Engine firing, engine stops...

[Boggymarsh]

Have not long arrived home ... on the back of a recovery truck!

Lane three M20, making good progress and suddenly the speedo starts going mental, followed by the rev counter, followed by lights going off and speedo/rev counter dropping to resting position. Engine continues to run and I manage to cross three lanes under power and off at the first available junction, which happened to be my usual exit point from the motorway. Get to top of ramp, engine dies and leaves me with just enough momentum to clear the junction and get to the kerb. Tried to restart but dead as a dodo! Push bike to safe place, grab a breather and try again to restart...zilch! Check fuses, all tickety boo!

Is this the dreaded regulator/rectifier curse or maybe even a generator failure? I have no immediate access to a multi-meter or likewise.

Any help would be most appreciated.

Edit:Forgot to add that this is a 98 carb model.

 

[Me!]

I'd start with reg rec and stator. @tu*

To be honest maplins cheap tat multi meter will do the job

 

[Tinytim]

I'd start with reg rec and stator. @tu*

To be honest maplins cheap tat multi meter will do the job

AND? :dunno:


Exact same symptoms as my reg/rec going kaput. Stator still fine after 14 years.

 

[Centaur]

Oh shit, Boggy.

Without a meter one can only guess. Feck off to Maplins or whoever is nearest in the morning. Being a copper you can pull a sickie! 8rfl@

 

[Boggymarsh]

Time off is not the problem as I'm just about to start my block of four rest days. Have to admit, I've never used a meter before as there's never been a need but I guess this might be a bit of a learning curve!

I hadn't mentioned it in my first post, but I noticed the idle was a bit erratic as I waited at traffic lights and just before I joined the motorway. The bike had started without issue ten minutes before and I thought I might have not turned the choke off fully, but on checking it was fine.

 

[Me!]

AND? :dunno:


Exact same symptoms as my reg/rec going kaput. Stator still fine after 14 years.

But you wouldn't put on a new reg rec without checking stator..... Hence multimeter check.... 14 years, tis a nipper of a bike

 

[grant57]

Hi, the other approach is to swap out parts with a known working bike. I have a new Jaws spare reg/rec and could I can post to you to try and spare coils and spare black box ignition unit.

Grant 07876251906 mobile

Good Luck

 

[DEG5Y]

Exact same symptoms as mine, including the recovery truck! :blush:

Once you get your meter (B&Q do a nice little one) do a search and you will find all the readings you should be getting.

As a matter of course, I changed both R&R and the stator, so I then new the history of both.
If I remember right the ones that JAWS sells are both an upgrade rather than a swap. (no doubt if I'm wrong I'll be corrected.)

Had my problem for a long time but it had been hidden by the battery always being fully charged via an acumate, only showed up when I'd be away on it and the battery would discharge.

 

[Paddy.]

What a coincidence, mine is also doing this. popped a new battery on it as the last one has been subject to 8 months of constant regulator failings.

I've popped a new battery on mine (couldn't find multimeter to check reg/rec and stator) and its spinning over nicely, won't fire though :bang:

Interested to see where you go with this, I'm also S.E kent with fair amounts of tools so hopefully this might help. @tu*

 

[Boggymarsh]

Thank you all for your comments and kind offers of help so far. I might be making a call to you Howard @tu*

I am hoping to get a multimeter from a mate today or tomorrow and then I can go and check things. The bike is as dead as a dead thing - would the battery be fried in a time/distance frame of say 15mins/12miles as the bike started without a problem at the start of the journey home as I would have thought there would atleast be a glimmer of life there, but zilch. Could this all just be a blown fuse... which I'm going out to check shortly. :dunno:

 

[Centaur]

Fuse?

Unlikely but worth checking the main fuse in the starter solenoid. Buy a meter Boggy. It will come in handy any time you have a suspicion something is not right. My mobile is 07770 145597 if Howard is busy.

 

[Centaur]

If it's an EFI......

What a coincidence, mine is also doing this. popped a new battery on it as the last one has been subject to 8 months of constant regulator failings.

I've popped a new battery on mine (couldn't find multimeter to check reg/rec and stator) and its spinning over nicely, won't fire though :bang:

Interested to see where you go with this, I'm also S.E kent with fair amounts of tools so hopefully this might help. @tu*

Can you hear the fuel pump priming when you turn the ignition on, Paddy?

 

[Boggymarsh]

Unlikely but worth checking the main fuse in the starter solenoid. Buy a meter Boggy. It will come in handy any time you have a suspicion something is not right. My mobile is 07770 145597 if Howard is busy.

Thanks Bill @tu*

 

[CBRDEAN0]

I've popped a new battery on mine (couldn't find multimeter to check reg/rec and stator) and its spinning over nicely, won't fire though :bang:

Kill Switch ?

been there - done that c7u8

 

[DEG5Y]

The symptoms you described are the battery dying as its not being charged. Obviously everybody that has seen these symptoms their bike has spun up and started normally.

My battery was always fully charged at the start of the run as I religiously used an optimiser so for a long time it never showed. There were just two occasions and these were about 9 months apart. First time I just blamed the battery, as I'd pulled in for petrol and it wouldn't restart. The lads I was with bumped me and by turning the light off I got back to where we were staying. Changed the battery and continued using the optimiser when I got home. Second time it showed it was pick up truck!!

PS. Hardly use the optimiser now.

 

[Paddy.]

Primes, bike spins over superbly. It just will not fire, it has been dropped and slid on Tuesday. I Bought it yesterday knowing full well it had an iffy battery. Regulator is new, but have not checked output yet from stator nor regulator as it was 11pm when I finally reached home.

4 miles in 2 hours is disgraceful on a Blackbird. 8rfl@

 

[Centaur]

Tilt switch if it has been dropped? :dunno: Paddy, the blackbird has a tilt switch which cuts the engine if the bike is dropped. I wonder if it has not automatically reset?

Anyone any knowledge on tilt switches?

 

[Paddy.]

Also been told that.

Annoyance is that it bumps fine.. would have thought it would kill the +12v to coils if it was "active"

 

[Boggymarsh]

I've now managed to source a multimeter so off shortly to collect it. I have had the rear cowling off and can see that the reg/rec is not a finned type and so can only presume that it is the original fitment. I've also checked all fuses, which are fine.

Standby! Standby!

 

[Paddy.]

I've now managed to source a multimeter so off shortly to collect it. I have had the rear cowling off and can see that the reg/rec is not a finned type and so can only presume that it is the original fitment. I've also checked all fuses, which are fine.

Standby! Standby!

Apologies for hijacking your thread buddy:-0)