Picture Essay of Timing Procedure

[ryonker]

Any takers on putting together a simple photo essay of setting the static and dynamic timing on a bike with points and condensors? I am putting a new set of points and condensors on my 79 GS 750 L this weekend. I think I get it but some pictures with little arrows would be great!

Thanks for the help!

Rick

[Steve]

I don't have pictures available, but neither of them is that hard.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. Are a thousand words equal to a picture?
OK, here is a stick-figure drawing equivalent.


Static: use a small light bulb, a test light will do fine. Use jumper leads or clips to attach the light to both sides of the points. Turn the key ON, use a wrench to turn the crank, align the timing mark in the window. The light should come ON when the timing mark is reached. If not, loosen the points slightly, move them so that the light comes on. Snug down the points screws, rotate the crank to check it again. The principle here is that current always flows through the path of least resistance. When the points are closed, current flows through the points, bypassing the light. When the points open, current can flow through the light.

Dynamic: use a strobe-type timing light, one with an inductive pick-up is best. Connect the power wires to the battery, clip the inductive pick-up around a plug wire. Use the #4 plug for the 1-4 points, and the #3 plug for the 2-3 points. Start the engine, pull the trigger on the timing light, look at the timing marks. Check for proper advance by increasing engine rpm to the specified values.

[Shaughn]

Bump Question

Bumping this for a continuity question/head check...

After reading this post, Earlfor's post in tips and tricks, and the appropriate section of my Clymers, both state to use continuity to static check for timing. Earl (and you Steve) say to use a light, my clymers opens that up to "continuity device". So I figured that I could use the continuity test function of my DMM.

Except, that fails miserably. After much consternation, I realized very clearly, that the condensors are grounded to the breaker plate, so there is continuity to ground whether or not the points are open or closed. So coming online to research, I see reading more clearly that it is not continuity that we are looking for, per se, rather the power path.

And, since my battery is out (along with the stator, R&R, starter solenoid, etc) this is not a PM I can do at this time.
I was hoping to set both while I had it off to set valve clearances, but appear to on hold until the battery is back in.

Right? Or do I need to figure out some other problem why the condenser side of the point assembly has continuity to ground regardless of points being open/closed?

[Steve]

Yep, yer pretty much gonna hafta wait until you get a battery in there. If you can remove the condensor without changing the points setting, you can try that, then use your continuity function on your meter. Many meters will show continuity up to about 200 ohms or so, so yours might be interpreting the current it takes to charge the capacitor (your condensor) as continuity. By removing the condensor from the circuit, you will only have the points to make or break the current path. If you still have continuity, I'd say you have a problem somewhere.

.

[Shaughn]

Thanks again, Steve.