Author Topic: Points not working after replacing them  (Read 1224 times)

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Offline gbal06

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Points not working after replacing them
« on: October 01, 2021, 06:22:57 AM »
I replaced my points on my cb550kwith new ones from common-motor and set the gaps at .012.  When I try to set the static timing with my test light I can't get the light to com on when I rotate the engine over or adjust the plate.  The test light is good.  Any advice on what I may be doing wrong or how I can fix it?  Thanks

Offline bryanj

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Re: Points not working after replacing them
« Reply #1 on: October 01, 2021, 06:58:10 AM »
The blue wire is n the wrong place and grounding on the steel bracket,cant see on other points.
The ga should be 14 thou
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Offline Deltarider

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Re: Points not working after replacing them
« Reply #2 on: October 01, 2021, 07:51:44 AM »
As I see it, the yellow wire is also grounding. The pic below shows you the position the advancer should be in when you set gap 1+4, seen through the peep hole.
« Last Edit: October 02, 2021, 11:20:48 AM by Deltarider »
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Offline Bodi

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Re: Points not working after replacing them
« Reply #3 on: October 01, 2021, 10:06:15 AM »
To clarify: the coil wire terminals must be on top of the insulating washers. These insulate the contact piece from the baseplate, the bracket is attached to the baseplate and thus grounded so the screw though it has the insulating washers. With the terminal under the plastic washer the coil is connected directly to ground.

Offline gbal06

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Re: Points not working after replacing them
« Reply #4 on: October 01, 2021, 10:09:42 AM »
The blue wire is n the wrong place and grounding on the steel bracket,cant see on other points.
The ga should be 14 thou

Where should the blue wire be? Do you have a pic of what it should look like? Ok I will increase the gape to .014. Does the capacitors have to be connected in order to set the timing?
« Last Edit: October 01, 2021, 10:34:09 AM by gbal06 »

Offline gbal06

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Re: Points not working after replacing them
« Reply #5 on: October 01, 2021, 10:31:01 AM »
To clarify: the coil wire terminals must be on top of the insulating washers. These insulate the contact piece from the baseplate, the bracket is attached to the baseplate and thus grounded so the screw though it has the insulating washers. With the terminal under the plastic washer the coil is connected directly to ground.


so it should go in this order from the nut-in; Nut, washer(cant remember if it has one or not), brown washer, blue wire, metal spacer, green wire, points tang, bolt for 1-4

2-3 ; bolt, points tang, brown washer, yellow wire, metal spacer, green wire, brown washer, washer, nut

Correct?

Offline gbal06

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Re: Points not working after replacing them
« Reply #6 on: October 01, 2021, 10:32:21 AM »
As I see it, the yellow wire is also grounding. The pic below shows you the position of the advancer you should see through the peep hole when you set gap 1+4.

the tang for either 1-4 or 2-3 should be seen in the "peep" window and lined up in the middle of the index mark correct?

Offline Deltarider

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Re: Points not working after replacing them
« Reply #7 on: October 01, 2021, 11:41:54 AM »
Sorry, but you're still grounding things. You may consult the pic below. The brown insulator rings are there to prevent the little bolt and the forked connectors (both of them) ground to the bracket.
« Last Edit: October 01, 2021, 11:47:18 AM by Deltarider »
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Offline robvangulik

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Re: Points not working after replacing them
« Reply #8 on: October 01, 2021, 01:48:07 PM »
 Nut, washer, blue wire, brown washer, metal spacer, points tang, brown washer, green wire, bolt for 1-4

2-3 ; bolt,  yellow wire, brown washer, points tang,metal spacer, brown washer, green wire, washer, nut
« Last Edit: October 01, 2021, 01:50:22 PM by robvangulik »

Offline Deltarider

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Re: Points not working after replacing them
« Reply #9 on: October 01, 2021, 02:11:31 PM »
The order is not that important, as long as you rememberto have both the blue (or yellow) and green wire on the outside of the brown insulator rings. BTW, between the nut and the metal washer is supposed to be a tiny spring washer.
« Last Edit: October 02, 2021, 11:22:35 AM by Deltarider »
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Offline grcamna2

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Re: Points not working after replacing them
« Reply #10 on: October 01, 2021, 02:12:53 PM »
The screws where you connect your yellow and blue wires need to be completely insulated from touching the steel of the points brackets.
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Offline Deltarider

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Re: Points not working after replacing them
« Reply #11 on: October 01, 2021, 02:40:58 PM »
The screws where you connect your yellow and blue wires need to be completely insulated from touching the steel of the points brackets.
Those little bolts are themselves insulated by real minuscule O-rings that sit centered inside the hole in the bracket. Some manage, by loosening things too wide apart, to misaligne that tiny O-ring, resulting in the bolt grounding. At least I did  ;D. You know what? Tomorrow I'll shoot some photos.
« Last Edit: October 02, 2021, 11:23:21 AM by Deltarider »
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Offline KennyRedman

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Re: Points not working after replacing them
« Reply #12 on: October 01, 2021, 03:42:44 PM »




Here you go.

