My '81H project

[NorazDad]

I thought after being a lurker for the last year, I would finally get around to introducing myself and my bike. I bought the bike with 18K miles on it and it ran great from the get go. I changed tires, Pirelli in the back and an old school Dunlop in the front, 17/34 sprockets, O ring chain, new brake pads and rebuilt the Master cylinder. I put 1K+ miles on it before I got into the winter break down.
I needed to fix a spring on the wet side of the case and replace the oil seal on the tach. Checked the clutch pads and spent hours trying to get the case back on without ruining the gasket while getting the kick starter spring to catch. Then on to the left side to replace the clutch push rod and seal. Took two tries to get the seal right...the dremel trick worked great for smoothening out the rough edges.
Oh, and I removed the starter motor and solenoid and put in the hole block from Mikes.
So, while reading up on upgrades and with a few extra bucks in my pocket, I decided to order a HHB PMA...only to find that I would have to go with a different ignition system because the TCI would be eliminated with the PMA...oh well.
So I ordered the Ultimate Pamco from Mikes with the EAdv and here is where things get interesting...
I failed to mention that my turn indicators did not work and I read everything I could on that topic and couldn't leave it alone. In a pm, XSLeo said that I would have to learn the whole electrical system to really answer my questions...so I did. While tracing the wires for the indicators I started to unplug stuff...I've been doing that since I was a kid. I labeled everything I could and then found Jayel's wonderful wiring map and used it to identify everything I couldn't figure out. Then I started reading. I loved Jayel's posts about being the light checker eliminator, et al. That really got me started on taking out all of the unnecessary electrical elements.
I'm going to start a new post on the whole electrical process.
By the way...you guys are great, unless you get snarky, but he technical help has been wonderful and I thank you.
Rob end part one. well maybe not
The tear out...
I proceeded to tear out all of the relays and strip the harness all the way to the junction where the harness splits to go to the hand controls and the bucket.
I found a number of rewires and splices that were miss color coded and proceeded to clean those up. I rewired my four blade fuse block...the old wires made no sense as to where they were going. With the starter gone, I knew I could start cutting.
Gotta go for now, will follow up in a few.
now end part one.

 

[NorazDad]

OK, I'm back and here is where I could use some advice.
I removed all of the relays etc. and got it down to the simplified wiring diagram INXS has posted several times, only including the turn signals.
I have installed the pamco with the EAdv according to the instructions. I did kill my first coil by soldering the the RW and Red wire from the EAdv unit to the coil lead and simply melted it off. Won't make that mistake again.
Any mounted the coil at the original location by adding an inch of fuel line and longer screws to simply move the whole unit and the spark plug wire away from the frame enough to allow the unit and the wires to hang straight down. I considered many of the other options posted, but this seems to work fine.
Here's the big question. By running a simplified wiring loom, everything should work as a unit: lights on Yellow, other power on brown, etc.?
I bought the Iridium plugs and gapped them to .35, some say .40?
I'll also look forward to discussion on rejetting my carbs.
What concerns do I need to consider? I am going to run a battery for now until I get everything dialed in and then I will run a condenser for local runs and a battery for the long ones where I don't want to risk being stranded in the event of an electrical breakdown. Or just run with a fully charged battery on hand with the condenser. I know some do that.
After I get it started and timed, I am going to remove the old system, change the crank seal and install the PMA.
I'm little nervous...should I be?
I'll post some pics after I get it started and running.
Thanks in advance for any suggestions. This site and the retired 650rider site have been tremendously valuable to me and to others as well, I am sure.
Thanks again
Rob

 

[NorazDad]

So, this is part three...
Started right up...five kicks
Played with the advance and retard so long that I feel like and advanced retard...sorry
Called it a day with my pos HF timing light shaking like a deer in open season
Think I'm going to check my timing chain and then the valves and then...?
It's blowing smoke unlike it's ever been
Do I need to rejet the carbs?
if so, please tell me what to get
I have the stock 34s
Thanks and good night

 

[XSLeo]

