Cabling, wiring and the elusive spark

Last Sunday I gave you an update on the paintwork. In one of my comments though, I confessed to it being a ‘backup’ post. I had just about fully prepared the panel work in parallel with the bike so it only seemed right to show all this work before it was fitted. However, last weekend I was doing something a little different.

For starters, I must admit to having a long weekend available to me having booked the Monday off. Nonetheless, I had my targets and set off to complete them early on the Saturday morning. A couple of errands here and there including visiting Replay Scooters set the morning off to a good start.


The main priority was to get the rear brake sorted as it was a design copy from my Dads race scooter. A new adjustable cable was purchased alongside some cable nipples for the gears and clutch. As the brake was reverse pull, and was not a standard length, a outer cable needed to be sourced. After viewing some handbrake cables, a better (cheaper) solution was found in that of an outer we already had. Due to the generous length of the new inner cable, we even managed to utilise one of the original brake cable clamps.

 

After an afternoon, we had connections on the gears, clutch and rear brake all operational. This however is where we started to hit the problems.

The first of which was the throttle cable. I had yet to complete the cam in the headset so this needed to have some time spent on it. A few holes drilled had the cam sorted but the spring return needed modification as it became coil bound rather quickly. I also needed a better positive stop as the solution I had found not only wasn't properly secure but rubbed against the headset top and allowed the throttle to stick open – not good.

The cable fitment provided the next issue. The choke fittings on the carburettor were not the cable type so this had to be sorted. For a start, we had to steal the parts from a spare carburettor. Secondly the cable was too long so needed to be shortened, which was done in a guess described by my Dad as ‘jammy’. Lastly, the choke lever/cam needed to be sorted as its operation and the positioning could definitely be described as Indian.

And I hear you asking; what about the front brake that’s the last thing?! Then you can bump-start the beast right?! Wrong. We will visit the brake issue in the next post.

It was not until this point that I had even attempted to get a spark. Excitedly, connecting all of the electrical cables (and making sure to have connected the earth from chassis to frame) we span the back wheel, hoping to see a bright blue spark jump from the bare HT lead to the cylinder head. Nothing. Spin it faster. Nothing. I was gutted. We even checked everything twice and saw no mistakes. Those familiar with race scooter electrics will know that there isn’t actually much to check.

Dad yet again came to the rescue though and referred to Sticky’s manual for testing the stator. One of the readings was very intermittent. This was actually great news. I have never known one of our issues to be identified as quick. I just needed to take it to Replay to get the issue confirmed. The Sunday night was nearing its end and a few more trivial things were completed but I still had the ace card – the Monday off.

Monday morning came and I was out in the garage bright and early. I began by fitting the Legshields as the rear brake was the only thing that was stopping me before.

After this rather rewarding task, I popped over to Replay to sort the stator. When Chalkie tested the readings though, they were fine – weird. However, he did find that there was a spacer plate underneath the pickup which could have meant the pickup was out of alignment with the flywheel. So after removing this, I went home in hope of obtaining that sought after spark.


After fitting, unfortunately, there was no spark which was most puzzling; yet another trip over to Replay. This time Ciro looked at it and immediately spotted a loose – well detached – earth wire. Brilliant! There was the issue, as plain as the nose on my face. A bit of solder later I hopefully had a working stator. Cinnamon coffees all round on me.


However, despite the trips when I put it back on I had no spark. After double checking everything twice I could not see the issue. Then, I had a brainwave: I wonder if I need to reattach the pickup spacer? No more than five minutes later, a nice spark could be seen on spinning the flywheel; success!

The long weekend was finished off with the semi-manufacture of the new, safer exhaust bracket and a mould. Both of these pieces will need more work so expect progress pictures in the following posts.

Race Scooter: All events occurred 3rd March 2012 to 5th March 2012