New Guy with a Project bike.

[sterob]

Thanks for the help, I'll bounce down to the barn tomorrow and freeze my butt of and get some work done. It's funny. I helped swap a LS1 out of a 98 Camaro and put it in a 86 Trans Am, no problems, but something which should be simpler, with less electrics and no computers, is being more difficult for me.

Yes, but you will get a warm fuzzy feeling when she fires up after all your hard work.....
Keep at it and be methodical. Don't make assumptions and she will fire.....

The suction on the exhaust pricked my ears up....that sounds like a valve timing issue, Maybe the PO got it wrong?
Easy to check.

Steve

[PITAPan]

What can anyone add that hasn't already been said except to say my preference for setting the timing on points bikes is to do as the OP did and use an ohmmeter or some other self powered device such as a buzzer continuity tester. A test lamp needs the ignition on and it will draw 4 amps while the points are closed which if sustained over a long period is not good for the coils or the state of charge of the battery.

For me a buzzer works best as I don't have to look at two things at once and can concentrate on observing the timing marks while listening for the points to open.

I have great admiration for anyone who can set the timing really accurately by rotating the rear wheel. I use the alternator bolt with the plugs out and after many years of doing this the Allen bolt wasn't overtightened when I checked by undoing it. Of more concern is long term wear on the bolt head so you do need a good fitting key.

You don't set the timing by rotating the rear wheel. You just rotate the wheel to put the S mark in the window. Then you rotate the timing plate, with the test lamp right there in your face seeing as how it's clipped to the condenser, until it indicates the points open. You're there. That's what the tits on the timing plate are for, turning the plate very, very small amounts until your light comes on. You kinda know where to start by lining up the tits. The movement needed is very small.

If you want to check for cam nose runout problems, just push the bike forward with the timing light draped over the carb until it the S mark is coming round again. Happens right after the F or Z mark comes around. Then you watch the light and the flywheel and see what happens. Simpler to check it with the strobe while checking your advance tho' . The home made trouble light has micro clips on two wires, long wires, so it really is a trouble light. I carry an LED flashlight anymore, but many a lost chocolate bar has been found (in the middle of the night when I was a bit too hypothermic) with that trouble light slapped on the battery and dropped in the bottomless tankbag.

[barryh]

You don't set the timing by rotating the rear wheel. You just rotate the wheel to put the S mark in the window. Then you rotate the timing plate, with the test lamp right there in your face seeing as how it's clipped to the condenser, until it indicates the points open. You're there. That's what the tits on the timing plate are for, turning the plate very, very small amounts until your light comes on. You kinda know where to start by lining up the tits. The movement needed is very small.

If you want to check for cam nose runout problems, just push the bike forward with the timing light draped over the carb until it the S mark is coming round again. Happens right after the F or Z mark comes around. Then you watch the light and the flywheel and see what happens. Simpler to check it with the strobe while checking your advance tho' . The home made trouble light has micro clips on two wires, long wires, so it really is a trouble light. I carry an LED flashlight anymore, but many a lost chocolate bar has been found (in the middle of the night when I was a bit too hypothermic) with that trouble light slapped on the battery and dropped in the bottomless tankbag.

I'm on a points in a can so it's a little different. Sure you can rotate the can with the S mark lined up but the timing can change slightly when the can is tightened down. I prefer to check by rotating the engine very slowly. The can outrigger bearing mostly takes care of any split timing errors between the cylinders although there is some tolerance in the fit of the outrigger plate so fine adjustments can be made to get them both the same. There is as much potential parallax error as anything else and that's something I take care to avoid. I can set the static timing very precisely and a strobe check always shows full advance to be spot on so I rarely bother with the strobe check these days.

[ChuckyShamrok]

Rings were replaced because one of the cylinders was seized when I picked up the bike

[PITAPan]

Rings were replaced because one of the cylinders was seized when I picked up the bike

good reason. lemme guess, the left?

How was the bore?

[ChuckyShamrok]

Yup, was the left side. Had the cylinders honed to stock numbers, 90mm if I remember correctly.

[ChuckyShamrok]

Working on the bike now (Hijackings somesone WiFi FTW!). At Full advance, the points open before the F mark, at full retard the points open just after the F mark.

[PITAPan]

Working on the bike now (Hijackings somesone WiFi) The points are opening just after the F mark, so thats way too advanced, right?

Right.

Engine runs like a swiss watch---turns clockwise. So as you are observing the flywheel in the inspection window the letters descend from the top and disappear at the bottom. F is max advance and as it sinks out of sight S and then OT appears at the top. You are working backwards from 32* advanced or whatever it is back to OT.

You don't have points-in-can. Set the flywheel on S and just turn the points plate. Turn the engine clockwise to your mark at all times--want to get the slack out of the timing chain. You'll evaluate the chain later when it's running. Same deal when setting valves, always turn in the direction it runs.

Give the advance weights a poke with your finger when the pivot is horizontal. The weight should open fully and then spring closed. Both of 'em. No sticking or hanging up please.

Check the screws holding the points plate. The wrong ones will hit the weights. bad. Primo place for the nicest brand new screws you can arrange. If the tits are getting beat plan on rebuilding the plate. They can be refreshed. That advance mechanism is unholy expensive new. Used may be no better than yours.

You can have fun starting a thread on the what the correct greases are for the wiping felt and advance shaft (inside the tube). The original greases are kinda available. I gave the last of mine away to the Rubber Chicken man who was jonesin' for a supply. Had a bent cam nose on the /5 and didn't know how to straiten it at the time (I've corrected it since and still have that cam) and went to dual plugs anyway. Lost the points for (eventually) a Boyer electronic setup and never looked back. I was sooooo sick of points....Still put them in roadside a couple times in a pinch, eyeballed the setting, rode home and took 'em right back out.

While you're at it, and as a new owner, start an oil thread too---you know, what's the "best" oil? Endless entertainment on that one. It's wintertime, gotta get your jollies where you can. I got all sorts of things to do on the ride and it's too frookin' cold in the shop. I have to bring some tools in and warm them on a heater so I can stand to hold them. If the wrenches are rather warm it keeps your hands going.

[ChuckyShamrok]

I edited my post, at both full advance and full retard of the points, they open before the F mark on the flywheel.

And the shop I'm working out of gets unholy cold too, Got a propane jet heater to take the chill off. Even with wool socks and insulated pants it gets frosty at times.

[PITAPan]

I edited my post, at both full advance and full retard of the points, they open before the F mark on the flywheel.

And the shop I'm working out of gets unholy cold too, Got a propane jet heater to take the chill off. Even with wool socks and insulated pants it gets frosty at times.

set it to S with the advance weights fully closed by their springs.