When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
If you are going to buy a timing light buy a dial back version. With a regular t light you can only set the timing to the factory spec. With a dial back type you can also check the degrees that it is set to, and set it to any degrees you wish.
Here is one that is popular with home mechanics ...
Is it strange that after 30 years the tappets did not need adjustment? Same with the points gap. I did both today and found only the rear cylinder intake tappet to need a minor adjustment. The points were also set at their correct gap (.018 inch) and looked to be in good condition.
The spark plugs were fouled with black carbon, another nod to the running rich theory. I replaced them with new ones. I did get the exhaust system off and will be making some new slits and applying permatex ultra copper and reinstalling tuesday. Still waiting on my VM38 kit to arrive from Scooters performance.
Mick thanks for the videos, they especially helped with taking the spring retainer off of the pushrod cover.
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles
Slideshow: The bar-and-shield logo shows up on far more than motorcycles, some of the company's most unexpected products have nothing to do with riding.
Slideshow: From the troubled AMF years to modern misfires, these bikes earned reputations for reliability issues, questionable engineering, or disappointing performance.
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?
Slideshow: The Swiss custom shop has taken a Harley Softail and stretched it into something so long and low that it looks closer to a rolling sculpture than a conventional motorcycle.
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II
Slideshow: A standard cruiser becomes an intricate metal canvas in the hands of a Swiss custom house known for pushing Harley-Davidson platforms far beyond their factory brief.
Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's challenges aren't abstract; they show up in dropping shipments, shrinking dealer traffic, and strategic decisions that aren't yet translating into growth.