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Just stopped!

Posted: 17 Sep 2023 16:46
by unreal
Out last weekend and my '82 Strada (kickstarter) it just stalled and won't restart. This one is usually a 1-2 kick starter and runs really strongly...
I have good sparks on both plugs, good compression, I've emptied the tank and put fresh fuel in, emptied the carbs and checked the jets, tried with the fuel cap open. Rear plug wet, front less so. But not a cough or glimmer!
My guess is a carb issue, as I haven't been able to ride much this year due to Prostate cancer, and there's shit somewhere in the carbs.
I'm only getting 140ohm on the coil but starting has never been an issue in the past. Could this drop suddenly?

Before I start to delve deeper Is there something obvious I may have overlooked?

Ta
Si

Re: Just stopped!

Posted: 17 Sep 2023 17:23
by Fastmongrel
Are you getting fuel to the carbs crap in the tank might have blocked the filters on the taps. Also check for mouse nests in the exhaust it happened to a friend on a bike that had been in storage

Re: Just stopped!

Posted: 17 Sep 2023 18:44
by norbert
To me the 140 ohms sounds like the main problem. A lot of carb issues turn out to be ignicion ones. My experience says that starting problems begin with less than 170, 180 ohms.

Re: Just stopped!

Posted: 17 Sep 2023 19:49
by 3potjohn
Mine had 175 ohms and ran OK but was not the easiest starter. Since a rewind in 2008 it has been OK.
I ought to measure the resistance from time to time U suppose.
Still you have a spark. Will it bump start? Did you fling out the contents of the float bowls? Any evidence of water?

Re: Just stopped!

Posted: 17 Sep 2023 21:21
by unreal
I was on a hill and tried bump starting for 800m, nothing.
Is it possible for the coil to just fail/short?
Fuel is feeding fine, I’ll strip the carbs. But I think a rewind is needed anyway after 65k km!

Re: Just stopped!

Posted: 18 Sep 2023 06:56
by budge
Hi, I bought a non-runner Morini with no spark and before joining MRC found this guy on YouTube, he says 180 ohms is about as low as you can go.
Good luck with getting her going, Budge. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWyYDVu ... IY&index=3

Re: Just stopped!

Posted: 18 Sep 2023 21:05
by julianharty
budge wrote: 18 Sep 2023 06:56 Hi, I bought a non-runner Morini with no spark and before joining MRC found this guy on YouTube, he says 180 ohms is about as low as you can go.
Good luck with getting her going, Budge. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWyYDVu ... IY&index=3
In short, I trust Soren (the creator of this video) and his advice. My Kanguro X (which has the black pickup) runs reasonably well with an ignition winding that measures 192 Ohms (and has done consistently in the 3 or so years I've been riding it). I'd suggest you track down a way to replace the ignition winding. As you'll read various owners have had challenges finding someone / somewhere that'll do the necessary work. All the best with your progress. If you get stuck I might have a stator that you could try (it's one an old 3 1/2 engine I bought from Italy about 5 years ago) and if you're in Camden near London then I might be able to get it to you in person.

Re: Just stopped!

Posted: 20 Sep 2023 16:21
by unreal
Thanks for the offer Julian, but I sent the stator off to be rewound. Also must update my account as I'm now in west Cornwall!
I'll post when I have the answer, thanks for the responses folks.

Re: Just stopped!

Posted: 20 Sep 2023 16:33
by mbmm350s
I'm only getting 140ohm on the coil but starting has never been an issue in the past. Could this drop suddenly?
Yes, winding layer to layer shorts caused by failing 40 year old insulation could occur and cause the number of effective turns and hence the available voltage to the CDI units to be reduced considerably.

Please make sure that the winding company winds the bobbin correctly the same as original and does not assume its a scooter which are very similar but are wound with thinner wire.

Cheers
Mark

Re: Just stopped!

Posted: 09 Nov 2023 11:12
by unreal
Quick update, West Country Windings rewound the coil, showing 308ohm. Back to normal now. It looked like there had been a shorting in the coil apparently.

As an aside, they are looking at scooter coils as a source for the bare bobbins as these get very brittle.