End of timing adjustment on Pamco

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So the good news is the bike runs =-)

but I'm having trouble dialing in the timing. for reference:
-New Cam chain, properly adjusted
-Valve clearance set
-277 Rephase
-Pamco
-HHB PMA
-Mikes XS advancer (OEM one was damaged so I had to replace it)

the problem is that with the Pamco set at the end of adjustment (retarded as far as possible) , where at Idle, I'm still firing several degrees advance of where I should be (about halfway between the "fire" and "advance" marks if that makes any sense.

1) should I care?
2) without any more adjustment left in the Pamco plate, any thoughts on how I retard the timing a few more degrees without pulling the plate and busting out a grinder?
 
Hi, I've got the same setup on my build. I'm pretty much in the middle of adjustment. If you get your engine to TDC on the compression stroke on the left (closest to the PMA) cylinder, then post some pics of your advance weights and your Pamco side.

One thing to check quickly - are your advance weights snapping back really easily if you twist the Pamco pick up? It could be stuck in near full advance. Mine didn't and another member on here had a similar issue - it's just clearance to the cam bushings :)
 
Sorry for the delay...last night well.. didn't work...

Dog...kinda...I lent my tdc tool to a friend...whoops...so made due with a bolt carefully placed then visually confirmed i was close.

Pics of the advance unit and the pamco while piston #1 is at tdc are below.
d3ccdf674b6103fa0e228f3a21f4173b.jpg
54126cb260e2f449e73a9dd84abe0368.jpg


Advance weights snap back nice. Since these are not oem weights...I'm wondering if they are different and otherwise advance too early.

Or..damnit...maybe i should check my idle speed...maybe the tach needs to go back on for a bit
 
You visually confirmed that you were "close"?????
You need to take this seriously. Get your piston stop back, read the Hugh's Hand-built how-to for finding tdc, take your time, get it exact.
If you can slap a tach on that's good, but the mechanical advance is all or nothing, and it doesn't kick in until about 3K rpm, so that's not the problem unless you were "idling" Really high..
Your advance weights look fine to me.
Find where TDC really is on your motor. If you are still out of adjustment on the plate, then dremel the slots longer and get on with your life.
 
Sorry dog...little loose language on my end...on two wheels its very seriously taken...held the bolt in the plug hole..treated it like a the tool... then visually confirmed that the tdc found was correct. That said...confirming is the right thing to do too. Figure start at confirming tdc...double checking cam alignment...and not assuming diddly.
 
Not to belabor the point, but you "held the bolt in the plug hole"??? With your fingers????
The plug stop has to be absolutely rigid, and screwed tightly in the plug hole so that it can't move. That's why you go to the trouble of making it, rather than just using a chopstick (or bolt) or something. Then, you rotate the crank one way until it stops, make a reference mark or note the reading on a protractor, reverse crank rotation and make another mark, and then you can extrapolate true TDC. Again, not to belabor the point, but if you aren't doing it that way, then you will never know where TDC really is.
 
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