Topic: ran out of adjustment on my points plate

[Scott]

Hello
I have just straightened my points shaft as per Hondaman's book.
Put the points plate back on with the slotted adjustment part set in the middle of the mounting screws and checked the points gap. This is a new genuine Honda points plate.

I went to set the timing with a strobe light by attatching the pickup to number 1 spark plug lead and setting the 1 and 4 timing mark by moving the entire points plate. I ran out of adjustment before getting the "F" mark to line properly.

Then I moved the pickup for the timing light to number 3 spark plug lead and went to set the 2 and 4 timing by just moving the points set but leaving the points plate where I set it a few minutes ago.  Once again I run out of adjustment just before getting the "F" mark to line up.

Any thoughts or comments are welcome
Thanks
Scott

[Deltarider]

Dunno what bike you have but the correct procedure is to start with adjusting the breakerpoints gap. If the gap (dwell) is not within spec, you can easily get out of adjustment range. Btw, experienced mechanics seldom adjusted the plates (I know it is in every manual and that's why everybody with restless hands... ) but by bringing the points to the proper gap (dwell), they'd set the ignition. There's so much twisting of the ignition plates in this forum, I can't believe it. I never touch them but do all the ignition timing by adjusting the breaker points.

[Scott]

Woops forgot the bike, it is a CB750 1972.
I had the points plate off the bike in order to straighten the points shaft.
I'll take another look at the points gap but I thought I had them set correctly at around .35mm using feeler gauge.

Can I muck around with point gap while the engine is running.  I have never set dwell with engine running that I can remember, but maybe it will help get the timing marks to line up.

Scott

[Deltarider]

As a matter of fact, I only use a dwell meter to set the breaker points gap and so the ignition timing. Then I do a routine check with the strobe and it's always good and I have no further adjustments to make by twisting plates. Recommended. Ofcourse if a PO has messed with everything you have to follow the full procedure (first gaps then timing).

[martin99]

Scott, have a look at this..

http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=121142.msg1404575#msg1404575

[Scott]

thanks I'll get on top of this latter today.  With the time differences I'm off to work and will play with the bike when I get home

Scott

[tlbranth]

I never had a dwell meter so always adjusted points with a feeler gauge, a frustrating hobby. Then I adjust the timing by moving the points plates. Only once did I run into the "no more adjustment" problem and I then changed the point gap to compensate. You can adjust the point gap with the engine running if you loosen the points just enough to stay put but be moved with a screwdriver. Of course, as soon as you batten 'em down the timing will change so you have to allow for it.

[HondaMan]

The first 'clue' here is" you have a K2 and the points plate is new manufacture. Check for "looseness" in the whole plate against the ridge that is supposed to center it. I recently bought an OEM (TEC brand) plate set, and the diameter of the plate is slightly small on int. I had to lift the plate upward toward the top "ridge" and set a feeler gage in the bottom lip (to hold it there) while adjusting things. This worked out well in the end, and I cinched the screws down like that.

The gap: it can range .012" to .016". Usually with the TEC sets, they come in around .014" to .015" when thy "hit the marks". I usually set them with a .014" gage statically, then run a timing light on them to find the "F" marks by adjusting gaps "live". Afterward I make sure they fall within the .012"-.016" spec.

[Scott]

Thankyou all
I got a new timing light today that is brighter than my old one.

I ended up with best results pushing the points plate to the bottom.  So with the feeler gauge pushing the plate upwards it was still hard to get it spot on with out having the plate at maximum adjustment.  Once I took the feeler gauge out and let the plate go down towards the bottom the timing mark lined up.

Any one know what the dwell should be out of interest sake.  Both timing marks line up perfectly and the points gap(s) are with in specs, but my new timing light has a dwell meter built into it so I thought I may as well have a play with it.

Thanks again.

Hondaman I will need to contact you shortly to get a few things for a new to me K2 I just picked up.

Scott

[Deltarider]

but my new timing light has a dwell meter built into it

Are you sure it's a dwell meter?
See:
http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=136326.msg1535052#msg1535052

[Scott]

Yes.
In the handle of the timing light it has an analog gauge that can be set to dwell volt or tacho.
The volt works cause I have hooked the timing light up to my bike battery
For the dwell or tacho the timing light has a green wire to hook up to the coil.
Then I just need to set the switch in the handle of the timing light to the setting I want to use and read the appropriate scale.

I have had Hondamans ignition module fitted for a while now since I put the new Honda points plate assembly in, but I never checked the points shaft for run out until a few days ago. Now the shaft is straight and the points/timing good I don't think I will need to touch it again for a while

Scott




Scott

[HondaMan]

Yes.
In the handle of the timing light it has an analog gauge that can be set to dwell volt or tacho.
The volt works cause I have hooked the timing light up to my bike battery
For the dwell or tacho the timing light has a green wire to hook up to the coil.
Then I just need to set the switch in the handle of the timing light to the setting I want to use and read the appropriate scale.

I have had Hondamans ignition module fitted for a while now since I put the new Honda points plate assembly in, but I never checked the points shaft for run out until a few days ago. Now the shaft is straight and the points/timing good I don't think I will need to touch it again for a while

Scott




Scott

Depending on your dwell meter, it may read OK and may not with the Transistor Ignition hooked up. Reason: some [lesser] dwell meters presume a full 12 volt peak to the points, and the box lowers this voltage. The better dwell meters measure time: the cheaper ones use a resistor and capacitor to filter the pulse into a voltage instead.

[lucky]

Just set the points wit a volt-ohm meter set on the ohms x 1000 scale.
KEy in the OFF position. No need to keep sizzling the points over and over.


Forget the timing light.
If the static timing is ok then the advance unit will take car of advancing the timing.
Don't worry about it.

[dave500]

so long as the advance unit is alright?