Starting problem

If you have a good spark at the right time it should go. I take it you have a K2F? Does it need an overhaul? The K2F on my Altas was overhauled probably 30 years ago and the bike starts first or second kick each time, as should yours. Gordon. Oh, if you have fitted Command pistons, the ignition timing should be 28 degrees BTDC - or even 25 degrees if using cheapest unleaded petrol.

I agree with Gordon, check the timing just to be sure its correct, if so, the mag is probably the next logical place to look. Have look at the Brightspark website, lots of good info there & a great product, if you need your mag looked at, I would highly recommend them, I know of several members of this very club (includingmyself) who have hadphenomenal results in dealing with them. Here is their site:

http://www.brightsparkmagnetos.com/

All the best,

Skip Brolund

Sounds like a good plan Ian. If nosuccess, I would have that mag looked at, there are a lot of "rebuilt" mags out there that werent done properly, or werent done completely. A mag can give a spark when spun by hand, but often wont spark under compression, or sparks at the wrong time, or will only produce a weak spark. The Brightspark website give lots of info & troubleshooting advice that you can do yourself. Hopefully its just a timing issue.

Skip

Just because your magneto was rebuilt does not mean it is working correctly. The Lucas K2FC that was fitted to my 600 Nomad was rebuilt by a so called specialist in Bristol. Well I might have just a well as gone out and burnt my money, as when it went to Brightspark it cost me over a £100 to put right what that idiot charged me for in the first place. All the new capacitors are going to crap out with in a few thousand miles, and these so called magneto rebuilderâs do not do that good a job. Send it to Ken at Brightspark and you will then know that you have a very good, well built and reliable magneto. I have so far sent them five of my magnetos.

Previously wrote:

I've just finished rebuilding my Atlas, everything refurbed etc. and all timing etc set to manuals spec. Basically the bike is a b...r to start- hot or cold- although it fires up more or less no prob' if bumped or pushed off then runs ok. Something's not right???!! - any ideas where to start looking?????

Hello before you go rushing off to spend you cash , Did you set the magneto right first That mean at Fully Advanced this means you have to open the ADT on the bob weights so there open or pulled back . you to put a small bolt in there to keep them open then when timing you need to have you timing disc fixed so it will not move and you need to take of you rocker covers to see that the rockers are in the right position on the Drive side or Left hand Side The point should be looking up and the cam pointing to the back of the cam ring where the pick up lead are the back one or the one nearest the battery box is for the Left hand cylinder . thats the one you time up first and then check the right side you have to rock the engine back and forth to see were the points just open once you have this at 32 degrees Before top dead center and both valves closed on the left hand side . then lock engine by putting it in gear then you need you small spanner of the points end to hold that end of the mag its stops it moving , and then very carefully do up the ADT Sleeve Nut this as a double thread . My 650 runs very nice at 32 Degrees Before TDC it as a Lucas K2FC Magneto Rebuilt by ME and it right with big fat sparks I use Bosch W7DTC spark plugs and the Motor starts first kick, even when hot and ticks over as smooth as my friends BSA A10 . yours Anna J

I am sure you know how to set your ignition timing. Take a good look at the points. Modern replacement points (as fitted by many magneto restorers) are tungsten, not platinum as the originals were. Tungsten points are prone to build up deposits and so need to be lightly cleaned with fine emery paper once in a while. If you don't, you will get all the symptoms of a failing magneto - poor starting, misfiring, failing to start when hot. If you can get hold of some decent genuine Lucas points, fit them. Gordon.

Hi all, just an update on the tungsten/platinum points info from Brightspark Magnetos:

"From what I can make out, after WW2, all of the Lucas ring cam points for standard and competition (C) mags were tungsten (part number 470609 or 470608), except for platinum points (part number 470877) fitted to some Vincent KVFs.Lucas listed different part numbers for the CB assemblies fitted to the racing mags (R), and they didn't list the points that went into those racing CB assemblies. However, I suspect (and may even have been told in the past) that the racing mags used platinum points.It has been said by at least one 'expert' that there's technically nothing to choose between tungsten and platinum (except cost and availability) provided they are clean. I think that's probably correct. However, as he and Gordon have also said, tungsten points dooxidizeand so it is important to keep them clean. I have come across one set of Lucas (steel base plate) points that looked like new and had a strong spring, but they measured lots of kilo ohms on the resistance meter when closed. A light cleaning, and they were fine again."

Hope this helps,

Skip Brolund

Good bit of digging there Skip. My magneto restorer told me to steer well clear of pattern points as they oxidise rapidly. Are they tungsten, and if so how pure? Any metallurgists out there? Good to have the correct platinum/tungsten info though. Gordon.

Happy to help where I can ! Shoot an email to Brightspark Magnetos, I am sure they can fill in the rest of the info for you.

info@brightsparkmagnetos.com

They are super helpful over there!!!!

Skip

well I do not Have a Starting problem And there is NO bright-spark Fittings, In my Magneto it all Lucas And it works very well , And when it fails I will rebuild it back to Lucas Standards , And re-time it like I alway have so the machine will start with in a few kicks. if the machine does not start with in a few kicks then something is wrong some were and need attention, and not bright-spark electronic parts that can fail even when new. yours Anna J Dixon

Well Anna J., I hope if you rebuild your mag with Lucas parts you will not replace the condenser with a new-old-stock Lucas one. Condensers are known to have a limited shelf life, so a NOS one might be as bad as the one you take out. Use a modern replacement of the same value.

Colin.

