Melted Breaker Points

[Tomterrific]

Make sure timing is not retarded. That will make an engine run hot.

Tom

 

[650Skull]

I think running the bike in stop start city traffic for 45 min in 90 degree heat has a major affect on the engine .............Totally agree Peanut. In these conditions the Boyer, Chinese made board could well be suspect

 

[Gator xs2]

My air cooled motors don’t sit in traffic. I shut em down. But I still think it’s inferior plastic.

 

[authenticnovelty]

For the morning of the incident... I had just done timing chain, valves, point gap and engine timing (with a light) and changed the oil the previous day, before getting an annual inspection. I agree I probably do not have the right bike for the my riding scenario (air cooled) around New York City I honestly do try to shut the engine off at stoplights and in scenarios where I may get 30 seconds or more... However, just want to note that again, today I spent a total of 5+ hours cumulatively idling in unexpected gridlocked traffic through Brooklyn, Manhattan and the Bronx, caused by the people fleeing New York City for 4th of July. This was exacerbated by a garbage truck that had fallen off of an overpass in New Jersey, blocking off public transit through the Lincoln Tunnel out of the city and thereby causing even greater additional congestions to all other access points for most of the day. in a miserable soaking sweat walking the bike idling between my legs with the clutch pulled in again, but I can confirm that the assumed 40 year old points I reinstalled looked fine the several times I checked them today. Not ideal riding, but so far so good on these old timers.

 

[peanut]

I think running the bike in stop start city traffic for 45 min in 90 degree heat has a major affect on the engine .............Totally agree Peanut. In these conditions the Boyer, Chinese made board could well be suspect

I hadn't realised that the boards were made in China... I had assumed that they were made in house . The plot thickens
So they are probably as high temperature resistant as a chocolate teapot

 

[peanut]

However, just want to note that again, today I spent a total of 5+ hours cumulatively idling in unexpected gridlocked traffic through Brooklyn, Manhattan and the Bronx, caused by the people fleeing New York City for 4th of July. This was exacerbated by a garbage truck that had fallen off of an overpass in New Jersey,

strewth .........5 Hours ! are you serious ?.....are you not allowed to thread through traffic in NY ?
I don't know about the engine but you must have been thoroughly cooked as well ...

 

[authenticnovelty]

Lane splitting (or lane sharing for those with fears of negative connotations) is only legal in California and Utah. It doesn't stop most motorcyclists from doing it when necessary, but you have to pick your battles between getting ticketed or sideswiped or rear-ended. Haven't yet reached the same comfort levels with it as others. I like the idea of "threading" though. It sounds positive like sharing, but also productive like it is.

Admittedly these are all very abnormal circumstance. Each direction of the trip was almost doubled on the FDR and Westside highways, then the local streets were filled with additional holiday traffic trying to filter through and avoid the highway. Just happened to be the day I set aside for running errands... These are the times fault tolerances are designed for.

 

[xjwmx]

I happily enjoy the mass transit NYC has to offer...

 

[Tomterrific]

Did you grease the point cam? Did you put a drop or two of oil on the felts? I was a mechanic on trucks, planes, equipment, and marine back in the late 60's thru 70's. I fixed many cars and bikes on the side of the road because the points were closed. In almost every case the poor owner said it couldn't be the points because he just had it tuned. :-( The problem was installing the points without lube. I like to grease the point cam with merely a fingerprint of grease in front of each point. The rubbing block will scoop it up like a snow plow and the points will have lube right where needed.

If it is lubed it won't wear out.

Tom