The best way to set up the Pamco is to wire it temporarily to a stand alone battery. This way you will have a good power source to get it right.
Using a PMA have it hooked up as you want to run it except for the ignition.
Now with the ignition running off a battery, the PMA running everything else you can test the PMA for proper function.
Often if a PMA has issues it will either not put out any power or have a to high output.
No output makes it impossible to run the engine. To much output can burn things up.
Once you have the Ignition running and tuned and have good PMA out put you can then hook the ignition to the bike.
I recommend running a battery. A lot of states require the lights to operate for a period of time without the bike running. Might want to check your local laws on that.
If so then a battery will be needed. Running a cap and a battery is like wearing both a belt and suspenders. Don't make sense to me.
On the carbs, If you are running the stock air cleaners and exhaust you might not need to rejet. I might try a bit any way just to be sure everything is at it's best. They were set up a bit lean from the factory, so one up on the pilots and mains might improve things a bit.
If running Uni-Filters and a free flowing exhaust you can start at one up on the pilots and two up on the mains and test from there.
The carb guide has a tuning section in it. It covers things a bit better than I am willing to rewrite.
The big thing with carb tuning is to make one change and test, then make another change and test. Making two changes at a time and you can't tell which change did what.
I have the cheaper Harbor Freight timing light and it works well. The wires are a bit light and could easily be damaged if allowed to get to close to hot engine parts.
Leo

 

[retiredgentleman]

I would keep the spark plug gap at 0.035", that's what I use.

You had a working TCI, and a working stock alternator/charging system. You may have been better to just stay with that set-up for a year or so, to see how the bike ran. However since you decided to go the PMA route, the TCI cannot now be used. So, you are spending extra money for a Pamco.

Don't install the PMA until you have the bike running normally with the Pamco and the stock alternator/charging system. The PMA has been known to introduce additional problems, such as high voltage, etc.

Are you saying the bike did not smoke before the latest work, and now it does smoke?

The carb jetting depends on what exhaust and air filters you are using. So let us know what you have.

 

[NorazDad]

Thanks for the feedback. I probably should have left well enough alone...but alas. I got it timed yesterday. I checked cam chain tensioner and I set the valve tappets at .003 and .006. I disconnected the alternator and ran the pamco from a freshly topped off battery. Everything seems to be in spec timing wise now. I am concerned about the smoking though. It did not smoke prior to my work this winter so I am a little concerned.
The air filters are the XS cones. and the exhaust is stock.
Thanks in advance for any ideas.

 

[retiredgentleman]

Thanks for the feedback. I probably should have left well enough alone...but alas. I got it timed yesterday. I checked cam chain tensioner and I set the valve tappets at .003 and .006. I disconnected the alternator and ran the pamco from a freshly topped off battery. Everything seems to be in spec timing wise now. I am concerned about the smoking though. It did not smoke prior to my work this winter so I am a little concerned.
The air filters are the XS cones. and the exhaust is stock.
Thanks in advance for any ideas.

There's no need to disconnect the alternator when test running the engine with a Pamco ignition. In fact that is how the bike's electrics are designed to work best. You should also measure the battery voltage at idle and at 3000 to 3500 rpm. If your stock rec/reg is working properly, you should have 13 volts at idle and approximately 14 volts at the higher rpm.

 

[NorazDad]

Installed the HHB PMA...still worrying about the smoking, so I ordered a new set of valve stem seals off Ebay and will attempt the install using Farrell's instructions and home made tool from 650Central. It should be quite an adventure and I hope it stops the smoke.

 

[jamesgs4]

even with a trimmed down harness, the old connectors are brittle and are prone to not making good connections even if they are clipped tightly together. since you are bare bones now, it should be easy for you to start from scratch and use all new wiring and connectors. I was stuck on the road too many times trying to troubleshoot wiring that appeared to be good, but was not making good connections.

 

[NorazDad]

That may well be next fall's project...or sooner.
I would love to clean up the light bucket.
Valve stem oil seals first.

 

[NorazDad]

Just installed a Pamco and an HHB PMA without a hitch and then took half the day tracing down my bad wiring to the brake light switch. Worked before I took everything out...musta been me. The great thing is after all is said and done, wiring is just logic. Thanks for the tips out there. None of you solved my problem...all of you did.
Peace All!

 

[NorazDad]

I feel like this is a diary tucked under some bunk bed...oh well.
I'd like to see some pics of the routing of the pamco around the head and tucking the EAdv in an aesthetic place.
About to do the valve stem seal swap
They arrived from Oregon today and I am blown away that they are so small. This is going to be a delicate procedure to ay the least.
Building a great battery shelf supported by old fashioned trucker bungies.
Solid as heck.
Get er done and ready to ride.
Thanks All!