ignition timing

[manxr65]

is there a way to do the ignition timing without using a stode as i have no rev counter and i have gone a bought different multimeters but none seem to work very well.
if you can please run through the way to do it in plan english please .

[Bob_Roller]

Without a strobe type timing light, I don't know if you can check the ignition timing on these bikes .

If you have contact breaker type ignition, you can get it 'ball park'  close using a multimeter .

[Lucky_Lou]

I couldnt find mine with a strobe untill i stripped the gearbox off and cleaned the flywheel then white painted the marks if you do this lube the drive splines while your there.
I first set them using an Ohm meter across the points (0 omhs = points closed ) rotating the crank shaft using an Allen Key on the generator drive 6mm i think, dont forget you run a "wasted" spark so you get  points open at each tdc you can set them near enough like this the manual will give you how many deg off tdc it is i cannot remember of the top of my head but you need a to strobe it to check the advance.
Lou

[Dizerens5]

If you have contact breaker ignition you should not have much of a problem as the engine does not seem very sensitive to ignition timing. Set motor at tdc, put bean can on in the middle of its adjustment slots and move the  crankshaft a little back! You need 6 degrees advance static, try it with a protractor on the alternator you can hardly see it. Electronic ignition is different, also I find carb set-up is pretty critical. Anyone of you experts can correct me on that? Well I might be wrong but it worked fine on my 79.

[Lucky_Lou]

If you have contact breaker ignition you should not have much of a problem as the engine does not seem very sensitive to ignition timing. Set motor at tdc, put bean can on in the middle of its adjustment slots and move the  crankshaft a little back! You need 6 degrees advance static, try it with a protractor on the alternator you can hardly see it. Electronic ignition is different, also I find carb set-up is pretty critical. Anyone of you experts can correct me on that? Well I might be wrong but it worked fine on my 79.

You will know if the carbs are out it wont sound right and probably vibrate a bit again this can be set approximately with feeler gauges but you will need the mark 3 Texas gauge to do it right, have a look in the technical procedures section  
Lou

[nothing]

Be careful with the multimeter if you have electronic ignition! The multimeter/ohm meter static timing method, which is safe with points, can kill dead the hall sensor inside the bean can on electronic ignitions. Building a hall tester with an LED and using that to set timing statically is much safer for these delicate bits.

[Barry]

I set the timing statically as Lou describes using a multimeter across the points. With care you can do it quite accurately enough this way. Be aware though that it's the timing at full advance that really counts and wear in the advance mechanism can mean that correct static timing doesn't result in correct timing at full advance. Mine seems fine though whenever I've set the timing statically and then checked it with the strobe it's always been ok.

[nothing]

I set the timing statically as Lou describes using a multimeter across the points. With care you can do it quite accurately enough this way.

Quite acceptable on models up to 1980. Dangerous on 1981 and later models - can break overpriced parts instantly.

[Lucky_Lou]

I set the timing statically as Lou describes using a multimeter across the points. With care you can do it quite accurately enough this way.

Quite acceptable on models up to 1980. Dangerous on 1981 and later models - can break overpriced parts instantly.

Them there new fangled electronic gismos will never catch on..Saturday night and nowt ont telly again eh Barry x factor id rather shoot summat
Lou
Ill translate for our American cousins if needs be

[manxr65]

i forgot to say that i have just fitted a boyer to replace the points , how many degrees before top dead centre should it fires .

[montmil]

Them there new fangled electronic gismos will never catch on..Saturday night and nowt ont telly again eh Barry x factor id rather shoot summat
Lou
Ill translate for our American cousins if needs be

Lou, with so many Brits around here -plus those crazy Aussies- I'm embarrassed to say I understand you perfectly. Cowboy up.

Monte

[Barry]

i forgot to say that i have just fitted a boyer to replace the points , how many degrees before top dead centre should it fires .

Forget everything said about points ignition you have to set it at full advance and your going to need one of those new fangled strobe lamps.

Set it at the full advance mark on the flywheel (32 deg). You don't need a working tachometer just point the strobe in the timing hole, rev the engine and watch the timing marks move. When the movement stops your revving fast enough to have  reached  full advance and the the flywheel mark should line up with the notch at the side of the timing hole. If it doesn't rotate the bean can one way or the other to correct the timing.

[manxr65]

so basics are rev it up until it stops flywheel and adjust bean can .no strode , still need a torch to see marks , yes.

[Barry]

so basics are rev it up until it stops flywheel and adjust bean can .no strode , still need a torch to see marks , yes.  

No, you must use a strobe to freeze the timing marks on the spinning flywheel.  

[Darwin_R65]

Them there new fangled electronic gismos will never catch on..Saturday night and nowt ont telly again eh Barry x factor id rather shoot summat
Lou
Ill translate for our American cousins if needs be  

remids me of coming through radio school as a RAAF apprentice in 1983 and being told even then that transistors and TTL were a passing fad. Still needed to learn valves as they'll never be replaced.

Only they were serious.

John