Powerdynamo brings new ignition & light 
to your vintage motorcycle

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Assembly instructions system 70 89 999 00

 Version 21.10.2008

 


IMPORTANT:

Please read these instructions fully before starting work on your bike or any modification on the supplied system. Also, please note the remarks on the information page for this system.
If you have no expertise for the installation have it done by an expert or at a specialist's workshop. Improper installation may damage the new system and your motorcycle.
Before you order a system, please check against the section "you should have received those parts" whether all parts wanted are in the kit. You might want to order a puller tool, light bulbs, fuse, horn, flasher unit etc.
Never use anything other than  a puller tool M27x1.25 to pull the new rotor again. In case of damage to the rotor as a result of use of other (unsuitable) tools and facilities, the warranty claim expires! 

If you have access to the Internet, see those instructions online. You get larger and better pictures by clicking onto them and possibly updated information. System list at http://www.powerdynamo.biz

 


Check packing
and rotor!

The rotor is sensible to blows during transport. We therefore double pack the material (box inside box). Should the system have been despatched to you via a reseller and arrive not packed like this, please inform us.
Before assembly, please always check the magnets (try to push them aside with your fingers). After impact the glued in magnets might have broken loose, sticking to the rotor however by magnetic force, so that one does not notice right away. During run there would be considerable damage as a result.
Before putting the rotor to the engine, please make sure that its magnets have not collected metal objects such as small screws, nuts and washers. That equally would lead to severe damage.
To pull the old rotor, you will need a puller tool M8x90 (Teil Nr. 70 80 899 90).
To pull the new rotor again, you will need a puller tool M27x1,25 (part 99 99 799 00 -Not provided!-).

Note: Never use a claw puller, a hammer or any other device, that will shake the magnets off.


You should have received those parts!

Take off the transverse cover holding plate. Pay attention: do not lose the 3 threaded rolloff.

Don't take off the stator from the ground plate. You're in risk to pinch some cables beneath.


Important:

The R27 is originally provided with a battery ignition, now it is a magnet ignition system. There is a evident avail, but there is one drawback and important difference. You have to take care for it.

For achieving the start rev count, kick-on the kick-start speedy and powerful (it's easy for the bike). The bike don't starts, if you maybe kick-on only hesitant (it was maybe possible with the old ignition).

If this is a problem (sickness of a leg, age etc.), it is possible (maybe additional) and easy to convert to battery ignition (and revoke too) with the same Powerdynamo components. It's consist of a power converter in a case, alike the regulator. Certainly it is additional to installate on the bike. The converter will be connected between the generator and the regulator (fitting plugs are pre-assembled). And, of course, you need a battery. Therefor you will be have a powerful 40,000V spark with the first rev.

We expect, that many of the BMW-single-cylinder fans like to say "good-bye" to their old ignition (that's our experience with the R25/27). It's the bad kick-start transmission ratio, that's why just the BMW-single has problems with the start. If the NEW ONE is build-in, you like to see whether the spark is better. He IT is. warrantly for the ignition of the gas, but not for the visibility (more information online here).

That's the only way for us to explain, that there is no other bike with the same electrical Powerdynamo components, about that we've heard so many (wrong) comments: The ignition is not function.


Make sure your bike rests securely on her stand, preferably on an elevated work bench and that you have good access to the generator side of the engine. You will have to move the front wheel fork for good access.

Disconnect your battery and take it out of the motorcycle. Note, that should you be installing a 12 volt system, you will either need a 12 volt battery or you use the option of driving without. You will still have to replace all lightbulbs to 12 volt ones however in that case too. The horn may stay at 6 volts. For driving without battery, please observe our information on driving without battery. If there are bullseye indicator at your bike, you have to installate a electrolyt capacitor (min. 20.000mF/16V) for equalisation instead of the battery.

Technical it is possible to drive your bike without the battery. But consult your local road traffic regulators.


