Bad ignition?

[Roostin440]

I am finishing the rebuild on my 78' maico 440. I really only need shocks at this point and possibly a ignition. Here is the problem. Yesterday I started it on the 1st kick { 1st time it had ever run}, let it warm up a couple of minutes and it died while I let go of the throttle to adjust the idle setting. Then we could not get it started again. The last time I tried to start it we could not get it to start at all. Just a brief second when it sounded like it wanted to start. My procedure is to turn the gas on, lean the bike over till gas comes out the get on tdc and kick. The coil is mounted to bare, freshly sanded frame, NGK b8es, New 38mm Mikuni. The motor has a fresh bore and piston. This bike was not running when I bought it. In the past I have had a Honda and a Yamaha that had bad ignitions and would only run intermittently. When I pull the plug and ground it and kick, it has spark. Here is a pic of the bike so far.

Thank you,
Mike

[090]

Great looker!
The problem with the motoplat is that it needs a good ground. If you have a freshly painted frame, that is enough to stop spark. You have to have metal on metal at the mounting points. A forum member swapped all electrics and still no spark or weak/ intermittent and when he pulled the motor out of the frame and cleaned the surface rust on the contact point on the frame, it was good to go.

[Mick D]

I think this is the first time I have ever really admired black rims. That looks great Mike.

[paul]

thought id seen it before
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1978-Maico-440-/110639983461?pt=US_motorcycles&hash=item19c2a82b65

[Mick D]

Geeez you don't miss much Paul.

[montynut]

Great looking bike

I always run a seperate earth wire from the motoplat stator base plate to the base plate of the coil to ensure a positive earth. You still should have all paint removed from frame and engine on at least one engine mount point. The motoplats seem even more sensitive than other systems to earth problems.

You could run a temperary wire from the stator base to the coil base to test if that is the problem after disconnecting the kill button naturally. We have all been caught by a dud kill switch

[Roostin440]

Thank you. I removed the paint from the frame for the coil but not the motor. I'll run a temp wire to ground the motor and see. If so I'll do the nasty and yank the motor and sand the mounts.

Yes the bike was on ebay but I decided to sell the KTM instead.

[PEZBerq]

I thought you had spark Why the concern with frame earthing etc if the spark is there? Have you tried push starting it? Maybe jetted too lean on the idle circuit? Swap for a fresh plug. Check timing hasn't changed due to stator moving once engine was running. Good luck .

[Lozza]

I always run a seperate earth wire from the motoplat stator base plate to the base plate of the coil to ensure a positive earth.

Earth is negative not positive

[holeshot buddy]

i think he means a positive negative earth

[montynut]

Yes Lozza as in are you positive you have a good earth   Some British cars actually had a positive earth. You can also have a centre earth system but we probably shouldn't go into that here

[Roostin440]

Well I sanded the frame at the motor mounts and ran a ground wire from the stator to the frame at the coil. I pulled apart the carb { new} And made sure the pilot jet and float level were correct. Still get a ring ding, then nothing on the first kick. Then nothing from there on out. I am taking it to the local Maico expert next weekend for a ignition swap.

[Moto]

Make sure the flywheel key has not sheared off.

[Roostin440]

Well after swapping out the ignition it turns out that the float level and my poor starting technique were the culprit. I was flooding it out. Now hot or cold it starts on the first or second kick. I am thrilled. Now I just wait for my shocks to be built and it is done. Thank you all for the help.

Mike

[Mick D]

Hi Mike,
I am very impressed with the way your bike looks.

Where do you score the side covers and fenders from?