Had this EXACT same type event going on after I rebuilt my Pan in to a softail frame. Initially it did run too, but ran kinda ratty, then went downhill and wouldn't run / start. I checked and refined the timing, it was off initially. Refined the gap on the points setup (manual circuit breaker). Re-did the pushrods 3 times and refined them a bit more each time.
THEN.... I remembered an issue from last summer. Going across the desert, machine started backfiring and popping. I thought intake manifold of course, being keen to that now. For the heck of it, I pulled the plug wires out of the replica triangle shaped coil that screws into the top of the coil, Whalla!! End of the rear plug wire was blown apart. Intermittant contact at the end of the plug wire inside the coil. I recut the plug wire to expose the core and the problem was fixed. It's been fine after that.
So my nearly worthless addition to Timing, Pushrods, Points, Condensors and the coil... in addition, Check the plug wires. Flame blowing out of the carb wouldn't be related. I had that happen too, but that was front intake pushrod too tight.
Timing adjustment?
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Re: Timing adjustment?
And check the plugs themselves. My WL seemed to be running and starting well, but was stumbling a lot, and didn't make much power. I put in a lot of work trying to narrow down what was causing the problem - rebuilt carb, swapped out the coil, the plug wires, checked for continuity between circuit breaker and coil, and all the relevant wiring. I finally changed plugs and fixed the problem. The plugs were new NGK, and one of them had crapped out. I put in an older one that I had left, and that solve the problem.foundationapps wrote:So my nearly worthless addition to Timing, Pushrods, Points, Condensors and the coil... in addition, Check the plug wires. Flame blowing out of the carb wouldn't be related. I had that happen too, but that was front intake pushrod too tight.
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Re: Timing adjustment?
The symptoms of running ratty might also point to a bad connection from battery to coil(maybe through the ignition switch). You can run a temporary wire direct from battery to coil to eliminate this possibility.