Put off the generator cover from the motor and disconnect the cables of the generator. Normally that shall be:
  • a blue cable on pin 61
    (to the ignition control lamp)
  • a thick black cable on pin 30
    (to the positive pole of the battery)
  • a thick red cable on pin 51
    (to the negative pole of the battery)
  • a black cable on pin 15
    (to the ignition lock)

Pull all the cables out of the motor case, but don't cut off any cable (but the black cable from pin 30 to the battery).

Loose the mounting screw that holds the rotor on the crank shaft. Eventually you have to select the first gear, so you have stability.

Loose the three mounting screws of the stator and pull it off from the case backplane. Then you will need the puller tool M8x90. Alternatly you have it to use in that way, as it was advised in the older original instruction manual: "... have to induct a round-bar steel (40mm x 5.5mm) in the bore hole of the anchor hub and screw in again the hex screw."

Circuit breaker and centrifugal advance unit on the cam shaft will be not used. You can remove these parts or leave them there. Please clamp-off only the ignition coil cable.


Take a look at the new stator unit. You will find there on the ground plate (near by the thick black coil) a little red marking. (It's in the picture additional red encircled.)

This is an ignition marking.


Have a look at the new rotor. You will find on its circumference a small pressed in line. (It's in the picture additional marked in white.)

This is a ignition marking too.

They have to align at the TDC (not at point of ignition).


Lead the stator harness from the inside through the cable hole at the motor.

Take care! Don't damage the stator, it is hanging loose at this moment.


Then push the stator unit to the bottom of the generator. Take care that the mount hole of the case aligns with the borings of the stator unit. Screw it down with the 3 screws M6x20.

Take care of the cables, it's very concisely.


Pull the enclosed grommet over the cable and push it until the case (a drop of oil will help).

Push the grommet in the motor boring, it's taut, but it fits.


Remove the spark plugs. Place the rotor loosely onto the crank and check that it may move freely above the statorbase.
Bring the piston in TDC position. Put the new rotor handtight on the crank shaft for turning the shaft.

Take the rotor carefully off again without changing the crank's position. Reset it onto the crank in such a way that the marking on the rotor aligns with the marking on the stator. If there is any change in the crank's position, you have to start again.

This is the basic adjustment for the ignition automatic.


In that position fasten the rotor carefully with the M8x30 nut. Please don't forget to use the washer. Don't change the crank shaft or the rotor. Screw the spark plugs back in the cylinder.

Now you have adjusted the ignition on standard value. Theoretical you can adjust that in any position, you have only to turn the rotor (without changing the crank shaft position).

  • turning the rotor clockwise - brings an earlier ignition
  • turning the rotor anticlockwise - brings a later ignition

If you adjust the ignition variational, do check the ignition point with a stroboscope to avoid motor damages.

Don't put on the mount plate for the cover before the motor runs and your finished.



Fasten the new ignition coil beneath the tank. At some chassis is there a admittance with convenient holes. If it is ain't so, you can help yourself with cable fixers or a plate clip. It is here concisely, but the coil will fits.

 

 

 

(the photo shows a different version)


You have also to positioning the new regulator/rectifier and the spark advance unit (the black box) on your bike. If you like to drive without an battery, you can use for that an empty battery case. For the installation in an battery case you have to cut off a mounting lug from the advance unit. This is not a breach of warranty, if only the lug will be cutted off and not the case will be damaged.

After the installation of the advance unit, take a look at the little blue dip-switch block on the upper narrow side of the unit. There are 4 little, presetted switches for choosing the ignition advance curves.
The curve for the R25/26 (activated at delivery from us, see left) arrived the full advanced ignition from 40° at 3,000rpm.
If you like to arrive 40° just at 3,500rpm activate this curve (see left). In our experiences conveys, that the upper advance is the better one, but it's your choice.

Connect the parts as shown in wiring diagram 91ik12:

*

To facilitate wire exit through the often small openings in the engine casing, the plastic plug of the generator's wiring that leads to the advance unit have not been put onto the wire terminal. You should place the plug there only once all has been properly installed on the engine side.

Look for the advance unit with its female plug and the two wires (red and white).

