Contact breaker ignition adjustment

[Dizerens5]

I’m sure anyone with an early R65 will agree that adjusting the ignition contact breaker points is just about impossible to do accurately - you’d need fingers like chopsticks and even then the front wheel and forks make it hard to see anything right, your head gets in the way. But I can’t see any objection to simply removing the bean can and doing the job on the table. No problem either with removing the outrigger bearing plate to give more room, and re-checking after replacing it. Ignition advance is easy to re-check too if  needed, with the bean can back in place. Is this a good idea or have I missed something?

[Lucky_Lou]

I’m sure anyone with an early R65 will agree that adjusting the ignition contact breaker points is just about impossible to do accurately - you’d need fingers like chopsticks and even then the front wheel and forks make it hard to see anything right, your head gets in the way. But I can’t see any objection to simply removing the bean can and doing the job on the table. No problem either with removing the outrigger bearing plate to give more room, and re-checking after replacing it. Ignition advance is easy to re-check too if  needed, with the bean can back in place. Is this a good idea or have I missed something?

Theres no reason not to do it that way but how are you going to check the advance without a strobe ??
Lou

[Dizerens5]

Haha Lou, well, it's like this you see....when I fitted the replacement bean can I could not find any identifiable marks on the flywheel except one line which seems to correspond to TDC. So I did static timing using a protractor on the alternator to put the crankshaft back about 16 degrees. Approximately. Well I know that was not very good practice but the bike runs beautifully so it seemed I hit it more or less right. The replacement bean can has done about 500 miles, I just wanted to check as the (new) c.b. may have bedded in.

[Dizerens5]

Sorry I meant 6 degrees of course. Very small angular movement.

[Barry]

But I can’t see any objection to simply removing the bean can and doing the job on the table. No problem either with removing the outrigger bearing plate to give more room, and re-checking after replacing it. Ignition advance is easy to re-check too if needed, with the bean can back in place. Is this a good idea or have I missed something?  

I agree it's a good idea

The points gap is not that critical to the nearest thou so I might check the points gap with the bean can in place. If I have to adjust the gap I remove the can to do it. There is no real disadvantage as if you change the points gap the timing will change anyway and have to be reset  and  as you say it's so much easier to do on the bench.  I always have to compensate a couple of thou for the change in the gap caused by refitting the outrigger bearing and that too is easier on the bench.

[Dizerens5]

Thanks Barry. I've just followed the procedure you suggest,  the c.b. gap turns out to be 0.35 mm which I guess is close enough so I left the bean can alone. Settled for a dab of grease on the cam.