• NEW USERS: If you haven't received your Confirmation Email: There has been an ongoing issue with the forum's send mail function and many new users haven't received the email to confirm their registration. I've done my best to manually process these, so there's a good chance if you've signed up in the past 30 days that you've already been validated and can proceed with posting on the forum (don't forget to introduce yourself!). If you still can't get in, please use the Contact Us link on the bottom of any page to send me a message and I'll process you manually. Thanks for your patience! ~Jerk

bullet Electra x

3

350bulletwala

Finally made it
Location
southall
Hello,
what should the engine compression pressure be for the Bullet Electra x 500 ?
I am getting 90 psi on mine.
I have spark at the plug, fuel going through (wet plug),air cleaner is clean,
can't get the engine to fire.
Kick starting it (electric starter taken out by previous owner).
Any help appreciated.
Thanks
 
Bluestrom13

Bluestrom13

Well travelled
Location
- - 'Coventry'
Last edited:
3

350bulletwala

Finally made it
Location
southall
Ooops, forgot to hold the throttle wide open,
pressure now reads about 110psi after 5-6 kicks.
Still won't start , kicks back and loud noise through the carb.
I have checked the tappets. timing marks match up on the timing gears.
Amal carb stripped and cleaned etc.
:unsure: Not sure what to do next?
 
smilespergallon

smilespergallon

Well travelled
Location
Durham, NC
Have you checked ignition timing?

That kick back makes me thing something is timed wrong, on old V8s it would be the distributor installed 180 degrees out. This sends the spark at the TDC when valves are open instead of at the TDC when valves are closed.
 
Alan F.

Alan F.

Well travelled
Location
North of Boston, MA
Has this engine been apart as far as you know?
I'd pull the plugs and look for TDC on cylinder 1 compared to the timing marks, it could be off on cam timing too so check cam timing.

Is the ignition located on the cam or crank on those?
 
3

350bulletwala

Finally made it
Location
southall
The bike had been standing for a few years when I bought it.
I don't know if the engine has been apart.
I fitted a new plug, lead, coil, new battery, changed the oil etc.
It did not start.
So I took the plug out, set the piston at tdc on compression stroke,
adjusted the tappets, checked the timing gears and the timing dots matched up ok,
as said before carb stripped, cleaned and refitted.
Its fitted with a tci ignition which is new. I don't think you can adjust anything?
 
3

350bulletwala

Finally made it
Location
southall
Yes I can see and smell petrol on the plug.
Others have said , elongating the fixing holes on the
Pulsar coil may give some adjustment to retard the ignition timing.
I am also going to check needle clip position in the carb !
As weak mixture can also create backfire.
 
Eatmore Mudd

Eatmore Mudd

Moderator
Staff member
Location
The Pacific Nothwet
There's three* different TCI boxes for the Electra. Original, revised curve and Hitchcocks performance. IF I recall correctly original was black, revised curve was green and Hitchcocks was black. The revised curve green box gave a smidgeon more timing retard than black for easier cold & hot starting.

In India "Electra" is Enfields marketing name for the TCI electronic ignition. It stuck and became an Indian street name for electronic ignition.
It was standard equipment on AVL Lean Burn powered Bullets. To the best of my limited knowledge it was a factory option available at extra cost on Iron Barrel Bullets. I've only seen it once in a picture and several times as conversion upgrades on iron Barrels.

The UK importer slapped the moniker "Electra X" on the new AVL powered machine to differentiate it from the Iron Barrel Bullet in advertising & marketing.

Now about the * part of three*...


Years ago looking for info on the timing curve of a Yamaha XT 550
I stumbled across the website of a French guy named Thiery making and selling replacement analog and programmable TCI and CDI ignition moduals.
He's still at it and hasn't quit innovating. I should get few for the parts shelf. The archives of his website are information goldmine. https://transmic.fr
 
R

Richard.

Finally made it
Location
India
Have a look at the rubber adapter that's between the carburetor and the cylinder head and make sure there are no cracks / air leaks and the air filter is not blocked. In extreme cases the issue could be with the valves / valve seats.

The kick back is normal if the small black TCI unit is installed. One way to reduce the chances of the kick back is while the ignition switch is off, kick the engine over so that it's at TDC and then put some pressure on the kick lever to get the piston slightly past TDC and then switch the ignition on and kick the engine over.
 
Eatmore Mudd

Eatmore Mudd

Moderator
Staff member
Location
The Pacific Nothwet
350bulletwala said:
Thanks, Richard.
I will check all these,
I am also going to retard the timing gear by one tooth.
Click to expand...
Careful with that.
Are you sure you don't want to just check the cams and make sure they're both indexed correctly to the pinion ?

I mean your in the trouble shooting phase right now, plenty of time to chase gains after its sorted out and running like a sewing machine right?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom