Yam_Tech314's official build thread

I likely installed the assembly correctly. Aside from the circular piece in the center that the arms for the advance ride in. The bike ran before I tore her down... And I never took that pin out. So. Guessing I just didn't pay attention to the markings when I installed them.

How can I know it's timed correctly? Does it line up with the flat part of the cam on the opposite side?

EDIT***
OH... I see now. It only goes together one way... Which makes me wonder how this thing ever even ran at all... Because there's a pin in the cam as well but there's only one locating hole for that pin (right?)

I'm confused now... I'll be removing the pin and installing it correctly.
 
Edit AGAIN. the circular piece wasn't properly installed. After reinspecting I was able to see that the circular part never meshed with the pin, I got the nut and washer on without properly aligning the two... The marks now line up just fine, and I can't think of how I messed this up the first time... I used a flashlight both times and thought I saw the pin in the slot the first time. This time around I made sure I FELT the pin go into the slot and now I see the end of the advance rod where the threads stop, whereas before, I never made sure that seated properly. Oops.
 

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Got my points adjusted, and replaced the screws with new ones. I adjusted my points gaps to .014.

I also just had my battery on a tender for about 4 hours now. I get a reading of 11.98 volts DC while disconnected from the tender. I get 12.41 when attached . I'm thinking it should be higher than that, but it's also been left to sit for three ish years untended... If I need to replace the battery then there are worse things to worry about. However, once I install the exhaust, figure out what I wanna do for switches, and get fuel to it, I'm ready for a first start. Cam chain was adjusted prior to adjusting points, valves are adjusted to proper clearances per forum recommendation, carbs are installed with new air filters, I really can't think of anything else...
 
I chimed into a thread about battery leads. I'm making my own using 4 feet of "diehard" brand #4 gauge black copper wiring. It came with leads preinstalled but it was one long piece. I have red and black sleeves to cover the crimped terminals to signify positive and negative. It's not my preferred set up, but they didn't have red wire. So good enough for me.

I also bought a mini in line fuse holder and two 20 amp fuses. As well as some terminal ends to make everything work the way I need it to!

My questions are... Is #4 way too heavy of a gauge to use? It was the size the P.O used so I copied their sizing.

How EXACTLY do I need to hook these leads up to the bike? The red lead obviously runs to the solenoid, but does it matter which post I bolt it to?
I also don't know how to wire up this in line fuse... I'm going to be retrofitting it onto the bike because the last set up was a poor excuse for an inline fuse.
 

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What year? Stock harness?

It's a 76. I bought a replacement harness but from the side by side comparison I did it seems to be right on the money with the stock harness. I have two diagrams saved to my iPad to reference wiring, but it isn't really making a ton of sense to me with the fuse coming off the terminal. I know it's gotta be between the Iggy switch and the positive terminal, but would I just crimp a circular lead to the one side and bolt it to the battery post, and plug into THIS red wire?
 

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If that red wire you're holding goes to the ignition switch, yes... the fuse goes there. Run the other end to the starter solenoid, the same terminal the battery cable goes to.
 
I see. Good idea. I'm honestly not sure if that little red wire goes to the ignition switch or not. I can't think of what else it would go to, unless it's for the rear brake light switch.
 
The stock set-up had a small wire pigtail crimped into the battery cable end (along with the battery cable). You could duplicate that since you are installing a new end on the new battery cable anyway. Here you can see the short pigtail (with white protection sleeve) coming out of the battery cable end connected to the solenoid .....

bJwJB3o.jpg


It has a female bullet connector on it so you would put a male bullet on at least one end of your in-line fuse holder. The other end will depend on what the harness wire has on it. Normally, the battery cable is connected to the rear solenoid terminal.
 
That's quite a good set up. I'd do that if I hadn't already cut both leads to length and crimped them on... Lol.

I didn't have crimpers big enough so I dipped the exposed copper wiring I'm flux, wrapped a ring of solder around it one and a half times, slid the ends on and gave them a clean flattening blow with a hammer, then I heated the ring connectors until the tail of solder sticking out about 1mm melted. I know it's over kill, but I wanted to do it right the first time for once.

I haven't taken pictures yet... I'm out to red lobster for father's day with my family. I'll go home full of food and happy to continue what I started, and grab some pictures to share my set up. I like it. New and shiney is truly an addictive site to see.
 
You'll want to cover the bottom end of that new battery cable (like in my pic above) so you don't inadvertently touch something to it and send sparks flying, lol. Cover the cable running to the starter motor too.
 
You reminding me to cover the cables to the starter helped a lot because I was trying to bridge the solenoid with a screwdriver to test the starter and nothing happened... I realized only after reading your comment that I still had to make a Lead from the starter to the solenoid. DUH. Minus that small hiccup though, I made a lead like I did the rest, and bridged the solenoid with a screwdriver and boom. Starter works and the battery recovers back to 12.5vdc.

I am going to use my neutral indicator light as a checker light since I know the battery is good, and strong enough to illuminate it. I've already tested it, and it's nice and bright from the battery. I clamped one side to the points, and another to the fins of the motor and get no illumination at all... Idk if the ignition switch is wired wrong, or if there's more to it than that, but either way I think I'll end up replacing the ignition switch for a stock one, and reverting back to 76' EVERYTHING as far as front end wiring goes. The upgraded forks are a good deal, but the Frankenstein wiring that was birthed from the P.O's skillful wiring job is impossible to redeem.

The ignition switch I have only has three wires that come out of it, but every diagram I have shows four... Not to mention there's crimps and splices all over the place... I'm better off buying switches that are compatible with my current harness and going from there. They're bound to look nicer anyways...

Until then... What could I possibly do as a temporary set up to get power going to these points...?
 
Did some thinking at work today, I'm still not sure what I have to do to get power to the points... My makeshift test light works, but there's never power going to either point and I cannot tackle the issue. Any advice?
 
Power to the points comes from the coils so I'd start there. Make sure the red or R/W power wires feeding the coils have power (when the key is on). Also, I'm not sure if it matters but maybe it does - make sure the wires are connected to the proper ones on the coils. The red or R/W switched power wire connects to the coil brown wire and the points wires connect to the coil orange wires.
 
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