Triumphrat

I have a 95 Trophy 4 with 53k miles on it. I love riding this thing, have done a lot of upgrades, but it has shaken my confidence to where I am afraid that I can't trust it. On 3 occasions last year it left me stranded, just sputtered a bit and died. Fortunately, it never left me in a dangerous situation, just stuck. The starter will spin the motor until the battery is dead. But the next morning, hit the starter button and it cranks right up and runs fine for months. It waited 6 months between the first and second occasions, then 3 months between the second and third stoppage. I replaced the ignition crank sensor after the second stoppage and thought I had it fixed until it did it again (on my 10 year anniversary ride, no less!) I have contacted Triumph, they had no information on this condition. On all 3 occasions it was in places and times where I couldn't just transport the bike to the shop while it was still in the non-running condition, and when it starts the next day, there is no malfunction to find. I'm frustrated. Anybody have a similar experience? I thought about replacing the ignitor until the shop told me it cost over $1,000.00. HELP!

idahotb

Mikey-
Are you sure it's electrical. Someone smarter than I once said "Hardest electrical fault to fix is the carborator". Could it be fuel starvation? Vaccum locks will correct themselves overnight. When it died did you ever crack the gas cap and listen for a hiss of inrushing air? Just a thought because thats a fairly common cause of the described behavior.

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My album

Yes, hotb, the first thing I checked was a vacuum lock. I had an old BMW that did that, had me baffled for the longest time. The first time the Trophy quit running I immediately popped the fuel filler cap, but to no avail. The way it shuts down, with just a second of sputter, then nothing, leads me to think it is electrical, not fuel.

MickMaguire

I was tempted to say vapour lock too.

What condition is your vacuum line in? Did you try switching to "PRI"?

Contact Sprint amnufacturing in the UK on the ignitor they may well be able to sell you one at a much more attractive price.

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Mick...

Just remember; an awful lot of the free advice you will get on forums is worth exactly what you paid for it. There will always be somebody trying to convince you to do something really stupid, just because they did it or want to do it.

Timtiger

Here is another train of thought. I had a steamer Tiger and I seem to remember in the back of my mind that the very early Hinkley bikes had a problem with engine heat affecting the fueling. Rather than a vacuum in the tank causing no fuel to flow, this causes the carbs to get hot and the fuel vaporises in the float bowl and they just wont deliver a mix that fires. When it all cools down, off she goes. I seem to recall Triumph did not do a recall, but they began to put more metallic heat shielding under the tank.

If it happens, touch the carbs and see if they feel hot. Have you made any carb, airbox mods or aded anything that would affect the airflow across the engine???

Also, if the Igniter box (ECU) is dodgy, it should record this and tell the mechanic when interrogated with the handheld thingy. If this looks like the culprit, maybe you could find a very friendly wrecker (breaker) and borrow one to try.

Just a thought.

MickMaguire

hmm... it would on your tiger but unless I am very mistaken it wont on the carbed bikes, different setup & different tool. Your Tiger is a complete management system the Carb bikes just have a simple electronic ignition.

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Mick...

Just remember; an awful lot of the free advice you will get on forums is worth exactly what you paid for it. There will always be somebody trying to convince you to do something really stupid, just because they did it or want to do it.

Timtiger

You are probably right. It has been a while since I lived with Carbs.

tango

Fuel vapourisation was a common fault with the old Morris Minor and Traveller, (remember them) it was down to the fuel lines running too close to the exhaust system.
Not so sure it's the cause here.

Dirt in the carb's or fuel lines may be a possibilty!.

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davie.

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MickMaguire

I definately think it's heat related in one way or another: the heat is either screwing up the electrics (open connection) or causing a vapour lock of some sort (that was a good suggestion) - was it hot (weather wise) when this happened? Or it's interfering with the vaccum line to the petcock (letting air in when it gets hot) and essentially shutting off the fuel (that's why I asked about the PRI).

Let us know what you find?

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Mick...

Just remember; an awful lot of the free advice you will get on forums is worth exactly what you paid for it. There will always be somebody trying to convince you to do something really stupid, just because they did it or want to do it.

grandpa

My '03 America does not like water. (Lucas anyone?)
After riding in a hurricane or simply washing the bike in the driveway, it won't start, no spark.
Changing out the Igniter at $1000 may be an option, but i think it should stay faulted, not return to life once the bike drys out.
It's like the engine is dis-abled, if i had an alarm installed.
The pick up has a pulse, and the throttle position sensor has an output, from there it goes to the Igniter and then coils.
What the heck?