Electrical Issue

[1923Touring]

Hello all.
Last month the family decided to take a fall ride in the 23 touring. We went on our way and there was not the slightest hint of a problem. As I was approaching a stop sign (two miles from home), I slowed and used the low pedal neutral, but then all went silent and we coasted to the roadside. There was no backfire, no struggle. It just stopped. I have had no performance issues with the car prior to final assembly ~1,000 miles ago. When the car died I was running on magneto, so I attempted to start on battery with no luck. I realized quickly realized that the coils were not buzzing. I checked all of the clean new electrical connections and everything looked fine. My analogue multi meter told me power was going to the coils. Next I inspected the timer. There was a little bit of funny wear inside, but I figured that the engine would have died in a rough manner had the timer gone out. One a final note, upon returning to the shop, all of the coils were within specs and buzzing on the HCCT.
The stock electrical system is not very complicated. What am I missing?

Thank you,
Joshua

[Bill Dizer]

Timing gear? With the timer off, check that the end of the camshaft is turning when you crank it.

[1923Touring]

I forgot to mention that I am running an aluminum timing gear. I did check though, and the camshaft still turns.

[Steve Jelf]

I gather you checked for current from the ignition switch at the terminal on the coil box. Check the timer terminals to see if it's getting there. If not, there's a disconnect in the box. If there is current reaching the timer terminals but the coils don't buzz, look for something amiss in the timer.

[Mark Gregush]

Jiggle the key a bit.

[Steve Jelf]

Jiggle the key a bit.

My first thought was the switch too, but he says power is getting to the coils. I'll be interested to see how this turns out.

[Mark Gregush]

Sure re the coils, but it could be in the spot that works. I have one like that, works fine if the key is just right, but move it just a little and deadsville. What kind of timer; brush or roller or? If roller maybe the spring is missing and not making contact.

[Norman Kling]

Get a piece of wire with aligator clips on it and with the key OFF clip one end of the wire to the bottom connection of the coil box and the other end to a hot wire energized by the battery. As you turn over the engine the coils should buzz and it should start on battery. If that is the case, your problem is between the switch and the coil box. If it still won't buzz, the problem would be in the coil box or the timer. Since it doesn't run on either battery or magneto, I would suspect a problem in the switch.
Norm

[1923Touring]

Okay guys, the problem was found. I took a closer look at the timer like Steve suggested, but it grounded and worked as it should. As I had said earlier, I had measured 6 volts off of the bottom coil box terminal (inside the box), but they still did not buzz. I finally caved and pulled the coil box and found the problem. As you know the power goes in through the insulated terminal, travels through a wire, and is distributed to the coils via the copper bar. The soldered connection between the input terminal and the wire failed causing intermittent connections. A new piece of wire and a solder job got it running again. Thank you guys for the ideas and suggestions that led to this find.

Joshua

[greenacres36]

I cannot believe your story! Last week the exact same thing happened to me. I was cruising down the road about 35 mile an hour move the throttle up about half an inch coming close to a stop sign and the engine just turned off. No backfire no misfire no nothing. I ran the battery down cranking it. So I went out and gave it about three turns with the crank and it fired right up. Had fuel coming out the bottom of the Carburetor when I checked and everything. I put in a new wiring harness. I still haven’t driven it much yet. It’s crazy to hear your story. Best of luck.

[Steve Jelf]

...the engine just turned off. No backfire no misfire no nothing.

The few times I've had that kind of sudden death it was always a broken circuit, usually due to a loose connection.

[Norman Kling]

Brian,
Your case sounds like a flooding issue rather than electrical. When you had the throttle part way closed going downhill, you were still drawing in too rich mixture and so it flooded. Grinding away with the starter, probably unflooded it and then when you cranked it, you got lucky. I would look at the float lever or possibility of stuck float. Stuck open. Or the needle valve was set too rich.
Norm

[greenacres36]

Not to hijack the original poster but I was using a Kingston carburetor and I’m wondering if the flapper thing in there didn’t get stuck in the up position or something like that. I had a rebuilt Harley NHI put on now and see how it goes.