Thumper Club Forum
Technical => Bike Problems/Questions => Topic started by: Itsme on January 21, 2022, 11:24:26 AM
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Hi All
Getting fed up now with niggling electrical faults on the Mighty Midget. Took it for an MOT and it failed on three minors (missing split pin in the front wheel nut which must have not been put back last time I had the wheel off, tight throttle cable raising engine revs slightly when turned to the right) and the rear side light (position lamp) dimming in time with the indicators.
This morning I have re-made all of the connections to the rear light, improved the earth connection, checked battery voltage, charging etc and even with the engine running it still dims. The frustrating thing is it is only ever so slight and on a sunny day probably wouldn't be noticeable.
I'm not sure what to try next to be honest. Any thoughts or suggestions very welcome.
Spartacian
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A full rewire 🤷???🤷???
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Hi Michael
To be honest you are probably right but then if I do a rewire the frame could do with powder coating to stop the continual rust. If I do that then whilst the motor is out I should really check it over see if I can stop it burning oil. If I do that I should perhaps have a look at the wheels, see if new rims would look better. If I do that the paintwork generally could do with a re-paint. And so on and so on.
I think today I am just fed up with working on the flippin' thing all the time and would kill to have my Honda CRF250 Rally back ( kill the scrote who nicked it after it was only six weeks old). But when I have got it sorted and the sun is out and the roads are dry I will love it again.
I have now re-wired the rear light and indicators with better earths, re-earthed the front indicators and pilot light and changed the fuse holder. I have ordered a new battery as the one on the Midget may be older than I remember. Honestly can't think of anything else.
Spartacian
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Aye Spartacian,
Make sure the main earth strap from the battery to the frame and the frame to the engine is made from a good heavy guage copper wire, with crimped, soldered and heat shrunk terminals attached. That the frame and engine cases beneath the terminals are clean bare metal, with stainless steel or clean steel fixings, with either serrated washers or spring washers that "bite" into the cleaned metal and keep the fasteners tight. Finally, once tightened, spary librally with ACF50 and cover with a good "dod" of petroleum jelly.
New batteries etc. will not cure the problems if the main earth is suspect.
My apologies if this is telling my Grandmother how to suck eggs!
Good health to you and the Mighty Midget, Bill
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Apologies not necessary Bill as despite re-making the earth connections to the lamps etc the one thing I didn't do was check the main earth! Guess what I'm going to do first thing in the morning.
Thanks
Spartacian
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I agree almost certainly earth although if you're testing without the engine running and the battery is past the first flush of youth (aren't we all?) it may just be that it can't keep up with the load.
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Thanks both.
I checked the main earth, cleaned it all up and know it now to be fine. I do think my battery is suspect so I've ordered a replacement anyway as there are signs of one being needed.
Once the new battery is in place I hope all the work I have done on redoing earths will solve the problem, if not I am officially stumped.
Will let you know when the battery arrives and has been fitted.
Spartacian
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Fingers crossed! ;)
Bill
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Hi fellas
Some years ago I went on a first aid course and the tutor started by teaching us the difference between 'sort of dead' and 'proper dead'.
Well I have moved from 'sort of fed up' to 'proper fed up' with this bloomin' dimming light.
So far I have;
Replaced all earths for indicators to separate, good earth points.
Replaced earth connections for front and rear lights to separate, good earth points.
Cleaned and re-made main earth cable connections to battery.
Put on new battery (which it needed anyway).
Checked charging.
So where do I go from here? I did notice that the neutral light dims slightly when the brake light is applied or the indicators switched on. Is this a clue? Even though I have cleaned the main earth to the battery and engine cases is it possible that the cable itself is at fault? Do the electrickery Pixies just hate me? Should I take out a huge loan and buy a brand new Honda?
Any and all help really appreciated chaps as a grown man crying in his own garage is so undignified.
Spartacian
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Quick update. It isn't the main earth strap as I found one from a Honda and tried that and same result. I even tried putting a cable directly from the engine earth to the frame and no better.
I am honestly at my wits end. If I had another bike this one would go into the back of the garage to gather dust and be forgotten about.
Spartacian.
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Does it happen when the engine is running (charging) or only when it's running off the battery? I've spent months fitting LED indicators to the ES2 - will recount the whole saga sometime - but found that the flasher unit needed 6.4 volts to work. If I put the (non-lED) brake light on it dropped the voltage so that the indicators wouldn't work.
