Question about Timing

[akpasta]

Back in January I asked some questions of you all in this thread and got some useful replies.

http://www.honda305.com/forums/points-t ... ght=timing

But I was still a bit confused. I had a friend help me set the timing then so I just put it off until now, when I could tell the point gap had closed down and it was time to re-set the timing.

I made a proper timing light bulb and figured out how to get the bulb to go on when the points open, you have to have the ignition set to on, duh. Anyways, I'm accustomed to using a strobe light to set the timing since that's what I used on my single cylinder Honda s90 and I didn't get why I couldn't use it on my superhawk, but now I get it.

I followed Ed Moore's guide in the FAQ and I've got both sets of points set perfectly, right side to .014, points plate to set right side to F, and adjust the points on the left to LF. Both points are set so the light bulb comes on exactly at F and LF. I also cleaned em up good using very fine grit sandpaper and then paper with some rubbing alcohol, then dry paper to dry them, clean. Bike runs great, and a strobe shows timing for both sides is in sync when running.

I guess my question is this. I like to use the strobe light to just verify the timing is the same on each side, with the bike running. When I do this, I notice at idle that the Fire marks do not line up with the mark on the case. Does that matter? I triple checked the points timing with the bulb per Ed Moore's guide in the FAQ and am POSITIVE they both open exactly at their respective F-marks.

I also noticed that when revving and using the strobe light, neither side passes the two 'full-advance' marks on the stator, which I've read and heard from people is also important. Info on those two lines or setting to full-advance is not mentioned in Ed Moore's FAQ, is that because it's unnecessary to even check full advance if you set the points using this technique?

Bike seems to run really well though. I was really excited to have figured out how to make the Ed Moore method work, it's easy and seems very effective. But can someone please tell me more about the full advance timing? I feel like I'm almost there but am still missing a piece of the puzzle.

Thanks!

[LOUD MOUSE]

Sounds like you are where you need to be.
I don't mention a "timing light" as many owners don't have one.
You didn't say if it fired early or late at the "F" mark but you did say the advance was before the 2 marks which is what you want. ...................lm

Back in January I asked some questions of you all in this thread and got some useful replies.

http://www.honda305.com/forums/points-t ... ght=timing

But I was still a bit confused. I had a friend help me set the timing then so I just put it off until now, when I could tell the point gap had closed down and it was time to re-set the timing.

I made a proper timing light bulb and figured out how to get the bulb to go on when the points open, you have to have the ignition set to on, duh. Anyways, I'm accustomed to using a strobe light to set the timing since that's what I used on my single cylinder Honda s90 and I didn't get why I couldn't use it on my superhawk, but now I get it.

I followed Ed Moore's guide in the FAQ and I've got both sets of points set perfectly, right side to .014, points plate to set right side to F, and adjust the points on the left to LF. Both points are set so the light bulb comes on exactly at F and LF. I also cleaned em up good using very fine grit sandpaper and then paper with some rubbing alcohol, then dry paper to dry them, clean. Bike runs great, and a strobe shows timing for both sides is in sync when running.

I guess my question is this. I like to use the strobe light to just verify the timing is the same on each side, with the bike running. When I do this, I notice at idle that the Fire marks do not line up with the mark on the case. Does that matter? I triple checked the points timing with the bulb per Ed Moore's guide in the FAQ and am POSITIVE they both open exactly at their respective F-marks.

I also noticed that when revving and using the strobe light, neither side passes the two 'full-advance' marks on the stator, which I've read and heard from people is also important. Info on those two lines or setting to full-advance is not mentioned in Ed Moore's FAQ, is that because it's unnecessary to even check full advance if you set the points using this technique?

Bike seems to run really well though. I was really excited to have figured out how to make the Ed Moore method work, it's easy and seems very effective. But can someone please tell me more about the full advance timing? I feel like I'm almost there but am still missing a piece of the puzzle.

Thanks!

[akpasta]

I got my timing light from my dad, who used it to work on old cars, it's a really sweet chrome one from Sears, looks like 70s. Heavy, looks like a science fiction ray gun or something, very cool.

At idle, the case mark is after the fire mark on the stator, and at advance the case mark is AT the second line of the two advance lines... not before both lines. Does that mean my timing is advanced? Should I just adjust my points plate to move it back? Seems to me if I set the plate to open the points RIGHT at F, using the timing light bulb per the FAQ, it should be correct. Could my strobe have a delay or something and just be reading it wrong?

Sounds like you are where you need to be.
I don't mention a "timing light" as many owners don't have one.
You didn't say if it fired early or late at the "F" mark but you did say the advance was before the 2 marks which is what you want. ...................lm

[LOUD MOUSE]

You should move the plate and that will cure both items. ...........lm

I got my timing light from my dad, who used it to work on old cars, it's a really sweet chrome one from Sears, looks like 70s. Heavy, looks like a science fiction ray gun or something, very cool.

At idle, the case mark is after the fire mark on the stator, and at advance the case mark is AT the second line of the two advance lines... not before both lines. Does that mean my timing is advanced? Should I just adjust my points plate to move it back? Seems to me if I set the plate to open the points RIGHT at F, using the timing light bulb per the FAQ, it should be correct. Could my strobe have a delay or something and just be reading it wrong?

Sounds like you are where you need to be.
I don't mention a "timing light" as many owners don't have one.
You didn't say if it fired early or late at the "F" mark but you did say the advance was before the 2 marks which is what you want. ...................lm

[akpasta]

Ok, so I have a feeling if I do that, and set the advance timing with the strobe light, when I go back and check the points timing with the light bulb, it will no longer come on exactly at F. Does that matter?

You should move the plate and that will cure both items. ...........lm

[akpasta]

I think I get it based on this comment from brewsky in the post I posted above. You use the light bulb to set the static timing of the points. Get the gap right, and get the points in sync with each other. Then you use a strobe to set the advance. Am I correct in that understanding?

AK,
The "point" to understand is that rotating the points plate affects the timing of both sets of points at the same time.

Also, changing the gap affects the timing.

Once you set the gap on the right side points, set the timing for the right side, and tighten down the plate, the only way to change the left side timing is to adjust the gap of the left side points. You are actually setting the timing of the left side by changing the left side point gap.

That is why it is better not to use a strobe light for the initial static setting, since the engine should be running to use the strobe, and it would be hard to adjust a set of points with a running engine.

Using the strobe is mainly for checking the timing at full advance, with the engine running, and is normally done after the static timing is done per the LM method.

If the strobe shows the timing is not advanced enough at higher engine rpm, or is advanced too far, then you can adjust by moving the plate, which moves both sets of points at the same time.

Hope this helps you understand

[LOUD MOUSE]

You won't have a problem adjusting with the timing light as you want the timing set to running.
I think your points cam advances just a bit when running. ...........lm

Ok, so I have a feeling if I do that, and set the advance timing with the strobe light, when I go back and check the points timing with the light bulb, it will no longer come on exactly at F. Does that matter?

You should move the plate and that will cure both items. ...........lm