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WATCH OUT: New production ignition advancers

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jwonder
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WATCH OUT: New production ignition advancers

Post by jwonder »

All,

I wanted to share a video I made for a supplier that shows the issues with the new production ignition advancers on the market today. I spoke with another supplier and they had reports, like mine, about these and stopped selling them.

Check out the video here: https://youtu.be/29pq6S90jEo
James Wonder
Vice President, Vintage BMW Motorcycle Owners
2022 BMW Friend Of the Marque
Long Island, New York

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San Arthur
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Re: WATCH OUT: New production ignition advancers

Post by San Arthur »

jwonder wrote:
Sun Jul 19, 2020 10:33 am
All,

I wanted to share a video I made for a supplier that shows the issues with the new production ignition advancers on the market today. I spoke with another supplier and they had reports, like mine, about these and stopped selling them.
Thanks Jwonder, could you post pictures of both so that can be easily differentiate between old and new.
Any idea who is producing them?

Saludos
San Arthur in San Antonio, Texas
'58 R26 '76 R90S '88 R100RS '94 R100GS/PD

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Re: WATCH OUT: New production ignition advancers

Post by jwonder »

I returned the new one so I cannot take pictures of it. The supplier who told me they had seen it before said that it must be a bad batch because the older ones were fine. They look exactly like the older ones with the same numbers on them, etc so it is hard to tell unless you know it is brand new!

Apologies for not having a better answer!
James Wonder
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Re: WATCH OUT: New production ignition advancers

Post by schrader7032 »

Overall, it seems like a nice looking repro. But the issue then was the machining control over the cam upon which the points rubbing block rides. Seems like it would be easy enough to get that part of it right...for a gifted machinist.
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Re: WATCH OUT: New production ignition advancers

Post by Micha »

So where is the best place to purchase one?
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Re: WATCH OUT: New production ignition advancers

Post by jwonder »

schrader7032 wrote:
Sun Jul 19, 2020 11:41 am
Overall, it seems like a nice looking repro. But the issue then was the machining control over the cam upon which the points rubbing block rides. Seems like it would be easy enough to get that part of it right...for a gifted machinist.
Kurt, after I saw the very flawed machine work I decided not to try to fix it. The aesthetics were nice but the machine work was not that great. If they did harden the cam like they should have I would not want to try to fix it, and they probably just case hardened it anyway. I decided to return it instead.
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Re: WATCH OUT: New production ignition advancers

Post by jwonder »

Micha wrote:
Mon Jul 20, 2020 7:01 am
So where is the best place to purchase one?
Micha, I believe that all the new ones on the market are made by the same manufacturer but would like to know if someone can correct me on that. Go to one of the online vendors and see if you can get one. I think most have pulled them from their stock because of these issues but you can probably find one!
James Wonder
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Re: WATCH OUT: New production ignition advancers

Post by skyler.robbins »

Thank you for posting this helpful information..

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Is the same manufacturer.

Post by San Arthur »

jwonder wrote:
Mon Jul 20, 2020 6:07 pm
Micha wrote:
Mon Jul 20, 2020 7:01 am
So where is the best place to purchase one?
Micha, I believe that all the new ones on the market are made by the same manufacturer but would like to know if someone can correct me on that. Go to one of the online vendors and see if you can get one. I think most have pulled them from their stock because of these issues but you can probably find one!
I talked to Huggett, he is aware of the problem.
He reviewed the work of other 4 manufactures. The particular supplier's design was OK by BMW.
I think there are no factories capable of doing the job and less with the quality demanded.
He will happily replaced the bad units he sold. There is no easy solution if there is no one else to build the part.
If I understand correctly the manufacturer is also aware of the problem.
San Arthur in San Antonio, Texas
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Re: WATCH OUT: New production ignition advancers

Post by jwonder »

Thank you for the informative post! If I want more finite control of the full advance I might buy another one and give it a shot. Not sure quite yet.

If you don't know what I am talking about being able to control the advance, look at the Barrington book and you will see a hack that includes a screw and nut to allow you to control exactly where the advance stops! Since I have the old style advance I do not have that capability which is why I purchased the new one. This hack allows you to set the idle exactly and then adjust the advance exactly where it should be, and its a hard stop.

I just may try another one to see if I get a good one!!!!
James Wonder
Vice President, Vintage BMW Motorcycle Owners
2022 BMW Friend Of the Marque
Long Island, New York

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