I am currently trying out Newtronics E.I. on a Spada. The first sytem they sent packed up after about 40 miles due to heat upsetting the opto sensors in the distributor. They then sent me a new set of sensors and they do the same!The weather is cold at present so I expect if I were daft enough to go anywhere in summer I wouldn’t get far.They tell me that they’ve sold hundreds of these systems. Has anyone out there got one fitted?Pete
Never heard of heat upsetting the sensors, usual problem is oil mist getting in the way.
Hi Brian, no I’ve never heard of heat upsetting them either. That’s why I’m baffled. If I allow the bike to tick over in the shed and monitor the temperature of the points mounting plate with the cap off of course as it hits about 67C the system packs up. Allow it to cool and it works again! Tried two sets of sensors and it’s no different. They’re sending me another complete replacement kit but I don’t have much confidence that it’ll work. I think they’ve changed the type of components in the sensors. Probably the photodiodes.
If this is the same as the old phyrana unit i have one which I’ve used on 2 bikes over 20 years.
Therefore they must have changed something.
Weird one , Mr Bee
Never had any problems and I have been stuck in traffic with the engine hot enough to leave me sitting in a cloud of oily smoke burning off my engine.
As Ian says, they normally last and are trouble free.
The Newtronics guys are very helpful and will look into your problem. they are down in Southwark , London and if you PM me I can give you their direct number.
I have had a few old boxes and triggers serviced and or checked over by them, next day or while you wait.
love and kisses
theone&onlymin
x
Very interesting…
One idea is the heat is sending the photodiode signal out of range so that the amplifier can’t respond.
I’m running a set on my Cali III at the moment and it went round Italy last year with no problems at all. It was hot there too.
I have a Piranha system on mine with no problems, here are the fitting instructions and a pic of mine incase it throws up something you are doing wrongCan send you clearer pictures if necessary. PM me an email address if you are needing.
Don-Spada2012-11-07 23:44:20
Radiated heat is of course infra red energy. Seems to me they are using a receiver which is too sensitive.
I have a Piranha system on mine too, and never had a problem. I didn’t know it used infra red light, I thought it was in the visible spectrum.
Maybe they have changed to IR, and that is the problem. I must admit, I thought they were in the visible spectrum too.The problem was always dirt on the receiver surface.
Could very well be.
Pete you have established it all goes wrong at 67°C, you could get back to them as suggested and tell them that?
I am reminded that when I saw Mistral’s place years & years ago, they had a jig for running the pick-ups on, of whatever type, basically a variable speed motor, but of course it isn’t normally hot like wot a real engine would be
I wondered if this may be what was happening, i.e. works fine during bench testing but then the bench test environment isn’t at >=67°C.
I have spoken to them and have returned the latest kit with a letter describing exactly the conditions of failure. They have reproduced the failure on the first kit and have assured me that they will get to the bottom of it and send me another kit. Lucky I’m not planning on going anywhere on the Spada. Will use the BMW (wash the mouth out)!Shame is that as many run on points and have no issues I have found that the points need adjusting every 3000 miles or so because the heels wear down so quickly. Did think of polishing the cam. It may come to that!
Mine has the dyna 3 kit fitted been great so far and its been hot as went on the Wootton Bassett bike runs (Sorry ROYAL WOOTTON BASSETT)
they use magnetic pick ups Ex smokingbiker2012-11-08 17:19:02
That’s interesting. Does that kit fit on the original mounting plate for the points? The reason I ask is that one of the reasons for fitting the Newtronics kit is that if it fails when I’m away on the continent I can easily refit the points and continue the trip.Pete
Or phone up Newtrronics who will send a new kit in the post, whilst you chill out in the bar.
Every 3000 miles??? jeez I think the V1000 had them sorted every 10+ thousand miles… something not right there my friend I only replaced points at 60k miles plus The points have been very very reliableheck they work at 25% of car ones so they really should not get too worn However if the condensors fail that will kill the points real quick.
It replaces the points plate complete so if it fails just take it out and fit the points plate complete with points
will photograph a spare in a mo
Ex smokingbiker2012-11-09 14:51:04
If this is the Spada III Pete, you have obviously changed the ditributor already.
Hi Brian, yes it’s the Spada3 that I put the points sytem on. Runs fine on points but I’m trying to get away from the faff of fiddling about with them every 3000 miles. The Newtronics system offers me the advantage that if it fails in the middle of nowhere I can easily refit the points.