Timing Help

[maynard70]

Allrighty, either I'm a moron, or I screwed something up, or both... I've read like three different ways to set and adjust the timing, and for some reason, can't make heads or tails of any of it.

So, I'll pose this as fill-in-the-blanks sort of questions if any of you gents can assist. These may seem like dumb questions, but forgive me, I'm sort of new at this.

Points being "open" means that the two contacts (upper/lower) are _______ (together/apart).

You're supposed to have current registering at the points when they are _____ (open/closed).

You cannot or should not have current registering on both sets of points at the same time. ___ (yes/no)

The right cylinder fires at the 'F' mark on the compression stroke, meaning there _____ (is/is not) current at the point.

Current should be present for 1.5 revolutions at each point for each cylinder before shutting off, 180* from the 'F' mark, while on the power stroke. ___ (yes/no)

I'm beginning to suspect I'm 180* off, but am not sure... If so, how does one fix this? I'm pretty sure the gaps are set correctly, and have filed and cleaned the points, but for some reason, the R cylinder keeps on registering current through the whole cycle. This is nuts.

Still a long way from being road-ready, but I'm plodding steadily along... I'm tryin'.

Thanx...... M.

 

[pamcopete]

Allrighty, either I'm a moron, or I screwed something up, or both... I've read like three different ways to set and adjust the timing, and for some reason, can't make heads or tails of any of it.

So, I'll pose this as fill-in-the-blanks sort of questions if any of you gents can assist. These may seem like dumb questions, but forgive me, I'm sort of new at this.

1. Points being "open" means that the two contacts (upper/lower) are _______ (together/apart).

2. You're supposed to have current registering at the points when they are _____ (open/closed).

3. You cannot or should not have current registering on both sets of points at the same time. ___ (yes/no)

4. The right cylinder fires at the 'F' mark on the compression stroke, meaning there _____ (is/is not) current at the point.

5. Current should be present for 1.5 revolutions at each point for each cylinder before shutting off, 180* from the 'F' mark, while on the power stroke. ___ (yes/no)

I'm beginning to suspect I'm 180* off, but am not sure... If so, how does one fix this? I'm pretty sure the gaps are set correctly, and have filed and cleaned the points, but for some reason, the R cylinder keeps on registering current through the whole cycle. This is nuts.

Still a long way from being road-ready, but I'm plodding steadily along... I'm tryin'.

Thanx...... M.

1. Apart
2. Do you mean current or voltage? There is no easy way to measure current. You will measure 12 Volts at the points when they are open.
3. Again, voltage , not current. Both sets of points are open at the same time in between closing one at a time, so you can measure 12 Volts on both during the time that they are both open.
4. Is not current, but you will measure voltage. This is used to static time the points with a test light. The light should come on just as the timing mark is at the "F".
5. Each set of points closes for 90 degrees of camshaft rotation, or 180 degrees of crankshaft rotation. Each set of points opens to create a spark every 720 degrees of crankshaft rotation when their respective cylinder is on its compression stroke. At idle, this event occurs when the timing mark is over the "F".

Here is a chart that shows the several ways that you can be 180 degrees off. If any two of these items is wrong, they cancel out and the timing will be correct.

Note: Pins are the locating pins in the advance rod. Disk is the slotted disk on the advancer.

In addition to this list of mechanical 180 degree items, you could also have the spark plug wires crossed or the points wired to the wrong cylinder. If you think that you are 180 out, then just swap any one of these items.

 

[maynard70]

Yes, I did mean "voltage" instead of "current" - I was generalizing.

Thank you for the assistance, Pete.

MM

 

[vtwinjunkie]

can someone please explain this cart it makes no sense to me whatsoever....

 

[Downer]

All your pins. Should line up on your cam rod. If you think your 180 out switch your plug wires over each other to see if it will fire that way