I finally fixed it with a step-up voltage device from ebay - about £4 for three. This works brilliantly even with a half-flat battery. As I have 2 spare, if you let me have your postal address I'll send you one. It might work for you.......
These are the chaps: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/334237098344 (https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/334237098344)
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Hi Ian
That is very kind of you. It does do it when the engine is running but lessens to virtually nothing as the revs rise to 5 or 6 thousand.
My address is;
55 Columbia Avenue
Sutton in Ashfield
Notts
NG17 2GZ
I have never heard of these step up devices so it will be interesting to try one. If you won't let me cover the cost I will stand you a beverage of your choice some time.
Thanks
Spartacian (Smith by the way)
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I’m sorry to hear about your wiring woes Ian, nothing more frustrating. If it were me I’d defo rip the lot off and rewire it. Don’t throw good money after bad and don’t waste anymore of your time messing with it. Once you’ve bought the materials required to wire it, you’d probably have it completely done in a weekend, especially given that you’ll have the original harness to work from. Plus once it’s done you can ride around happy in the knowledge that it’ll keep going hassle free for a few more years to come. Best of luck with it. Oh and don’t let it wear you down 👍👍
Cheers Michael
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Thanks Michael I appreciate the encouragement. It would be worth doing as other than this silly fault I love the Mighty Midget and intend to hang onto it for a good while to come.
Spartacian
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I'll get one in the post today. And look forward to the beverage......
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Thanks Ian much appreciated.
Spartacian
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I would try a different mot station... :-\
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No problem - on its way. You'll see when you get it that it has input and oputput + and -, and output + and -. The two negatives are connected together so you don't need to do anything with the output one. There is a little brass screwhead sticking out of a blue component which is a very fine adjustment - if I remember correctly it starts at around 16 volts and drops as you turn it clockwise. It seems fairly insensitive to the input voltage. I've set the output of mine to 7 volts (6 volt system).
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Thanks Ian I will let you know how I go on.
Spartacian
P.S. Rufus that comes next!
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Hi Ian
Just to let you know the booster arrived this morning thank you so I will keep you informed.
Spartacian
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P.S. Rufus that comes next!
I assume my suggestion is last on the list Ian 🤣😉
Best o luck with the booster thingy 🤞🤞
Cheers, Michael
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Agree with you there, spooky.The last time I took the XBR in for MoT, I forgot the nyloc nut on the brake torque arm. The tester put one on for me and she passed.
Years ago and I forget the bike, I got failed on loose head bearings. I didn't agree, but said nothing, took it home and back for a retest having done nothing. Pass.
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Hi Michael
A full rewire is the only answer and I know it, but right now I am sick of working on this bike so won't give it that much time and attention. If I can get a year's grace by putting 12 months MOT on it somewhere else then I might get my enthusiasm back enough to do the job.
It does seem the variable quality of MOT testers leads to some confusion as to what is and isn't ok. I once had a bike fail so took it somewhere else and it passed, how is that a good system? Seems to me it is better to know you are getting a dodgy MOT than think you are going to somewhere reputable and get a dodgy one anyway. Back in the 80s we all used to use a certain garage for MOTs as the joke was if you sent them a photo of your bike and a cheque you would get an MOT by return of post and it was nearly true.
Spartacian
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Yes, think we’ve all known one of those MOT testers before. We had one (or two 😁) in Bradford back in the 80’s. The one I used to go to used simply sit on your bike wheel it forward, pull on the brake. If it stopped. It passed 🤦???🤦???🤣.... oh those weren’t daze
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In the late 90's early noughties-we used to ride about 20 miles to a garage in Cleobury Mortimer (Shrops) where the tester would send you off to the local tea room and we never failed to collect our pass certificate 30 minutes later. We were forced to do this when the local bike shop in Stourbridge -where you would always get a pass-closed down.
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earth the lights directly onto the frame and check the earth from the battery to the frame, you can leave the existing earths in place, but clearly theres some resistance in the wiring connections of the loom. you could try and re make all the loom earths to the various points on the frame, but id just add an additional earth direct to the chassis as it will let you get it mot'd quicker.
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Thanks John
I have re-made the earths from the lights to the frame already but I think I will move the main earth from the battery as it goes to the engine case on the right hand side so could be less efficient that it needs to be. I will find a good point on the frame for it I think.
Spartacian