The 83 is up and running again.

[frankd]

For about the last year, the 83 that my brother uses has been without spark for the back 2 cylinders. I tested the ignition pickup coil and it was fine, so we needed a TCI. There was also some damaged fairing plastic that needed to be repaired. I looked for a TCI on Ebay, found one for a decent price and purchased it. Because when we lived near Joliet, IL, it was a 150 mile ride to my brothers, I tested the TCI in my 89. No spark to the rear 2 cylinders. I was able to return it and get my money back. I found a 2nd one, purchased it and tested it, and I thought the 89 was running on all 4. About this time we were selling our house and moving to TN. That made it 375 miles to my brother's house. Barb and I made the trip up and installed the replacement TCi. Again no spark on the rear cylinders. 6 hours of travelling, a couple of hours of trying the bad TCI and visiting, and then another 6 hours home. No fun. My brother has a motorcycle trailer, so I figured he could bring the bike and parts down to my house, and I could work on it and get it going. I figured I could ride it half way home and he could meet me and take the bike back home. He figured it'd be better for him to come down for a few days, get the bike running and I could show them some of the nice roads and lakes near here. A much better idea.

 

 

I searched Ebay again, and TCI's have gotten real expensive for some that looked like trash in the pictures. On another site, I found a couple of Ventures that were being parted out. One said that he'd sell me the TCI for a decent price and that he had the bike running before he sold the engine. When the TCI arrived, I tried it in the 89. It ran great above 3000 RPM, but below that the tach dropped back to zero and 2 cylinders went dead. I ran the bike for about 5 minutes, and the TCI started working better and better. I dried it out and tried it again. Sucess!!!!!!

 

My brother came down and we spent about a day installing the replacement TCI, adjusting the carbs, fixing the damaged plastic and putting it all back together. Yesterday we went for a 200 mile ride, and another 50 miles today and the bike runs great. We loaded it back on the trailer and now my brother's heading back home with a running machine. Hopefully he rides it more now.

 

Frank

Edited August 25, 2015 by frankd

[Flyinfool]

Cool, glad you got it going.

 

Did you put the TCI in the oven to bake all the moisture out?

Did you seal up the holes so that moisture does not get in again?

Did you move the TCI to a dry location?

Did you open the TCI to check the diodes for corrosion?

 

This is all easy to do when it is out of the bike.

[frankd]

Jeff,

 

I couldn't put it in the oven until Barb was finished cooking supper.....she had the oven @ 350 degrees. I do have a dark blue Econoline and it was warm and sunny, so I set the TCI on the roof and it was nice and warm.

 

No, I didn't seal up the holes. When I worked for Reynolds Aluminum I learned that no matter how well you thought you had someting sealed up, rolling solution would get in, and you were much better just making a way for it to drain out. I did seal up the edge of the cover that faces forward though. That plus the fact that my brother is a fair weather rider that doesn't ride in the rain should keep it dry enough.

 

No, I thought about mounting it on the air cleaner, but just put it back in the stock location......Mark doesn't ride in the rain.

 

No, the TCI was from an 86 and I just wanted to get 'er running again. That plus the fact that we moved to Tennessee in June and I haven't unpacked all my unsolder/solder equipment yet I just left it alone.

[BlueSky]

You're a good brother!