Offline grcamna2

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Re: Points not working after replacing them
« Reply #13 on: October 01, 2021, 04:03:53 PM »
The screws where you connect your yellow and blue wires need to be completely insulated from touching the steel of the points brackets.
Those little bolts are themselves insulated by real minuscule O-rings that sit centered inside the hole in the bracket. Some manage, by loosening things to wide apart, to misaligne that tiny O-ring, resulting in the bolt grounding. At least I did  ;D. You know what? Tomorrow I'll shoot some photos.

I remember on a few different sets of points I was adjusting that there was a small,round Bakelite/insulator with a hole drilled in the center that would insulate the threads of the small bolts which held the points wires onto each set of points.
75' CB400F/'bunch o' parts' & 81' CB125S modded to a 'CB200S'
  I love the small ones too !
Do your BEST...nobody can take that away from you.

Offline Deltarider

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Re: Points not working after replacing them
« Reply #14 on: October 02, 2021, 03:51:22 AM »
I remember on a few different sets of points I was adjusting that there was a small,round Bakelite/insulator with a hole drilled in the center that would insulate the threads of the small bolts which held the points wires onto each set of points.
That's the one I referred to in reply #11. Have a look at one of the pics below, if you will. It shows the anatomy of genuine Honda - in this case TEC - breakerpoints.
From left to right: nut, spring washer, flat washer, big insulator, central insulator(s)*, big insulator, bolt.
The tiny central insulator* sits in the hole where the bolt, without such insulator, would ground, rendering your ignition ineffective. Under normal circumstances you can trust, it will stay in place. However if you have loosened parts too wide, if..., there's a small risk, it becomes dislocated, which could cause the bolt to ground. I once had this happen.
Reply #8 is incorrect. For instance: the second big insulator (the one to the right in the pics below) is supposed to be in between the steel bracket and the spring.
Concerning the wire connectors, as long as you have them outside the big brown insulators, you're good.
@Kenny. Some of your connectors are very close to grounding the plate. Whenever you fit breakerpoints, take care to not have a connector touching the plate. This is a serious risk at the 2+3 breakerpoints, where a plate crosshead is nearby. Such a ground contact could well be intermittent and you would scratch your head a looong time, before you'd figured that out.
*My breakerpoints even had two of these tiny central insulators, but I cannot claim all breakerpoints had two.

« Last Edit: October 02, 2021, 09:51:09 AM by Deltarider »
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Offline grcamna2

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Re: Points not working after replacing them
« Reply #15 on: April 29, 2023, 12:38:48 PM »
I wanted to refresh this old post considering how helpful it is to newbies especially;to fully insulate everything around the connection of each points wire except the connection to the long band/spring which travels up to each set of points.
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  I love the small ones too !
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Offline newday777

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Re: Points not working after replacing them
« Reply #16 on: April 29, 2023, 01:09:44 PM »
As I see it, the yellow wire is also grounding. The pic below shows you the position of the advancer you should see through the peep hole when you set gap 1+4.

the tang for either 1-4 or 2-3 should be seen in the "peep" window and lined up in the middle of the index mark correct?
You didn't post a reply how you made out thereby leaving your thread hanging......
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My current rides
1975 K5 Planet Blue my summer ride, it was a friend's bike I worked with at the Honda shop in 76, lots of fun to be on it again
1976 K6 Anteres Red rebuilding project, was originally my brother's that I set up from the crate, it'll breath again soon!
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Prior bikes....
1972 Suzuki GT380 I had charge of it for a year in 1973 while my friend was deployed and learned to love street riding....
New CB450 K7 after my friend returned...
New CB750 K5 Planet Blue, demise by ex cousin in law at 9,000 miles...
New CB750 K6 Anteres Red, to replace the totaled K5, I sold this K6 at 45k in 1983, I had heavily modified it, many great memories on it and have missed it greatly.....
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Offline grcamna2

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Re: Points not working after replacing them
« Reply #17 on: April 29, 2023, 02:12:54 PM »
As I see it, the yellow wire is also grounding. The pic below shows you the position of the advancer you should see through the peep hole when you set gap 1+4.

the tang for either 1-4 or 2-3 should be seen in the "peep" window and lined up in the middle of the index mark correct?
You didn't post a reply how you made out thereby leaving your thread hanging......

+1   :D
75' CB400F/'bunch o' parts' & 81' CB125S modded to a 'CB200S'
  I love the small ones too !
Do your BEST...nobody can take that away from you.