Previously wrote:

well I do not Have a Starting problem And there is NO bright-spark Fittings, In my Magneto it all Lucas And it works very well , And when it fails I will rebuild it back to Lucas Standards , And re-time it like I alway have so the machine will start with in a few kicks. if the machine does not start with in a few kicks then something is wrong some were and need attention, and not bright-spark electronic parts that can fail even when new. yours Anna J Dixon

Hi Anna, your thoughts are a common misconception & understandable.

Firstly, Brightspark is a magneto repair shop that also makes a better than standard capacitors, as Colin mentioned the Lucas condensers had a shelf life of 10 years, so even if you find one, its no good.UnfortunatelyLucas used poor materials inside & thebasicallyeat themselves up internally. There are other replacements on the market, but they dont have the correct ratings & dont last long. I have done a great deal of research in order to replace my Lucas condensers & came across the Brightspark guys (A UK Company !) & I liked the product so much, I sell them here in the USA. IN addition to being the only properly rated capacitor I have found, it has the added bonus of relocating the capacitor from the bowels of the armature, to under the points plate. I am not aware of a single failure of the Brightspark "Easycap". The Brightspark guys have a couple of bikes that have tonnes of miles with no failure as well as selling hundreds & hundreds of them around the world. Ask Anthony Curzon about his Brightsparkexperience, & he is a tough guy to please (I mean that as a compliment Anthony !).

Of course there are many other things that can be screwed up inside a magneto to cause it to work intermittently, or not at all, but thats a whole other subject

The other feature I really like about the Brightspark easycaps is that IT IS NOT AN ELECTRONIC CONVERSION , it uses all the standard Lucas parts & works as it always has, but with a modern capacitor that is relocated to make it easier to get to. It still uses your points, slip ring, armature, etc. The websitebasicallysays what you have been saying all along:

Brightspark Magnetos Ltd has two main aims:

• To help magneto owners look after their magnetos themselves.

• To maintain a dedicated website that covers the things we think matter when it comes to magnetos and how they work; and to collate as much other information about the electrical equipment commonly found on classic motorcycles as we can.

Give the website a look & think you will enjoy it, as it shows how to work on your own magneto & if you want them to do all or some of the work (like recharging the magnet, very important).

All the best to all,

Skip Brolund

Previously wrote:

Hi Anna, your thoughts are a common misconception & understandable.

Firstly, Brightspark is a magneto repair shop that also makes a better than standard capacitors, as Colin mentioned the Lucas condensers had a shelf life of 10 years, so even if you find one, its no good.UnfortunatelyLucas used poor materials inside & thebasicallyeat themselves up internally. There are other replacements on the market, but they dont have the correct ratings & dont last long. I have done a great deal of research in order to replace my Lucas condensers & came across the Brightspark guys (A UK Company !) & I liked the product so much, I sell them here in the USA. IN addition to being the only properly rated capacitor I have found, it has the added bonus of relocating the capacitor from the bowels of the armature, to under the points plate. I am not aware of a single failure of the Brightspark "Easycap". The Brightspark guys have a couple of bikes that have tonnes of miles with no failure as well as selling hundreds & hundreds of them around the world. Ask Anthony Curzon about his Brightsparkexperience, & he is a tough guy to please (I mean that as a compliment Anthony !).

Of course there are many other things that can be screwed up inside a magneto to cause it to work intermittently, or not at all, but thats a whole other subject

The other feature I really like about the Brightspark easycaps is that IT IS NOT AN ELECTRONIC CONVERSION , it uses all the standard Lucas parts & works as it always has, but with a modern capacitor that is relocated to make it easier to get to. It still uses your points, slip ring, armature, etc. The websitebasicallysays what you have been saying all along:

Brightspark Magnetos Ltd has two main aims:

• To help magneto owners look after their magnetos themselves.

• To maintain a dedicated website that covers the things we think matter when it comes to magnetos and how they work; and to collate as much other information about the electrical equipment commonly found on classic motorcycles as we can.

Give the website a look & think you will enjoy it, as it shows how to work on your own magneto & if you want them to do all or some of the work (like recharging the magnet, very important).

All the best to all,

Skip Brolund

Hello Skip I will Go Buy a Joe Hunt Mag Since there made in the USA !!!

Be sure & bring your purse, it will cost you $825 ( 516 GBP) plus shipping cost for a Joe Hunt mag

Brightspark easycaps: 15 GBP delivered to your door.

Anna, you have told us you rebuilt your K2FC and then suddenly announce you will fit a Joe Hunt magneto. Are you being obstreterous or just exercising your feminine right to change your mind? In any case, a Joe Hunt magneto would not be original on your Manxman and that would never do, would it? Gordon.

Previously wrote:

Anna, you have told us you rebuilt your K2FC and then suddenly announce you will fit a Joe Hunt magneto. Are you being obstreterous or just exercising your feminine right to change your mind? In any case, a Joe Hunt magneto would not be original on your Manxman and that would never do, would it? Gordon.

Hello Gordon no I just having a laugh ,Just too see what you guys say ! And As for my Mag There is nothing wrong with it So I do not need Bright-bits or anything else thanks , yours Anna j

Previously wrote:

Anna, you have told us you rebuilt your K2FC and then suddenly announce you will fit a Joe Hunt magneto. Are you being obstreterous or just exercising your feminine right to change your mind? In any case, a Joe Hunt magneto would not be original on your Manxman and that would never do, would it? Gordon.

Hello Gordon no I just having a laugh ,Just too see what you guys say ! And As for my Mag There is nothing wrong with it So I do not need Bright-bits or anything else thanks , yours Anna j