Topic: How do you set timing? Man I feel stupid - Some advvise forr others...

[KB02]

we'll figure this out eventually KB02!

You and me, Brother. We'll get there!

SO, what the consensus? Should I go ahead and start it up? Or should I try to figure out why the timing plate needed so much fiddling to set first?

The other thing I was thinking about was putting the plate back the way it came and switching pickups (and rotating the rotor). I KNOW I set this up correctly, but maybe, just maybe I got it backwards. What do you think?

[tmht]

Here are my experiences with installing a Dyna S in a 76 400.

I had the same problem as you were with trying to set the timing statically to the advance mark as indicated by Dyna's instructions. A few beers later I came to the realization that their directions didn't make any f'n sense. So I set it statically to the regular timing marks as I would points. I had more or less 50% of adjustment either direction at that point. Had a few more beers and decided, "What the hell" and fired it up. (I had no intention of riding.) Fired and sounded beautiful right away. So, I had another beer and pulled out the strobe. Timing at idle was spot on, revved the motor to 2K and it was right on the advance.

I have since put ~1500 miles on the bike in about 3 months and it is running like a champ and I haven't had to screw with the timing once.

Here's what I learned:
1. The instructions that Dyna sends are flat wrong for the 400.
2. High-Life tastes good when it is hot as hell here in NOLA.

[KB02]

At least it makes me happy that I have figured it out, bu MAN do I feel stupid right now.

Remember how earlier I said:

...My drunk neighbor was not helping...

Yes, I'm going to blame him. He had me confused....

... I was turning the engine the wrong direction. 

I reversed everything that I had previously done (set the plate back to normal) and the timing was almost right on without even having to adjust it for 1-4 (2-3 took a small tweak, but not much. It's currently 34 degrees. The bike has not run since July or August, and it only took about 4 seconds of spinning before it started to run.

Now I've just got to get a spare wire so I can run the timing light to get it dialed right in.

MAN I feel stupid. 

Thanks all for your help!

[mlinder]

Hrmm.

Didn't have much of a problem setting the timing statically at advance on my dyna s unit.
Wondering what is going wrong with you guys...

[tmht]

Hrmm.

Didn't have much of a problem setting the timing statically at advance on my dyna s unit.
Wondering what is going wrong with you guys...

Dunno, but it may be something specific to the 400. All I know is that there was physically not enough adjustment to move the timing plate enough to get the light to turn on at the advance mark. Set it to the regular mark and all is good. Double checked everything with the strobe and it is right on. Just picked up a new 750 project that will have a Dyna S in it as well. We'll see if there is any difference.

[neil young]

i have just installed a dyna s on my 1977  cb 550...it installed easily but when i try to time with a strobe light at 2500 rpm as stated in the manual i cannot line up the advance mark....what am i doing wrong......i read here to set rpm at 3000 to 3500 is this correct.please answer as i need my bike on the road for work tommorow morning....thx

[KB02]

How far is it off? Is it advanced or retarded? What do you get at Idle?

[jesusno2]

maybe i'm retarded but when i put my dyna in my 750 the only thing i did was roll it up to top dead center on 1 and 4 took made kinda a mark on where the points plate was at slapped the dyna in hooked it up and ran the bike and it still runns to this day. #$%* maybe i'm just lucky or am i missing something here.

[KB02]

Well, you know what they say: If it ain't broke, don't fix it.   

[neil young]

well i think my problem for sure is that i did not roll my engine to top dead center...i just started tearing it apart.so i'm thinking that when installed the dyna visa vee the instructions with 1-4 facing up it's not where it should be

[jesusno2]

i DUNNO IF I DID IT RIGHT? I NEVER HAVE PUT A TIMING LIGHT ON THE BIKE IT MAY BE WAY OFF IT RUNS THOUGH RODE IT 1000 MILES LIKE THAT LAST SUMMER TO SPOKANE AND BACK FOR A BIKE SHOW SEEMED TO PING SOME WHEN I WAS THEIR, BUT IT WAS REAL HOT, AND THE HIGHER ALTITUDE( IT WAS RUNNING KINDA FAT) DID'NT HELP MUCH EITHER I'M SURE. I'LL PUT A TIMING LIGHT ON IT ONCE I FIGURE OUT ALL THE OTHER STUFF I GOTTA DO TO IT THIS SUMMER.

[neil young]

well sometimes things go so well that you forget a thing or two....there is only one way to put  the advance back in place as it has the nub on one side.what i had to do was undo the #1-4 thingy on the plate and rotate it a few mm untill everything lined up then retighten the allen screws.did the tappets and now the bike is running great

[jesusno2]

Ok so let me get this straight reading this thread i'm thinking i might need to go look at mine and re do it.

So with all this advance talk, I'm kinda cornfused. are you setting it up like the points and static timing it to the F mark or going further???

[KB02]

The instructions for the Dyna says to set all timing to the advance mark. Once that's set, Idle should be all set. My bike sure runs better than it did on points, I'll tell you that.