Timing Trouble On My 1958 Indian Trailblazer 700cc

[TWinOKC]

As I am new on this forum, please let me know if it is OK to offer help like this, since I have a commercial interest.

Welcome!  Your assistance would be appreciated, there are others that have a commercial interest and regularly comment or suggest on this forum.

[Scottie J]

Thank you everyone for your input and suggestions.  I think I'll start by replacing that capacitor and see what happens.  The bike WAS running so I can't imagine being anything real major.

Skip - Thanks for the offer.  I think for now I'll grab one those capacitors from you and try one more time to get my bike running.  If I'm unsuccessful I just might take you up on the offer of having you look at it.

[skipsoldbikes]

Looking forward to helping out! Perhaps it would be of intrest to post the end rusults & findings along the way.
Often the old capacitor is left in place, but the wiring is bypassed. Makes for an easier job & the new cap is easy to get to should it ever need replaced. I havent had to replace one in service yet.

Skip

[Scottie J]

Alright!  Got the new capacitor ordered.  Let's keep our fingeres crossed and pray for the best!     

[skipsoldbikes]

Well, Scottie has his Brightspark easycap, looking forward to hear about his progress! The website is very step by step. Recharging the magnet is also a good idea, but not many people are equipt to do it (it took me years to find my re-charger). The other big issue is the armature windings, but that can be checked while the mag is apart easily, or just put it back together with the Easycap & see how it works.

Skip

[Scottie J]

OK.  So, I installed the Brightspark capacitor, FINALLY got the points set to .012 and set the plug gap to .015, and also cleaned up the pick up brushes.  Got the bike to idle again, but it's backfiring out of the carb and still dies when I hit the throttle.  I'm ordering new brushes and a contact set with a new armature from DomiRacer tomorrow and see if that makes a difference.  I also found a guy locally who sells vintage British bike parts and he's going to sell me a brand new Amal 930 concentric carb, jetted to my likings, for $189+tax.

Though, not running quite right yet, I have made some progress on the bike.  I fabricated a custom seat with 2" memory foam, installed a side mount plate bracket with a '33 Ford tail light, and completely rewired the bike and converted it to a 12V system with a Sparx battery eliminator.  I'm slowly getting it ready for the road and trying to upgrade as much as possible to more modern parts.  Basically all I have left to do is get this thing running right.  And with all of your guy's help, SEVERAL hours of Google research, and some Ebay purchases, I'm very close to being done.   

[Scottie J]

I FINALLY got this thing running!  Installed the new brushes and points, and it helped a little bit.  But, once I installed the new carb......  Fired right up and is running like a champ!  So, I'm not sure whether it was spark or fuel causing the problem, or a combination of the two, I'm not sure.  But I'm leaning towards carb still.  Regardless,  NOW it's alive and running strong.  Now I just need to go over the bike and make sure all the nuts and bolts are tight, drain and replace the fluids and make a trip to the DMV!

Thank you everyone for all your help!  I truly, and seriously couldn't have done it without all of your guys' input and help.   

[skipsoldbikes]

Great to hear Scottie! You will find when working on magneto powered bikes, most mag problems are carburetor related 
Best of luck with the project !!!!