Bonneville America Forums Forums Technical Forums General Tech Running on one cylinder

Took the bike out the wekend before this, ran great, stopped at a drive in for a Dog, started it up and it sounded really diferent, no power. Dropped the old lady off and got it home,my insurance paid for trailering, so I set up a ride for it to go into the shop. After 10 days of running it, the one cylinder problem




came back and the shop zeroed in on a bad coil. Has this happened to anyone else? TR

I know Hotdog Jonny's well.

I had the wires between the cdi and coil fall off at the NH Rally. The unburned gas out of the right cylinder set my catalyst in the pipe on fire. If I had intentional installed a flame thrower mod I would have been the hero of the rally. Instead of being the broken down dude.

Without seeming overly pessimistic. I think our bikes overall have a QUAlITY reliability issue with key ignition components.

It occurs to me as I ride merrily about town ...a lingering potential possibility for being stranded by the side of the road by a malodorous CDI box or a bad coil or other ignition detail looms large.

Seems since I joined the site a little over a year ago that the horror stories for these scenarios continue to grow in frequency.

Makes me want to have a spare CDI on hand for what seems like a likely failure.

Thats why I like points. I used to carry a spare point plate with ready gapped points right on it and spare plugs and my timing tools.I still carry chain breaker and master links.

As I have 12,000 miles and this is the first problem and the bike got me home, I really do not feel as though it is a big deal. Actually it was not Hot Dog Johnnys, it was Sammys Drive in across Rt. 22 from the Phillipsburg Mall. Great, unassuming place, real good cheesesteaks too. Boy did it feel good to ride home from the shop tonight. Even through Budd Lake on Rt. 46 at rush hour. Tomorrow it is over to Northampton, Pa. for their bike happening. TR

I'm gonna be at the Northampton thing too.

I do not miss having to gap points every few hundred miles at all. In fact I dont't miss points at all. Had too many vehicles with them.

Soren

Same thing happen here too but turns out to be a coil wire on the left side the small connector the pushes in the coil broke with that it ran like $!%T and even shut down a few times.

Was al suited up with the wife on the back to go for the Northampton ride, fired it up, DANG, it was on one cylinder again.Called the shop p'eed off. They sent their truck down for it. When the truck got here the kid started it up and it was running good again. What the??????? Anyway, he turned it around to put it in the truck and it was on one cylinder again and would not even go up the ramp into the truck. What the ???? Back to the shop it goes. Any ideas out there in BA land??. TR

Sounds like either a bad coil or CDI. The first thing I would try is swap the coils and see if the missing cylinder is the same or moves. If it moves, it is the coil. It it stays the same, it's the CDI.

This test assumes you have already made sure all the connections to the CDI, to the coils, and coils to plugs are ok.

In over two years time, I have replaced one ECU (CDI Unit) on a Bonnie. The bike ran well, but the tach stopped working due to loss of signal from the unit. The ECU that Triumph uses is as dependable as any on the market.

They have been know to have a number of coil failures over time. It's actually a fairly low precentage since they changed the supplier a few years back.

There isn't any bike on the market that doesn't have the ability to strand ya on the side of the road. We have four times as many BMW's get towed in then Triumphs. That's a pretty good running record in my book.

I can never keep the 2 highways straight Johnnys is either on 46 or 57 in NJ somewhere between PA and 31. I do that loop from time to time 46 to 31 to 57 or the reverse.

I was at the Northampton even was OK. Alot of Pagans around I left about 2 and went riding.Saw maybe 4 of our bikes.

Hey Tom,

I would check all my connections (and make sure di-electric grease is on all of them) before looking for a major problem.

Not saying it's your problem, but a loose coil wire was the cause of a one cylinder problem in GA a couple of days ago. I'd start checking there.

The fit of the coil primary wires is pretty sloppy.
At least on mine.
I can see how this could happen.

wheres hot dog jonnys?

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hotdog johnnys is on rt.46 a couple miles west of where rt. 31
ends.

Ramsound, before the truck got here I did change the coil wires, then the bike would not fire at all. This was due to one bad coil and the good coil firing into a flooded cylinder. But the 'bad' coil was a one day old one. TR

Erwin, good to hear from you again. We have not yet met, but mayhaps this is the year. You live a sheltered life in Chester if you are not familure with Hot Dag Johnnys in Buttsville. I had towing on my insurance policy so the bike had to be towed to Trebour, by the Ledgewood circle, on rt 46. I am not sure that they are very good on our bikes. If I had my way it would have gone to Hermeys in Port Clinton, Pa. as they seem to be the best in the area even if they are 60 miles from me. TR

Hermys rocks I've been dealing with them for over 20 years. I used to deal with Herm Jr.'s parents before he took it over and made the new showroom where his dad used to have his bike collection.The parts room is the old showroom.

My man, Johnnys is indeed on 46. When you do your loop again stop at the Dunkin Donuts at the corner of 57 and 31 and give me a call, as I live three miles from there and will be out to meet you. You don't happen to have a red bike with exta chrome, even chrome carbs do you? No rear seat? TR 908-689-3434.

Dog, see my last post. TR

I know I was agreeing and affirming. They have been good to me for a very long time.

Sheltered life is right! Dont get out as much as Id like to and not nearly as long either. Kids eat up most of my time.I must have just not seen Jonnys, Ive done that trip before. As for Treabor, I do all of my own work but I know people have had good experiences there.

Dog, do I have you pegged right about your ride? If so, we met breifly two years ago at the gas station by Pocono Mt. Leathers on 309 North. I was with a guy with a speedmaster from Nazareth. Ride safe. TR

Doesn't ring a bell but it is entirely possible. I live just above Mt Pocono. If you wanted to talk bikes and I was more than willing it probably was. There are a couple pix of me in my photo post.