I would really appreciate it if someone could give me the step by step procedure for setting the timing with a timing light. I bought a light but some things are not clear to me. I know where the timing mark plug is and I understand about rotating the pickup to adjust the timing. Can you rotate it with the engine running? Is the timing set with the voes connected? I don't have a manual . Thanks

 

The first thing you need to do is paint the single dot with some HI visibility paint.

 

Second, get the book. And not the Chiltons or whatever it is, the factory book.

Then, yeah, you can rotate it with the motor running, or have your helper rotate it while you watch, etc. Kinda hard to reach around the bike. VOES connected up like it is supposed to be. Motor at 1300-1500 RPM, you should see a dot (or two dot like things, one for the front and one for the back) in the middle of the hole. A line is TDC. You don't want that. You want the dots.

 

Thanks Dr. Yes, I have been searching for a factory manual but havent found one yet. So, when I see the dot in the middle of the hole, the timing is correct? Will oil puke out of the inspection hole during the process?

 

Yeah, dot in the middle and you are good. Or two dots, one higher (front cylinder) and one lower (back cylinder). Oil mist will come out. Less if you have the bike upright, like on a lift. I never used one of the clear plugs until someone gave me one. If you don't mind a little oil mist blowing on you, it's no big deal. The timing light catches most of it. Call it "part of the experience."

 

Oh, and be real careful taking the timing plug out. Put some penetrating oil on it first and if it doesn't come out relatively easy, you might want to think about warming the bike up, then putting an ice cube on the plug and trying it, etc. The threads in the case have a tendency of coming out with the plug. Steel plug, aluminum case, and it probably hasn't been apart in a couple decades. Put some anti-seize on when you put it back together. The problem is so common that they make oversize plugs just for that.

 

Thanks Doc!

 

disregard. Figured it out. Thanks

 

Do you still have the OEM ignition?

 

No. Crane Fireball. I forgot about that too. The advance curve is set to the maximum. I see that there is a different process for setting the timing in Crane's instructions. Im going to go through that procedure tomorrow.