AJS & Matchless Owners Club

Just a quick thought - make sure that you have a non suppressed spark plug cap. Magnetos do not like the suppressed ones.

Feedback time: Drained tank and gave her fresh petrol, fitted a new NGKAB6 spark plug. Set advance / retard lever to just over midway and closed the air slide. Tickled carb until petrol overflowed. Gave two priming kicks and then three quick swings on the kickstart lever and dropped the valve lifter and hey presto she sprung into life! Thanks again for the help and advice. PS: I particularly liked the cartoon as it summed up my situation exactly a few days ago.

Hussah!

Diana3899 wrote:Thank you all for your feedback. It seems that no one thinks I have a carb problem. Given the responses it looks like the problem could be a poor spark either due to the spark plug or a tired magneto. I will also take the advice regarding the starting procedure. Plan of action is to give her some fresh petrol and a new plug and then try the suggested starting techniques. Failing that I will get the magneto overhauled. Thanks again for the advice.

Hi Diana,
Did you solve your starting problem?
What eventually did you do?
I bought second hand a AJS DD125, the other day, a beautiful bike.....BUT.
It won't start.

SPRIDDLER wrote:

Long swinging kick Final. (640x468).jpg

Yes Spriddler, I'm begining to think so,

frankboase wrote:

Diana3899 wrote:Thank you all for your feedback. It seems that no one thinks I have a carb problem. Given the responses it looks like the problem could be a poor spark either due to the spark plug or a tired magneto. I will also take the advice regarding the starting procedure. Plan of action is to give her some fresh petrol and a new plug and then try the suggested starting techniques. Failing that I will get the magneto overhauled. Thanks again for the advice.

Hi Diana,
Did you solve your starting problem?
What eventually did you do?
I bought second hand a AJS DD125, the other day, a beautiful bike.....BUT.
It won't start.

Frank, this a completely different machine to yours - probably around 50 years old - there are no similarities to your Raptor.

frankboase wrote: Hi Diana,
Did you solve your starting problem?
What eventually did you do?
I bought second hand a AJS DD125, the other day, a beautiful bike.....BUT.
It won't start.

[quote="spookefoote1956"] In my case the magneto was also knackered so I fitted a Thorspark unit which, once fettled, is great .......So my money's on the mag and timing.
Hi Spookefoote, Do you think that a Thorspark unit (magneto?) will be suitable for a DD125E-8?

Hi Frank

Your bike is not compatible with any version of a magneto, it will have a more modern system of providing the spark, some form of electronic ignition I would expect.

I think you need to buy this and read it from cover to cover:

https://haynes.com/en-gb/ajs/dd125e-8/2003-2015

Regards Mick

I had a similar problem with my 650 twin. I read elsewhere that NGK plugs, which I had, didn't work well with magnetos - I have no idea why; it was suggested that Champions worked better. So I ordered some Champion plugs (N5C in my case, from the Green Spark Company), and amazingly it has made a big difference. I can now go out on a ride and not have to worry about starting the engine again to get home.

If that doesn't help, it sounds like a magneto issue to me. If you park on a hill, and bump start it down the hill, does it start and run then? If so, that definitely sounds like the mag, as under those circumstances you are spinning it faster and getting a better spark.

Best of luck

Malc