Author Topic: Josef’s A10 is misfiring  (Read 740 times)

Offline Steverat

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Josef’s A10 is misfiring
« on: 28.06. 2019 05:39 »
After careful reassembly in the UK and the friendly online advice from many of you including Swarfy the A10 made it back home to the Munich area a couple of months back. Unfortunately not had much use due to an awful misfire throughout the rev range which reminds me of capacitor trouble I had on another bike. A10 fires up sweetly and ticks over without drama, but drive it away and you are greeted with this random misfire. I’m satisfied it’s not carburation because we have tried varying everything in that department without effect. The mag has been recently and thoroughly rebuilt by a seasoned professional who I have used many times before. Have you any ideas for us? How can I check the capacitor in situ on a K2F?

1951 BSA A10 - now returned to Germany
1972 Triumph T100R Daytona
1924 B-S SS80
1965 Triumph SH Cub
1960 AJS M18CS

Online groily

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Re: Josef’s A10 is misfiring
« Reply #1 on: 28.06. 2019 07:03 »
I'd check the brushes and slipring first. If the brushes can write like a pencil (many sadly can, despite the vendors knowing darn well they're useless) throw them away and get some harder ones, and clean the slipring with care to get carbon traces off it.
This is such a common  problem with the pattern pick-ups & brushes that are sold widely, that it has to be the first thing to check, especially as it causes random misfiring, worse under load, etc. It has been an epidemic, more like, over recent years!
Then I'd have a look at the contact breaker. If it is a steel backplate unit, make sure the spring blade on the opening point isn't kissing the camring on either lobe. Because the opening point is 'live' on them, the lightest kiss will interfere with sparks if there's a short to earth. This is also a common problem. (If it's a brass backplate, not a problem though, the opening point is earthed.)
Checking condensers in situ is hard as one end of it at least needs disconnecting from the primary winding to be able to read the capacitance or subject it to a leak test. If you do suspect it, then really the mag has to come to bits.
Bill

Offline Swarfcut

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Re: Josef’s A10 is misfiring
« Reply #2 on: 28.06. 2019 08:26 »
 Thanks for the mention Steve.  This frustration is a minor problem in the grand scheme of things, considering how the bike started off. Esteemed member groily knows a thing or two about magnetos, you may be better off contacting him directly if you find the problem proves too challenging.
 The  steel backing plate kissing the cam ring is a well known foible of the design. My quick suggestion is to run it in the dark, maggy cover off, look for random sparks and also sparking from the HT leads where they run close to any path to earth.

 All the best, Swarfy.

Offline coater87

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Re: Josef’s A10 is misfiring
« Reply #3 on: 28.06. 2019 12:14 »
 wouldnt you get quite a bit of arcing at the points if the condenser was bad?

 Lee
Central Wisconsin in the U.S.

Online groily

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Re: Josef’s A10 is misfiring
« Reply #4 on: 28.06. 2019 13:14 »
very probably would Lee, yup.
Bill

Offline lawnmowerman

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Re: Josef’s A10 is misfiring
« Reply #5 on: 28.06. 2019 20:28 »
I'd check the brushes and slipring first. If the brushes can write like a pencil (many sadly can, despite the vendors knowing darn well they're useless) throw them away and get some harder ones, and clean the slipring with care to get carbon traces off it.
This is such a common  problem with the pattern pick-ups & brushes that are sold widely, that it has to be the first thing to check, especially as it causes random misfiring, worse under load, etc. It has been an epidemic, more like, over recent years!


Bill's advice is spot on. I had the mag rewound but the brushes and pick ups were the originals and the bike was firing all over the place. A clean of the slip ring and new quality brushes, pick ups and acorns transformed the bike's performance and starting.

Jim
1959 A10 SR
1938 Wolseley 14/60
1955 Ferguson TEF20 tractor
1965 Ferguson 135 tractor
1952 Matchless G80 rigid
1960 BMW R60
1954 Matchless G80S
1955 Ariel 500 VH
1951 Sunbeam S7DL
1960 Matchless G12 with Watsonian Monza
......and loads of lawnmowers

Too old to Rock and Roll but too young to die  (Jethro Tull 1976)

Offline Steverat

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Re: Josef’s A10 is misfiring
« Reply #6 on: 28.06. 2019 21:35 »
Thank you all for your time and ideas. I’ll try all of them on Monday when we get back to Josef’s. We are having a cool time in Hochgurgl this weekend - the Top Mountain Crosspoint Museum holds the Hand Shifter Hill Climb tomorrow. No BSAs in it as far as I know- pity!

1951 BSA A10 - now returned to Germany
1972 Triumph T100R Daytona
1924 B-S SS80
1965 Triumph SH Cub
1960 AJS M18CS

Offline Steverat

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Re: Josef’s A10 is misfiring
« Reply #7 on: 01.07. 2019 11:41 »
Pickups and slip ring looking good so proceeded to dismantling points - they are quite badly eroded in the centres. I polished them with a fine needle file . Reassembled-hey presto no difference, machine still misfiring. Any more ideas? Paul the repairer insists it’s not the condenser but what else can it be?

1951 BSA A10 - now returned to Germany
1972 Triumph T100R Daytona
1924 B-S SS80
1965 Triumph SH Cub
1960 AJS M18CS

Offline chaterlea25

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Re: Josef’s A10 is misfiring
« Reply #8 on: 01.07. 2019 13:04 »
Hi Steve,
Run the bike with the points cover off and see if there is a lot of arcing going on
Pitted points is an almost sure sign of bad condenser
I'm sure you tried new plugs and do not have suppressed plugcaps fitted

On a newly built engine the valve clearances can close up but this does not cause misfiring

John
1961 Super Rocket
1963 RGS (ongoing)