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Author Topic: Dragonfly won't start  (Read 972 times)

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Offline Kev Dog

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Dragonfly won't start
« on: 01 May 2022 at 21:03 »
I'm getting spark at the plugs, and I squirted fuel in the spark plug holes, and into the intake. I can smell fuel.
I dont get as much as a fart.
The points and condenser have been replaced. Somebody sent me resistor plugs, don't have resistor caps though.
The top end is new, except pistons and rings. The pistons looked fine. A shop sold me some rings, but they had  good gap. Cylinders honed. The compression ratio is like 60, I thought if I could start it, the rings would bed in and compression get better. But it won't start! With the spark plug out, I can feel the pop of compression and the spark is about the same tome, so my timing has to be close?
I was so careful to set the distributor, and don't relish taking all that apart to re set distributor. The company in Australia has new pistons and rings and I'm seriously considering that as 60psi seems extremely low. Thoughts? Kjsisterson at Yahoo. 7
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Offline Kev Dog

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Re: Dragonfly won't start
« Reply #1 on: 01 May 2022 at 21:22 »
Pics attached?



Images aspect ratio fixed and converted to linked file - Dave, 02May2022
« Last Edit: 02 May 2022 at 07:26 by Dave »
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Offline Clive

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Re: Dragonfly won't start
« Reply #2 on: 01 May 2022 at 23:55 »
swap the plug leads over you may have timed it 180 degrees out easely done
Regards
Clive
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Offline EW-Ron

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Re: Dragonfly won't start
« Reply #3 on: 02 May 2022 at 01:46 »
Like that idea of swapping the plug leads over.

Compressions should always be tested HOT, with the throttle wide open.
If it hasn't even been run yet, don't even think of doing anything about new pistons !

And if you think the compression readings are low, add a teaspoon of oil to each cylinder,
turn it over a few times, and test again.
If the compression readings jump, considerably, then the rings are either shot or haven't bedded in yet.
Being a horizontal flat twin, the oil may not lube the 'tops' of the rings so well, so you may only get half a result.
Hopethishelps.

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Offline patrickwhitty

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Dragonfly won't start
« Reply #4 on: 04 May 2022 at 05:00 »
This may be too obvious but when I bought my Dragonfly I had a lot of trouble getting it to run. In the end I gave it new spark plugs, and it started immediately. One of the plugs was sparking when it was sitting on the engine but seemed not to spark when fitted.
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Offline Kev Dog

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Re: Dragonfly won't start
« Reply #5 on: 09 May 2022 at 00:39 »
Thank you every one. The issue was the timing was too far advanced. I set the timing with the old points which were too worn to function. Then I installed new points, and I had much better consistent spark but no fire so to speak. It revs cleanly. Look for the next post about the clutch...
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