter. Stock ID taps wouldn't let the filter "vent" and it seemed to "air bind" and restrict fuel. Anyway, no more issues with fuel delivery or venting after the alcohol unit was installed, and you get strong fuel flow to the carb inlet nipple. The alcohol tap is on/off only, but I've never had any faith in reserve petcocks anyway - I just pop the cap & check from time to time. The Alcohol unit requires a "tail" fitting, I used the straight 1/4" H's unit and some gasket sealer. Simple is good.

Weak spark is usually seen at or near WOT when cylinder pressures are highest and it takes more "Ongawa" to jump the gap. A fine wire (Iridium) electrode plug gapped at 0.035" should work even if spark isn't OEM strong. If it doesn't stop a high speed misfire, time to start swapping out components. Your Electra/AVL uses electronic ignition, there will be a bit more guesswork & voodoo associated with it than my archaic points driven beasts.

Make sure the outer porcelain on the plug is super clean also, as Ongawa can leak to ground in the outside using a thin conductive layer of grunge or carbon. For "fun" we used to put a graphite pencil trace on the electrode center porcelain of a new plug to perplex out riding buddies, but it worked just as well on the outside but was harder to see inside. Certain fuels will occasionally carry conductive deposits onto the plug center insulator, so a fresh plug never hurts.

[Adrian II]

@ #8: Definitely Faraday shielding is called for, if not copper mesh gauze then HD BBQ rated tinfoil... [/img]

Would you recommend applying this to the exterior of the TCI box, or are we talking an essential new line in helmet liners? I confess that I didn't check to see if the neighbo(u)r actually could have bought an EMP generator off Amazon or wherever. Perhaps the gentleman is spending his money on those yummy survival rations here with his very own Waco mini-siege in mind.

https://store.jimbakkershow.com/product/prepared-pantry-60-meal-bucket/

I should probably STFU about now... 

A.

[AzCal Retred]

I was thinking more along the line of a hand-hammered alloy dustbin fairing for maximum effect...