It's been a while since contributing to the forums. Over a year ago, the day I quit searching here for strange fixes is the day my bike quit having any problems, except for the "odd timing woes" of stock coil fired spark plugs, during a random routine fine tuning of the point gaps and plate positions, that seem only to be fixed by luck.
Moderator, please consider this a for sticky thread, as the mystery has been solved, by an unusual approach, that is quite far from the normal procedures, and it can be done with accuracy front and backwards, every time. I can't write all that well, and at times very misunderstood, I'll try to do the best I can and stay on point and finish, because I've never seen what I've discovered mentioned anywhere. "IF YOU DON'T HAVE TIME TO GET THE DETAILS, RUSH STRAIGHT TO THE BULLET NUMBERS FOR THE CURE."
Scenario: Changing points, and never finding the once solid "F" mark by following Factory Honda instructions to "must set the points first, and then the plate," going back to check the dwell and it being a never ending loop of WTF.
The last couple tries over a year's period, it goes like this, and I see a growing group having the same problems. After installing new points, "Following the Manual," and the ex pro Honda service guys here, does nearly nothing for me (and i got life time of experience with these bikes, not to mention the guys that don't have any experience) but adds another potential problem that is most difficult to perform at best-Shimming the Points Plate (that only taxes my ability to worry about that little shim and the perfect fitness of it, on top of all the peculiarities of the original task.)
Here is what I discovered, from wanting to find the way to set the whole thing from the plate "resting" in it's loose recess without having to smash a penny to a tiny shim or use a feeler gauge, by outsmarting the strangeness of it-Not being able to find the adjustment to bring the F mark. And the Instructions have to be disregarded in this one case. By
following to a T those instructions, I'll set 1/4 points to a 49 dwell, then set 2/3 points to 49 and the number 1/4 points go way off. Repeating the cycle seems to never change the results, then getting them close, as soon as the plate is loosened, say goodbye to any idea where to guess next on the lost dwell of the points. My plate as soon as it's touched drives the timing Mark to the full advanced mark or close to it, and the plate then cannot get close to the correct setting. Thinking outside of the box...
This is tested with 100% accuracy and results with a running, even if barely able to running motor. Static setting with a first set of a non yet running rebuild or project is a shot in the dark, so err on the side of retarded instead of advanced if obtaining accuracy isn't working, just to get it to fire. Then use the backwards method to set the plate and 1/4 points, with the dwell meter and strobe light.
the advancer bolt has got to be straight. With the points, plate and advancer out of the way, screw your bolt into the crankshaft threads hand tight and turn the motor over with the starter, if it oscillates, it's bent. Straightening it, might only work very temporarily, as in hours or minutes before resuming it's bentness. Get a straight one.
1: Take note of the distance that standard procedure was off by, as in the degree of the circle, of your first failed attempts, and hopefully the plate wasn't set prior all the way advanced or retarded, being close to the center of the adjustment slots is better to start with.
2: Set the Plate 1st (before setting the point gap,) as it rest' naturally in the loose recess, without shimming and wiggling it around, but do not set it to the F mark, set it offset it the distance away as you noted in #1 above. If yours was ending up far advanced, then set the F mark on the retarded side that same distance of how much you were advanced, or vice versa, now snug the plate, Don't over do the tightening, just snug it, you might have to try this 2 times but after seeing the 1st time of what happens the second time it should be clear of what's taking place. (For example, following the manual, setting the points first even if just 1/4 points or both, then attempting to set the timing would throw the full advanced marks into view using the strobe light, and then being unable to reach the F mark alignment, I set the plate retarded that much. just guessing the distance that it was off by, because my next step of setting the point gap to the dwell spec of 49 is going to pull that retarded setting by itself right up to the F mark. without mathematics outsmart the settings.)
3: Set the dwell now with the meter setting in front of you, on 1/4 point set, to 49 degrees, while holding the timing light to watch what the F mark is doing, it'll be off by exactly how far off the plate timing F mark will be. As you set the points you'll notice the F mark take its place where it needs to be. it's going to bring the "retarded" timing to the F Mark exactly into place without moving the plate. if it's off, all you gotta do is scrap the dwell setting at this point, but go back and reset the plate according to again only how much you were off by, it's going to be a small adjustment, only snug the plate, this time, you'll figure out what's going on, you'll see it happen right in front of you, then set the dwell of 1/4 point gap to 49, the F mark will be lined perfectly up with the case mark. Cinch the points, again not super tight, but it's done, cinch the plate also, it's done. what you just did is set the plate and 1/4, only backwards. You won't have to move that again, and you'll always know how to put those 2 Important pieces of the pie where they need to be without machining a shim. Simplify the settings of the plate and the number 1/4 point gap in that order is all you have to do, then lock it in and don't touch that again. . Once you see the relationship of the offsets and how the point setting will bring it back to timed position is the most difficult thing in the whole timing procedure, and you'll know how to do that easily. the next step takes less than a minute to dial in. And that adjustment of 3/4 plate and gap doesn't affect or change the locked plate and points of 1/4 side.
4: Set the 3/4 point gap or dwell to be exactly the same as 1/4 and move the timing of 2/3 if needed to get that F mark, on the case mark, at this point (for the new riders,) the 3/4 point settings and position will be a breeze to set with a strobe and dwell meter, no feeler gauge at all. It works, because now I know how to get the F mark to get back into the game.