Put the provided 2-position plug housing onto this plug and insert the two wires (red and white) from the generator. Make sure that the terminals engage securely in the housing and that you connect:

  • white to white
  • red to red

Should you need (or want) to get the terminals out of the plug housing again, enter a paper clip from front next to the terminals and push the little barb aside. Than pull the wire out.

*

The brown wires from the new generator and the advance unit with the round eye terminals ...

... have to be screwed to the holder frame of the ignition coil (ground). This connection is very important. Please don't depend on the frame as the earth-connection. Varnish, oil and dirt prevent often a good contact!
* The grey resp. green cable of the advance unit ... ... is the output of the to the ignition coil and gets connected to the single male terminal there.
*

Important! Never run the high tension cable and the cables from the generator to the advance and/or the grey wire from the advance to the ignition coil closely in parallel (say in one shielding). This will trigger back coupling that disturbes ignition and might even damage the advance unit.

*

The blue/white wire at the advance unit. This is the kill (cut-off) wire.

Note:
Should you experience ignition failures, disconnect as a first measure this blue wire. In  many cases that will permit you to get mobile again (particulars see: technical help)!

Connected to ground - it will stop ignition!

This type of wiring is used in motorcycles which originally already had magneto ignition and therefore switched off by shortcircuiting against ground.

Those vehicles have by design a main lock (or some kill switch) that connects a pin to ground when in OFF position (German bikes: pin 2). The blue/white wire of the ignition coil will be connected here. In that way the cut-off works like previously.

*

The new regulator/rectifier has a compact plug with 6 positions, of which one is not used (before November 2007 it were two). From November 2007 onwards a female plug cover fitting to this plug is delivered. Into this female plug you have to insert the following wires (which have terminals that snap into the plug):

*

The two black cables leading from the generator ...

... connect to pins 1/4 of the new regulator (from there equally black wires lead inside the unit). It does not matter which wire connects to which of the both terminals (1/4) as they carry alternating current.

* The new brown cable with the round eye terminal  ...

... connects pin 3 of the regulator unit (from there equally a brown wire goes inside the unit) with the negative pole of the battery or (in case you drive without battery) to ground (chassis).

*

The new red cable with the round eye terminal ...

Take care:
Wrong polarity will damage the electronics!

... connects to pin 5 of the new regulator (from there equally a red wire goes inside the unit). Here your regulated positive voltage comes out to connect to battery plus, or (in case you drive without battery) to the voltage input terminal of the main switch (ignition lock, German bikes: pin 51/30).

Make sure that you have a 8A-fuse between battery and vehicle circuitry.

*

The green/red wire at pin 6 of the new regulator ...

 

Remark:
Until November 2007 this wire has been a single wire outside the compact plug.

... is for the charge control light. You connect there the wire that formerly did run from the control light to the original regulator.

Sure that this control only functions with a battery present. Should you drive without battery but still connect the wire, you will see that the light glows even as the generator generates voltage. So without battery, do not connect it.

The charge light control function is based on a transistor switch and is an additional function. Even if that should fail, the regulator might still be in ok working condition. Simple check: have the engine running, turn lights on, disconnect the battery. If you have bright lights the unit is ok.
* Screw the high tension (ignition) cable ...

Please do not use any spark amplifying cables, such as "Nology supercables" or "hot wire". This will disturb the system and possibly damage it.

... into the ignition coil and pull over the rubber seal before mounting the coil (it will be easier).

Please do use the cable arriving with the pack and not any old cable.

You will do yourself a favour to treat your bike to new spark plugs and spark plug sockets (preferably some between 0-2kOhm). Plenty of problems are to be traced back to "apparently good" (even completely "brand-new") sparks plugs, terminals and cables.
Do not use spark plugs with an intern suppression resistor. NGK (e.g.) offered such spark plugs coded with an "R" (for resistor).

*

Finally - and before installing the battery and before the first kickstart - please re-check carefully all connections and fitments against the wiring diagram. Do check battery and light bulbs for correct voltage (12V).

