Shovel hard acceleration plus backfires
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4th Gear
Joined: May 2017
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
From: north of the border
Shovel hard acceleration plus backfires
Im trying to get a 75 shovel that I just bought on the road and there's a few problems I can't fix with the limited mech skills I have.
It starts fine. A bit hard but when it's warm it's acting up. First it goes, hesitates then it wants to die. I try to accelerate but I get the stuttering and the backfires. It won't even go in first without heavy clutch action.
The plugs are black so I'm guessing to rich and I've tested the charging system.
4 pin stator.
Wh to wh = 65V a/c
Bl to Rd = 105V a/c
Points are good.
Can't say about the condenser
Didn't test the coil.
Can someone help me out with troubleshooting.?
It starts fine. A bit hard but when it's warm it's acting up. First it goes, hesitates then it wants to die. I try to accelerate but I get the stuttering and the backfires. It won't even go in first without heavy clutch action.
The plugs are black so I'm guessing to rich and I've tested the charging system.
4 pin stator.
Wh to wh = 65V a/c
Bl to Rd = 105V a/c
Points are good.
Can't say about the condenser
Didn't test the coil.
Can someone help me out with troubleshooting.?
Intermediate
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 32
Likes: 5
From: East Hartford Ct.
What are you running for a carb. If your plugs are Sooty black you're definitely running rich. Wet black would be oil contamination. The first thing I would do is properly adjust the carb,check the points,Clean and lubricate the advance unit, REPLACE the condenser. The condensers manufactured today are garbage. The best thing I ever did to my shovel was converting her to electronic ignition. That solved a whole shitload of issues....Good luck with it.
Thread Starter
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4th Gear
Joined: May 2017
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
From: north of the border
What are you running for a carb. If your plugs are Sooty black you're definitely running rich. Wet black would be oil contamination. The first thing I would do is properly adjust the carb,check the points,Clean and lubricate the advance unit, REPLACE the condenser. The condensers manufactured today are garbage. The best thing I ever did to my shovel was converting her to electronic ignition. That solved a whole shitload of issues....Good luck with it.
Intermediate
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 32
Likes: 5
From: East Hartford Ct.
Hell yeah it matters if it's getting the points covered in oil. Clean them up good with a blast of brake cleaner.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 10,289
Likes: 7,773
From: West Central FL
Change the condenser and if it's skipping check for points bounce and suspect the coil. If the coil or condenser are causing the miss remember that even though the engine doesn't fire gas is still being dumped into the cylinder. When that extra gas fires it can cause symptoms of running rich. And while you have that stuff out of the cone, replace the oil seal. You shouldn't have oil flying around in there.
Remember - gas, air and spark in the proper ratio makes it run well. Work on one thing at a time. The easiest are points, plugs and condenser so start there. And while you have that stuff out of the cone, replace the oil seal. You shouldn't have oil flying around in there.
Last edited by Hey Man; Jun 17, 2017 at 05:49 PM.
Thread Starter
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4th Gear
Joined: May 2017
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
From: north of the border
First step. You have a manual, right?
Change the condenser and if it's skipping check for points bounce and suspect the coil. If the coil or condenser are causing the miss remember that even though the engine doesn't fire gas is still being dumped into the cylinder. When that extra gas fires it can cause symptoms of running rich. And while you have that stuff out of the cone, replace the oil seal. You shouldn't have oil flying around in there.
Remember - gas, air and spark in the proper ratio makes it run well. Work on one thing at a time. The easiest are points, plugs and condenser so start there. And while you have that stuff out of the cone, replace the oil seal. You shouldn't have oil flying around in there.
Change the condenser and if it's skipping check for points bounce and suspect the coil. If the coil or condenser are causing the miss remember that even though the engine doesn't fire gas is still being dumped into the cylinder. When that extra gas fires it can cause symptoms of running rich. And while you have that stuff out of the cone, replace the oil seal. You shouldn't have oil flying around in there.
Remember - gas, air and spark in the proper ratio makes it run well. Work on one thing at a time. The easiest are points, plugs and condenser so start there. And while you have that stuff out of the cone, replace the oil seal. You shouldn't have oil flying around in there.
I've gotten back to troubleshooting again after I've changed a bad coil. It was all cracked up and fixed the bad sparking and backfires. But now when I ride it at idle or even at highway speed it dies while I'm driving. I stop on the side of the road and it starts again. I'M thinking bad stator/rectifier? or ground issue. The stator is reading 105v AC. I think I'm supposed to have 120v AC?
Club Member
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 66,125
Likes: 51,446
From: Niles Canyon Ca.
Sounds like it's starving for gas. Drain the tank and pull the petcock, even bet the filter screens gummed up. Also check the right side gas cap and make sure the vent isn't plugged up.
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