S'funny Raymond, it starts as an itch but the more we scratch, it becomes a rash! I feel your irritation as, like me, you started with a simple symptom and now it needs a full prognosis and remedy!While I was at it, decided to have a look at the coil.
Buried in the middle of the bike, feared I might have to start removing battery box, toolboxes etc to get it out. You get to the top of it by removing the seat and the Boyer Power box. Started to remove the LT leads and to my surprise (!) the whole bloody coil was turning. Reach under it, push up and out she comes.
View attachment 220409
Held not very tightly by a metal strap against the mudguard:
View attachment 220410
As you will probably have noticed, the coil is minging - oily and dirty. Would that be a problem? I'm thinking, leaking charge?
Anyhow, tested with a multimeter, primary resistance 3.5 Ω, secondary 7.6 KΩ. For the Bullet, told to expect 7-8 KΩ so that's pretty healthy.
Also checked a new spare Lucas coil wot I needlessly invested in 'coz it was cheap - pretty much the same numbers.
Slapped all back together. Tried to start. But it won't. Enough. Back in the garage in shame.
The result of all this fiddling, an hour ago, bike started and the revs did not race. I have the throttle stop a bit too far out, mental note to play with and optimise the tick-over. But went for a short test ride to the next village and back. Might be imagining it but the wee Bullet seems to be running better than ever.
Oh Poop!Hmmmm.
Put the brand new coil in. Repeated the spark gap test - better, visible spark at 4.5 mm, so the spark voltage is maybe about double?
But the flaming bike still won't start . . .
You might want to give the carb a pint so it can relax whilst soaking in the spa.It's Sunday morning and there's no progress to report but.
Firstly, an interesting and helpful suggestion from the Unofficial RE Community forum - give a squirt of carb cleaner. If the bike starts and runs for a few seconds, the problem is carb, blocked jets or what have you. If still won't start, electrical gremlin somewhere.
Don't have any carb cleaner but could use brake cleaner or WD40 or even petrol in a spray bottle.
But before all that, going to try the new ultrasonic cleaner. Give the carb a warm spa bath in carb cleaning fluid with ultrasonic waves to loosen the grime.
Might be fun even if it doesn't give a breakthrough.
You forgot the pint, didn't you?If there's one thing more useless than a motorbike that don't go, it must be owner of said motorbike. But enough with the self chastisement already.
After drying off the carb and waiting till I thought it had dried out, re-assembled, back in the bike - access for this kind of thing is so easy on this old timer - tried a start. Nuffin'. In fact, kicked and kicked till I was fed up.
Coz I didn't blow compressed air, I think there might be some water, or worse some evil amalgam of water, carb cleaning fluid and petrol in the carb's internal passageways.
Sitting in a 100°C oven right now . . .