42 WLA Not starting

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griffo220
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42 WLA Not starting

Post by griffo220 » Thu Apr 17, 2014 1:29 am

Hi All, I'm just finishing a restoration on a 1941 42 wla, I'm trying to start the beast and after blowing up my first coil by leaving the ignition on I've now found out I'm not getting a spark at the plugs??

I have 7 volts going in to the coil but I can't seem to register anything at the timer?? any help??

I also have another question, does the throttle have a return spring so it returns to idle or do I have to do this manually??

Regards

Dave
April 1943 GPW 108779
REME 10 cwt stores trailer (work in progress)
BSA parabike
1942 WLA type 1a


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TopKick
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Re: 42 WLA Not starting

Post by TopKick » Thu Apr 17, 2014 4:36 am

Either the coil is defective or you have a bad wire. Did you do a spark test? 8)
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TopKick

"Until it's melted down and turned into something else, or blown to Smitherines, it's restorable"!

griffo220
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Re: 42 WLA Not starting

Post by griffo220 » Thu Apr 17, 2014 5:16 am

Hi topkick, I've fitted a new coil but I suppose that doesn't mean the new one is a good one :(, in terms of spark test I've taken the plugs out and laid them on the head and kicked it over??

Do you have another method??

Dave
April 1943 GPW 108779
REME 10 cwt stores trailer (work in progress)
BSA parabike
1942 WLA type 1a

42swing
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Re: 42 WLA Not starting

Post by 42swing » Thu Apr 17, 2014 6:16 am

Having the same problem with mine, after leaving the ignition switch on overnight. Sometimes it will start, sometimes it won't. Battery is good, coil is good (tested on another bike), switch is good. Seems to be an intermittant short, when it won't start everything is dead. Running down all the wiring now, which is pretty crispy anyway and probably could use a new harness. Too cold in the shed to work on it much until recently.
Malvern, PA
1942 MB 180635
1943 Willys MBT
1940 Elgin male bicycle
1940 Columbia female bicycle
1943 M3A4 Hand Cart
1943 Harley Davidson WLA with side car

chibobber
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Re: 42 WLA Not starting

Post by chibobber » Thu Apr 17, 2014 7:12 am

As to your throttle question;No there is no return spring.It's all on you to control.
Replace the points and condenser.All that juice going through them might have fried them together or messed up the condenser.
Bob

griffo220
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Re: 42 WLA Not starting

Post by griffo220 » Thu Apr 17, 2014 9:07 am

I've had another look this afternoon and I've noticed that there is nothing insulating the moving parts of the points from the plate on the bottom, is this correct??

Dave
April 1943 GPW 108779
REME 10 cwt stores trailer (work in progress)
BSA parabike
1942 WLA type 1a

Lib45
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Re: 42 WLA Not starting

Post by Lib45 » Thu Apr 17, 2014 9:37 am

Yes it is: there's just a copper strip between condenser and points, but it shouldn't hit the cover.
If not..it's fine.
Later ignitionsystems have a different pointsset and condenser, so the wire is insulated..
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griffo220
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Re: 42 WLA Not starting

Post by griffo220 » Thu Apr 17, 2014 1:53 pm

Update, I've wrapped some insulation tape around the post / pin and I'm getting a spark now :)

Is there a proper insulator for the pin??

Dave
April 1943 GPW 108779
REME 10 cwt stores trailer (work in progress)
BSA parabike
1942 WLA type 1a

rd.king
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Re: 42 WLA Not starting

Post by rd.king » Thu Apr 17, 2014 5:15 pm

Yes there should be a fiber insulator on the pivot pin.
If it's missing your power is going to ground.

http://www.flatlandmotorcyclecompany.co ... dview.html

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Re: 42 WLA Not starting

Post by OLDABEWLA » Thu Apr 17, 2014 5:49 pm

There has also been discussion here that the new reproduction coils terminals are backwards compared to the originals, this is also something to check if it still gives you problems.

Craig
☆42WLA Harley-Davidson #19,246 Type III

griffo220
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Re: 42 WLA Not starting

Post by griffo220 » Fri Apr 18, 2014 9:59 am

Here's another update, it's sparking but will not fire unless I squirt fuel in through the spark plug hole? I've stripped the carb down and everything is clear, it just doesn't seem to be feeding any fuel in??

Dave
April 1943 GPW 108779
REME 10 cwt stores trailer (work in progress)
BSA parabike
1942 WLA type 1a

motto
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Re: 42 WLA Not starting

Post by motto » Fri Apr 18, 2014 8:35 pm

When you say it doesn't seem to be getting any fuel in. Do you mean the carb or the engine? By that I mean is the float bowl filling up or is the carb full and the fuel (mixture) not getting to the engine?
It should be simple to find the reason if fuel is not getting to the carb. If the float bowl fuel level is correct then there must be a jet blocked or carb has something missing or incorrectly assembled. Is the choke disc shutting off correctly? Is the throttle disc positioned correctly and is it the right way round? I have seen them wrongly assembled.

David

griffo220
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Re: 42 WLA Not starting

Post by griffo220 » Sat Apr 19, 2014 12:53 am

Hi motto, the fuel bowl is full, I checked the jets yesterday but I'll have a look at the choke and throttle today, thanks for your help, I'm going to change the condensor as well as I don't trust those buggers!!

Dave
April 1943 GPW 108779
REME 10 cwt stores trailer (work in progress)
BSA parabike
1942 WLA type 1a

griffo220
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Re: 42 WLA Not starting

Post by griffo220 » Mon Apr 21, 2014 12:00 pm

Right here we go, I had another go yesterday and realised that the main nozzle was not protruding through the Venturi! This was due to no spring inside?

I replaced the spring and thought thus was the problem, the bike will start but cut out out after a couple of seconds or when I touch the choke lever? Help??

Dave
April 1943 GPW 108779
REME 10 cwt stores trailer (work in progress)
BSA parabike
1942 WLA type 1a

OLDABEWLA
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Re: 42 WLA Not starting

Post by OLDABEWLA » Tue Apr 22, 2014 7:18 pm

Sound like there is dirt in the fuel system? float is not set correct or the carb is out of adjustment. Here is how to adjust the carb on the bike.

Craig
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☆42WLA Harley-Davidson #19,246 Type III


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