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Hi Bill,

just as an aside from all this, what year is your 125H and is the power side of things - battery, lights 'etc' 6 volt or 12 volt?

Regards
Leonard.

Aye Leonard,

1979 and 6v.

Regards, Bill

thanks Bill I think the later models may have been 12 volt with a different wiring layout - but no problem, it was just out of interest.

They were all 6V (unless modified), as were the 250 singles and twins.

thanks for the info.

Hello Bill,

did you have any success with the rolling road test?

Regards
Leonard.

Aye Leonard, the "Wizard" is proving elusive! The dyno man is ameanable and had already warned me of the Wizard's elusive nature. A man much in demand and as a free agent .......!

I have covered The Minx and been exercising the Ducati and SRX. 120 miles this afternoon on the Duke, in a fresh northerly breeze, with the temperature around 12°C, lovely. The engine performs well with the cool air!

I will post as soon as I have an update, good or bad!

Good health, Bill

Hi Bill,

I have also covered the 'little Italian Bitch' for the moment, I have removed the stator again to have it checked over by an electronics engineer who is a friend of a friend and apparently another wizard and it will confirm if the rewind I had done is correct or not.

The borrowed transducer although producing a spark failed to start the engine so is now sitting on the bench. When the stator check comes back, good or bad will try again with the blue box, maybe I will buy another as I have no idea if its working correctly or not, certainly not producing any advance.

Regards
Leonard.

Hi Bill,

been in contact with a Morini wizard in Germany, English is not good so I will be translating his suggestions, just wanted to know if your pickup has a white line on it at any point, mine was replaced so cannot say, but he says the white line has to line up with marks on the rotor at TDC.
When I have translated everything correctly will let you know any further findings.

Cannot see me doing much more with mine now until the spring 1st October is generally cut off time for me, don't want any more busted bones at my time of life, due to icy and sticky roads.

Regards
Leonard.

I can speak, read and write German so could maybe help there? I learnt it in an automotive environment too. So I know all about kolbenfressers und other nasty maladies.

Hi Steve,

that could be very useful, my neighbour is German and have asked for a translation, although I don't think she will understand much of it, so may have to call on you for the automotive comments.

Regards
Leonard.

Nah gut, weiter machen.

Guten Abend Leonard,

Been busy, with other jobs and still not heard anything from the Fife "Wizard"!

Zähneknirschen! Is all that has happened with the Minx and after your German contacts comment

.... just wanted to know if your pickup has a white line on it at any point, mine was replaced so cannot say, but he says the white line has to line up with marks on the rotor at TDC.

So, see attached images:

First image clearly shows a dab of white between the two parallel lines moulded into the outer side of the trigger coil on my original coil, on the right of the image. The replacement coil, on the left of the image, whilst not having a dab of white paint, does have the two parallel moulded lines in the outer side of the body. The centre of these parallel lines measures the same distance from the leading edge of the two soft iron poles, protruding from the top of the moulding.

Second image shows that when the two marks on the outer side of the window on the rotor, can align with the two parallel lines on the trigger coil casing. At this position the "ANT" mark on the periphery of the rotor does align with the centreline of the camshaft.

Third image shows (tries to) the alignment of all the marks and flywheel details.

If your German expert is saying that the PISTON 'TDC' mark, rather than the IGNITION 'ANT' mark, should be aligning with the centre of the camshaft, when the parallel marks on the rotor and trigger coil align, we have a problem! I hope this clarifies the mark etc that may be being referred to.

However, I don't think that is where the problem lies. The timing marks, and components all appear to be in good order, as individual components. But, when dynamically activated on the engine there appears to be:

a) an inability to electronically advance the ignition timing.
b) a potential short circuit to earth when the vAC eexceeds 200v.

Hence, why I want to spin the engine on a dynomometer, without it running, to see if and when we can get an advance of the ignition and or a short circuit in the low tension coil on the stator.

Good health, Bill

Hi Bill,

hope you are keeping well, my German contact as far as I can translate, is saying that we should not expect to see a gradual advance of the timing when viewed with a strobe, it will just jump to a previous setting this should happen at around 2200 rpm before that - the ignition retards to avoid any kick back on the starter mechanism and to give a good tick over. This is all controlled by the pick up or coil.
Neither is there an advance curve built into the transducer, this was also confirmed by Nuova Ray in Italy who makes them, the transducer is just a spark box really, triggered by the rotor.

It looks to me from your photographs that I may well have the wrong pick up fitted it does not have the mouldings which are in effect used to set the static timing (if we do not have a strobe) the advance and retard is adjusted by the stator plate in the slots to set the 'previous' setting.

One of my neighbours is a German national and I will ask her for a full translation tomorrow which will throw more light on the subject and in regard of the PMS and ANT marks I think my German contact is referring to the PMS mark being in line with the centre camshaft at TDC both valves closed on the compression stroke for the static timing. The 125H is crankshaft timed unlike the V twins and possibly even things like the cam belt position being out a tooth could effect the ignition - I don't know I'm not a CDI expert.

My stator is still away as the electronics expert is on holiday but when he comes back he is going to check all the windings for faults, shorts and breakdowns and we will then go from there.

Another avenue which may be worth exploring is Bradford Ignitions they restore the old Moplat systems but will test and repair others as well they also have a test rig which can run up a system and find any faults - although I think you have already had yours tested.

I am sure someone will 'rear up' and contradict all this but please note its just a rough translation as my German was learned at school years ago, so please bear with it.

Regards
Leonard.

Aye Leonard,

my German contact as far as I can translate, is saying that we should not expect to see a gradual advance of the timing when viewed with a strobe, it will just jump to a previous setting this should happen at around 2200 rpm before that - the ignition retards to avoid any kick back on the starter mechanism and to give a good tick over. This is all controlled by the pick up or coil.

That is my understanding as well. The advance of the ignition will be switch like, rather than a progressive movement. Hence, the slight move to the right (clockwise)(RETARD) of the 'ANT' mark, before then trying to move to the left (anti-clockwise)(ADVANCE) that I have seen. But, this happens above 3,000rpm and only by about 5° of movement in either direction. As the factory manual specifies an advance of 36°BTDC @6,000rpm, one naturally tries to achieve those figures at which to make the measurement. There is certainly no ignition timing movement on my engine at 2,200rpm. It is my understanding that the alternating current signal and the voltage that causes the circuitry in the CDI to change the timing of the spark and ours do not appear to be doing this.

the advance and retard is adjusted by the stator plate in the slots to set the 'previous' setting.

Yes, I agree.

Bradford Ignitions they restore the old Moplat systems but will test and repair others as well they also have a test rig which can run up a system and find any faults - although I think you have already had yours tested.

Yes, I have, but only to approximately 2,500-3,000rpm, as the rig could not safely retain the rotor above this rpm. According to your German guru, this would have been sufficient to see the ignition advance. Apparently, my complete system, when on the rig, performed satisfactorily. So, I assume that it was advancing, as expected.

As for "sprechende deutsch"? Nix!

Good health, Bill