i fitted a new PAMCO to my 1980sg got the timing right with a timing wheel but now it will idle but wont rev over 5000 reves so i took it to a bike machanic in brisbane called ELLASPEDE to check it out first thing he showed me was 4 other bikes with PAMCO ignitions and said they are shit and and dont work real well and he was converting these 4 back to point or puting a boyer branson on instead ! has anyone else had this problem ?for the life of me i carnt work out why it will idle but wont rev hard under load .thanks triumph68
1. Which PAMCO do you have?
2. If PMA, then battery or capacitor?
3. Was the bike originally a US TCI engine or points?
4. What octane gas are you using?
5. Which carbs do you have installed?
6. Any mods to the exhaust or air filters?
7. What gear and road speed does the problem occur?
8. What was the most recent work done to the engine besides the PAMCO?
9. Have you tried going up one size for the main jets in the carbs?
10. What is the battery / capacitor voltage at 5,000 RPM?
11. Have the ignition switch and kill switch contacts been cleaned? Ever?
12. What is the altitude where you are?
13. New spark plugs? What type?
14. When you say it won't rev past 5,000 RPM, what does it do? Misses? Backfires?
15. Which coil are you using?
16. Did you do a continuity check from one spark plug cap to the other?
17. Did you check for full advance at 3,200 RPM?
18. Are you using a timing light with a built in preset for the timing?
19. If yes to #18, then set the preset to zero and check the timing again.
20. Timing chain adjusted recently?
21. Valves adjusted recently?
22. Sprocket ratio?
23. Throttle fully opens?
If you installed the PMA at the same time as the PAMCO, then several issues could come into focus:
1. How did you establish the timing marks?
2. Does the rotor of the PMA have a key to the crankshaft?
3. Are you using a battery or a capacitor?
4. What is the battery / capacitor Voltage at 5,000 RPM?
5. If a capacitor, then what is the capacity and brand of capacitor?
There can be issues with the PMA that manifest themselves as ignition problems. One way to split the difference is to temporarily disconnect the PMA regulator and run the ignition from a fully charged battery.
Here is a list of other things to check for lack of fast road speed:
1. Low battery / charging system. A low battery will produce a low ignition voltage at the plugs which is most evident at higher RPM's.
2. Timing. Did you use a timing light to set the timing?
3. Stuck or no advance. When checking the timing with the timing light, did you check for maximum advance at 3,000 RPM.
4. Binding advance rod.
5. Fouled plugs. Did you install new plugs? Check them after you got it running?
6. Plug wire not making contact in the coil. Measure the resistance from plug cap to plug cap to ensure that both plug wires are making contact in the coil.
7. Brakes dragging.
8. Speedo out of calibration. You are actually going faster than 60 MPH! Use your GPS to check the speedo.
9. Tire pressure. Pump up to 32 PSI for high speed.
10. Drive chain too tight. That will rob you of power to the rear wheel.
11. Enricher plunger stuck partially on.
12. Enricher (choke) left on or partially on.
13. Weak or loose advance springs. Weak or loose advance springs cause the advance to use up some of the available movement because you have to essentially retard the advance to get it on the idle advance mark, so there is less movement available at higher RPM's.
14. Timing chain needs adjustment.
15. Cheap or bad gas.
16. Low octane gas.
17. Water in the gas.
18. Partially blocked pet cock or fuel filter.
19. Paper filter that has low flow when the tank is not full.
20. Try a run with a full tank of high octane, fresh, expensive gas.
21. Blocked fuel cap vent.
22. Incorrect sprockets. What RPM are you getting at 60 MPH.
23. Rear tire rubbing on brake rod or swing arm.
24. High wind resistance. Are you a large person?
25. Throttle cable not fully opening the throttles.
26. Blockage in the muffler(s)
27. Dirty or blocked air filters
28. High altitude
29. Very hot air, like 95+F
30. Very cold air, like 32F
31. Low oil
32. Really dirty oil
33. Gas in the oil
34. Weak TCI magnet in rotor. Unplug Reg/Rect to test
35. Cracked carb boots.
36. Hole in carb diaphragm(s)
37. Cheap pods covering air hole in carb inlet