Installed a PMA fom Mikes. Set the TDC mark using he straw-on-piston-in-plug hole method. When I start the bike, it rages with the timing way advanced an he plugs burn up in minutes. The unit fit perfectly when I threw I together. There's only one way it could go on. What the heck did I do wrong? Oh, and I've got a Pamco and green monster coil as well.
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Issue after PMA install
- Thread starter antblyme
- Start date
-
- Tags
- electrical
pamcopete
Ride.Enjoy.Life is Simple
antblyme,
A few more details would help.
1. What year and model is your bike?
2. Did you install a new advancer or did you already have one?
3. Do you have a battery or capacitor?
4. Does "rages" mean the engine revs are high?
5. Have you tried running the PAMCO from a separate battery not connected to the PMA?
6 Have you tried this test for proper snap back of the advancer?
7. Did you do any work on the carbs recently?
8. Do you have vacuum barbs on the carb holders?
9. If yes to #8, are the vacuum barbs connected to the pet cocks or blocked?
10. What is the voltage on your battery / capacitor?
11. What color is the bike?
A few more details would help.
1. What year and model is your bike?
2. Did you install a new advancer or did you already have one?
3. Do you have a battery or capacitor?
4. Does "rages" mean the engine revs are high?
5. Have you tried running the PAMCO from a separate battery not connected to the PMA?
6 Have you tried this test for proper snap back of the advancer?
7. Did you do any work on the carbs recently?
8. Do you have vacuum barbs on the carb holders?
9. If yes to #8, are the vacuum barbs connected to the pet cocks or blocked?
10. What is the voltage on your battery / capacitor?
11. What color is the bike?
Thanks for chiming in Petet
1. It's an 83
2. New advancer was already installed and working fine
3. Brand spankin new battery
4. Yes, rev's are very high. pops like crazy out of the pipes until it shuts down. plugs turn very black. bike wont start back up unless new/clean plugs are installed
5. Havent done that. You told me to try that before.......and ya I never did
6. yep, and the advancer snaps back just like the video
7. Carbs were working fine before the PMA install. They're VM34's. I did readjust the slide levels since the bike was reving so high but it doesnt seem to be the issue. I can get the revs down, but the popping out of the pipes continues, and the timing still is way advanced.
8. yes
9. blocked
10. Voltage has been pretty steady 12.7 - 12.8. i've been using the starter a lot while troubleshooting. when i took the batter out of the box and charged it, it was in the mid 13's.
11.
1. It's an 83
2. New advancer was already installed and working fine
3. Brand spankin new battery
4. Yes, rev's are very high. pops like crazy out of the pipes until it shuts down. plugs turn very black. bike wont start back up unless new/clean plugs are installed
5. Havent done that. You told me to try that before.......and ya I never did
6. yep, and the advancer snaps back just like the video
7. Carbs were working fine before the PMA install. They're VM34's. I did readjust the slide levels since the bike was reving so high but it doesnt seem to be the issue. I can get the revs down, but the popping out of the pipes continues, and the timing still is way advanced.
8. yes
9. blocked
10. Voltage has been pretty steady 12.7 - 12.8. i've been using the starter a lot while troubleshooting. when i took the batter out of the box and charged it, it was in the mid 13's.
11.
pamcopete
Ride.Enjoy.Life is Simple
Well, the high revs could be caused by an advance condition, but high revs also produce an advance, as it should.
I also suggest that you set the timing before you remove the stock rotor so you benefit from the timing marks on the rotor. It's too late for you now, but if you can't get this sorted out, I would suggest that you reinstall the stock rotor just to set the timing. You don't have to get the complete charging system working, just run on the battery to get the timing set.
You can also preset the timing like this pic which is a good starting point for the PAMCO:
I don't think it is electrical or ignition, but stranger things have happened with the initial start after a PMA conversion and that is why I recommend starting the engine with the PAMCO connected to a separate battery that is just sitting on the floor, not connected to the PMA, so try that to eliminate the PMA as the source of the problem.
The blackened plugs almost certainly indicate a carb problem of some sort, so time to fess up...
...what did you do to the carbs? It's OK...you're among friends...you can tell us....
I also suggest that you set the timing before you remove the stock rotor so you benefit from the timing marks on the rotor. It's too late for you now, but if you can't get this sorted out, I would suggest that you reinstall the stock rotor just to set the timing. You don't have to get the complete charging system working, just run on the battery to get the timing set.
You can also preset the timing like this pic which is a good starting point for the PAMCO:
I don't think it is electrical or ignition, but stranger things have happened with the initial start after a PMA conversion and that is why I recommend starting the engine with the PAMCO connected to a separate battery that is just sitting on the floor, not connected to the PMA, so try that to eliminate the PMA as the source of the problem.
The blackened plugs almost certainly indicate a carb problem of some sort, so time to fess up...
...what did you do to the carbs? It's OK...you're among friends...you can tell us....The timing was spot on when I had the old rotor on there. The Pamco was turned as far counter clockwise as possible to make that happen.......man, I really dont want to fish that thing out of the trash.
The carbs.......well the last thing I want to do is post about tuning VM's since this site is drowning in info already......but I messed around with those things for months before getting them right. In the end, everything was very "typical" with my tuning, jets, adjustments, etc. I really thought I had everything squared away until this happened.
I'll hook up the battery like ya suggest......and I'll be back with the results.
Thanks again
The carbs.......well the last thing I want to do is post about tuning VM's since this site is drowning in info already......but I messed around with those things for months before getting them right. In the end, everything was very "typical" with my tuning, jets, adjustments, etc. I really thought I had everything squared away until this happened.
I'll hook up the battery like ya suggest......and I'll be back with the results.
Thanks again
pamcopete
Ride.Enjoy.Life is Simple
antblyme,
Well, if the timing was spot on with the stock rotor before you removed it, then it's spot on now. If the carbs were working great and you didn't do anything rude to them, then they are OK now as well. That just leaves the PMA, and although I cannot imagine how the PMA could cause your problem, that's the only thing you changed, so run the PAMCO off of the battery, and just for good measure, disconnect the PMA to completely eliminate it as a cause.
If you ever want to give yourself a little more room to set the timing on the PAMCO (not now, but after you fix this problem) then loosen the nuts on both the PAMCO rotor and the slotted disk on the advance side and then hold the rotor tightly clockwise as you tighten the nuts. That will give you all of the free play available to set the timing.
Well, if the timing was spot on with the stock rotor before you removed it, then it's spot on now. If the carbs were working great and you didn't do anything rude to them, then they are OK now as well. That just leaves the PMA, and although I cannot imagine how the PMA could cause your problem, that's the only thing you changed, so run the PAMCO off of the battery, and just for good measure, disconnect the PMA to completely eliminate it as a cause.
If you ever want to give yourself a little more room to set the timing on the PAMCO (not now, but after you fix this problem) then loosen the nuts on both the PAMCO rotor and the slotted disk on the advance side and then hold the rotor tightly clockwise as you tighten the nuts. That will give you all of the free play available to set the timing.
