Pamco E-advance: big spark, wet plugs, no start :(

[BrookieDC]

Hello everyone,

I'm in the middle of a complete rewire and am completely stumped. I just bought a Pamco system with E-advance, and I'm using the PMA charging system I put in about a year ago. I have rewired the ignition and charging twice to troubleshoot the issue, and I have narrowed it down to the timing (I think). As the thread title implies, my spark plugs are firing very well, and they are wet when I pull them (so there is fuel... I think).

Charging system checks out fine. Re-gapped valves, adjusted cam chain. Only the charging and ignition systems are wired currently - no lights, signals, etc.

So since the spark is there, why isn't it running? This is a new ignition system. When I kick the bike over, sometimes I get a backfire after the motor stops spinning. I rotated the Pamco plate from one extreme to the other and everywhere in-between and it's still not starting. My feeling is that somehow the timing is way out of phase and is firing before there's fuel in the cylinders, or something like that.

It's an '83 SJ with all of the extraneous relays/safeties removed. It developed a glitch this spring that I thought was a ground gremlin but later determined to be a bad Boyer ignition. It would run fine for a mile or so, then it would only be able to run at idle speed - any added fuel would make it want to die. After I rewired, it ran just fine for about 10 minutes. The next time I started it, the same problem resurfaced. It would idle ok but die with any extra fuel. Then it would go back to running fine, and on and on. With the new coil and good charge system, I surmised that it was a faulty ignition and ordered the Pamco.

So I think it's a timing issue, but I don't know where to begin. Could the plate be backwards? I am one of the guilty ones who took the cover off the e-advance unit to inspect it and realized that I hadn't noted the orientation of the board to the cover, but the thread on this site says that the side with the microprocessor goes toward the sensor, and the side of the board that has the regulator/transistor goes towards the coil. Is this incorrect?

Thanks...

 

[smokedyerstang]

I don't have any experience with the e advance but it does sound like a timing issue..Have you double checked to see the timing marks are lined up at tdc?

 

[pamcopete]

BrookieDC,

Some suggestions:

1. It is very, VERY important that the copper cap that replaces the mechanical advancer is positioned properly and both slots engage the appropriate locating pins. The best way to achieve this VERY important detail is to attach and secure the copper cap to the end of the advance rod BEFORE installing the rod in the cam shaft and then tightening the nut that secures the rotor on the other end so that the advance rod does not move at all. It must be secure to the cam shaft with no movement at all. Review the installation instructions for pictures of this important installation step.

2. The cable nearest the 14 pin chip in the E-Advancer board goes to the sensor.
3. Start with the suggested plate position as shown in the instructions. Moving the plate from one extreme to the other will not make starting any easier.
4. If you have a PMA setup, especially with a capacitor, then temporarily wire the PAMCO E-Advancer to a separate battery sitting on the floor, not connected to the bikes charging system. The simplest way to do this is to pull the fuse for the PAMCO and / or turn off the kill switch and then just temporarily jumper the positive terminal from the separate battery to the positive terminal of the coil that is shared with the red wire from the PAMCO. Connect the negative wire from the battery to the frame ground.

 

[BrookieDC]

Thanks, Pete. It looks this is the problem:



I'm pretty sure that I put the copper cap on first, but perhaps I didn't take care to snug it down properly. The locating pin has gouged the copper cap and now the advance rod has about 90° of travel.

I'll email you about purchasing another. Thanks for the help.

 

[BrookieDC]

I actually ended up making a new one. It's running now. I'll let you know if any more problems arise. Thanks for the help!

 

[pamcopete]

BrookieDC,

OK. I'm glad you got it going, but PM your address and I will send you a new copper cap and washers just to be sure.