Should something not work, please consult our trouble-shooting guide on our homepage. As a first step disconnect the blue wire from the coil and re-test.

* IMPORTANT: During crank shaft repair the dynamo shaft is often machined and gets shorter. The result is a rotor sitting lower, possibly touching now with its rivets the stator coil. The result is a destroyed stator and ignition failure.
For more detail and how to check see (online) here.

 

Important safety and operating information

#

Safety first! Please observe the general health and safety regulations motor vehicle repair (MVR) as well as the safety information and obligations indicated by the manufacturer of your motorcycle.

#

Ignition systems generate high tension! With our material right up to 40,000 Volts! This may, if handled carelessly, not only be painful, but outrightly dangerous. Please do keep a safe distance to the electrode of your spark plug and open high tension cables. Should you need to test spark firing, hold the spark plug socket securely with some well insulating material and push it firmly to solid ground of the engine block.

#

After installation, please check tightness of all screws, even those preinstalled. If parts get loose during run, there will be inevitably damage to the material. We pre-assemble screws only loosely.

#

Give the newly installed system a chance to work, before you start to check and test values, or what is worse is to apply changes to customize the firing point before running the system.
Our parts have been checked before delivery to you. You will not be able to check much anyway. At any rate do refrain from measuring the electronic components (such as ignition coil, regulator and advance unit). You risk severe damage to the inner electronics there. You will not get any tangible results from the operation anyway. Bear in mind that also your carburettor, your spark plugs and spark plug sockets (even if completely new) might be the reason for malfunction. The general experience with our systems is that the carburettor will have to be re-adjusted to lower settings. Should the system not start after assembly, first disconnect the blue cut-off wire directly at the ignition coil (or in some cases advance unit) to eliminate any malfunction in the cut-off circuitry. Check ground connections carefully.

#

The spark of classic, points based ignition systems has with about 10,000 Volts with little energy and looks therefore yellow and fat (hence it's visible). The spark from our system is a high energy spark with up to 40,000 Volts and therefore very sharp (needle thin focused) in form, and blue in colour, which makes it not so visible. Furthermore you get spark only at kickstart operated speedss and not by pushing the kicklever down slowly with your hand (as you might get with battery based ignitions).

#

Systems using a twin outlet ignition coils have a few percularities. Please observe that during tests on one side, the other has either to be connected to an fitted spark plug or securely earthed/grounded. Otherwise there will be no spark on either side.

#

Never do electric arc welding on the bike without completely disconnecting all electronics.

#

Electronics are very sensitive to wrong polarity. After work on the system, do check correct polarity of the battery and the regulator. Wrong polarity creates short circuits and will destroy the regulator, the ignition coil and the advance unit. As a rule, wiring will always be colour to colour. Instances, where colour differs between wires it is expressly mentioned in our instructions.

#

When you handle the new rotor, take care not to damage its magnets. Refrain from direct blows to the circumference of the rotor. When transporting never put the rotor over the stator. Observe our information relative to transport of the material.

#

Do not use spark plug sockets with a resistance of more than 5kOhm. Better use 1 or 2kOhm ones. Bear in mind that spark plug sockets do age and thereby increase their internal resistance. Should an engine start up only when cold, a defective spark plug socket and/or spark plug is very probably the cause. In case of problems check high tension cables too. Never use carbon fibre HT-cables, never use so called "hot wires", never use resistor spark plugs.

#

It is a good idea to cover the rotor in a thin layer of oil to reduce the risk of corrosion.

#

Never use a claw puller or a hammer to disengage the rotor. Its magnets might become loose in the event. We offer a special puller screw for disengaging the new rotor again (see assembly instruction)!

#

Should the motorcycle not be in use for some longer period, please disconnect the battery (so existing) to prevent current bleeding through the diodes of the regulator. Though, even a disconnected battery will empty itself after a while.

#

Please do observe these remarks, but at the same time, don't be afraid of the installation process. Remember, that before you, thousands of other customers have successfully installed the system.
Enjoy driving your bike with its new electric heart!