Oh no… electrical gremlins!

With less than 6 days before my last big trip of the year I have been besieged by electrical woes.  Put on the new points plate about 3 weeks ago and set gap and timing (yes I have to set gap and timing).  Dash ran without a hitch.  Then he hit just under 200 miles and the problems began.  Lots of sputtering and cutting out.  That progressed to back fires and a complete loss of all electricity.  Able to limp home by wiggling wires (I am a genius at wiggling wires).  Thought it was perhaps my ignition.  Had Jeff my trusty mechanic put on new female spades (also prepared a few jumpers as a last resort>I did that one all by myself) and off I went.  After riding it hard on the twisties at 13 miles sputter, at 15 miles Dash nearly dies completely but he is a champ and regains his composure   Back to Jeff’s and we strategize (which means Lisa has a long list of things to rule out until I can find the gremlin–fuel filter, coils, condensers  all the other wiring connectors, compression  put back old points plate?, check spark plugs, tappets, re-gap and re-time points plate, blah, blah, blah- all in 6 days).  Back at Dash to try a new fuel filter and now no power.  Wiggle the wires again (my new solution to everything other than Vaseline and gargling) and the male spades seem wonky.

At this point ordering a new ignition and hoping that this is the source of the problem (male connectors on the ignition switch side).

Keeping my fingers crossed and hope to try this out on Tuesday.  If this is not the solution then no 1000+ trip this round.

1,000+ mile ride…

Less than 20 days – October 6th –  planning on riding Hwy 49 (Gold Rush Country).

Here is a picture taken in 1983 by Roy Hooper (Cal Coast Rider leader that will be escorting the group ride).  I was there on the 2,500+ ride and I am hoping that this time I wont be as frightened of the curvy road and precipices that accompany the twisties.