PVL Maico ignition

[Maico31]

Has anybody had much to do with PVL ignitions? I just bought one to replace the motoplat on my 490 but it has a very very weak spark when kicked over and no spark when spun over by hand. Is that how they're meant to be? I can't start the thing.. Any ideas anyone??

[holeshot buddy]

john i am sure noel harker put one on his 490 ring me at work and i can give you his number 

 rusty............







it ran last time i started it 

[Freakshow]

I got a PVL and it sparks hard. maybe check the set up.

Is it the right one for that model ? as in fixed or digital with curves ? if its analogue it should fire hard, if its the digital you will need to programe it. 
I think you are supposed to be on the analogue one:
with rotor= 958
stator= 1052
ground plate =94

these euro units can run both ways so check the polarity your sending ( rotation vs wire output) The rotor and stator marks depend on the direction of rotation of the rotors and the polarity of the charging coil. There are both marks on some stators.

Do you have the instruction book ? 
 try -->  http://pvl-zuendungen.de/en/fs_techdoku.htm

[Tony T]

Firko will have the answer!
One of his Maicos at the Nats had a PVL ignition I reckon.
Was the cleanest, sweetest sounding 2 stroke out there. 

[Maico31]

Freaky it is an analogue ignition and it has direction arrows pointing both ways. Pretty sure i have it timed correctly for the direction it spins. Other than that i know very little about it. I'm not sure of the numbers on it as i don't have it here at the moment. I got some basic instuctions with it on how to mount it.

[dkupf]

I have a PVL on my 75 250 Maico. When I first put it on I had trouble with it until I got the motor earthing to the frame properly.Other then thay it has worked well for the last 3 years Darcy

[Freakshow]

Freaky it is an analogue ignition and it has direction arrows pointing both ways. Pretty sure i have it timed correctly for the direction it spins. Other than that i know very little about it. I'm not sure of the numbers on it as i don't have it here at the moment. I got some basic instuctions with it on how to mount it.

Ok both ways means you need to be sure you have the tiiming going in the right direction, both sides of the black plastic have a line. are you timing off the one on the left or the right ? the anologue one's can only go on one way the 2 wires - green and black have differant spade connectors that can only go on the correct cdi box so your ok there, check the earth a Dkupf said. be sure if the earth is on the coil plate its is earthed propery.  As a ruff guide if you look at the thing with the wires at the top, the screw at the bottom onthe plate ( opposite the wires) the base bottom plate that is there has only one screw,  it should be about 10mm from the right hand side of that long curved hole.  or ruffly the head width across to its centre, at that position you shpould have some kind of spark, if not  you have done somthing wrong in putting it on.  Ill take a pic tomorrow of one if you still have no luck.

[Freakshow]

tell me you are using the PVL complete not just the plates ? you do have the correct PVL CDI and coil right ?

[firko]

Thanks for the good words about my Maico Tony. It is a good old bike that one. After owning it for 37 years it'd want to run clean!
I have PVL on all of my Maicos and you could weld with the spark. It won't run at all unless you are using an Iridium spark plug. I use NGK B8EIX Iridium plug on the 490 and B8HIX on the squarie.
The bikes start first or second kick every time. If you're already using an Iridium plug,is the rotor secure and not turning causing it to lose timing? Is it set up as per instructions? Failing that a call to Les Richters may uncover something I've missed.

[Maico31]

So far i have done everything correct, timing is at 2.2mm btdc, going by the mark at the top of the stator in the right direction. The flywheel is on tight with a rattle gun and i rechecked the timing. The earth connection is good, bare metal on the frame. The wires are on the right connections, tried a couple of different plug caps both without resisters. Could it have anything to do with new paint on the frame where the engine is bolted to the frame? The only thing i haven't done is use an iridium plug as firko suggested. I've tried B8ES and B8EV. Could that be the problem??

[Lozza]

Smart move with the PVL,though I'd reckon 3.2mm BTDC would be closer to the mark

[husky61]

The instructions supplied are very detailed in relation to installation.

Earthing of the coil is most important and must be a bare metal earth.

The spark plug cap supplied should be used as should a non resistor spark plug B8ES . be sure that the pin on the spark plug cap has actually penetrated the centre of the lead and makes good contact.

Timing should be set as per the instructions.

The unit should throw a spark like a welder as Mark (Firko) indicated.

We have PVL ignitions on most of our bikes and they just about fail safe.

If it does not work after proper installationb , send it back as it is faulty.

[firko]

With due respect to my esteemed colleagues, the only plug to use is an Iridium plug. My Maicos as well as Mick Hockleys square barrel refused to start until we used iridium plugs. Use the el cheapo looking spark plug cap that comes with the kit too. I thought it looked a little hokey but it's the best for this application.
A call to Les at Mainly Maico will back me up on this. The timing sounds aboutr right and you've done everything else right so it's down to the plug and cap.

[husky61]

Iridium plugs are the best and recommended by PVL , however our maico and our huskies run perfect on both types of plugs.

[Yamaboy]

For years Ive been rooting around with Yamaha CDI and Motoplat ignitions thinking that the guys using PVL ignition were wasting their dough. Well, I'm now a convert. On the new 465 YZ I'm building with my son, the ignition was toasted so rather than chase down a good Yamaha ignition we went with a PVL for convenience. What a difference it made. The bike starts much easier, runs much, much cleaner and revs a lot harder and longer. When we first fitted it we had the same problems as Maico 31 . A quick phonecall was made to Penton Motors in the USA who advised us to go with an NGK Iridium plug. We did, and it worked perfectly. It's worth a go 31. It's only the price of a plug to lose but plenty to gain.