Hi, All
Can't seem to get my 65 FL timed, so an appeal to the experts.
I've done this process 3 times with the same result, so I meet the definition of insanity.
I set up per the HD 59-69 manual. Starts easily and sounds OK, but when I bring it well up off idle and use a strobe timing light, the mark is nowhere to be found in the “hole” and its prone to stutter/miss. Carb is not yet dialed in. Maybe the timing mark is just too faint to see, and I should just static time and fine tune by ear?
Here's what I've been doing.
STEP 1 ... Timing mark centered by “bumping” the rear wheel per the manual. Pushrods confirm front jug is on compression.
STEP 2 ...Put stem into case with 2 bolt holes aligned to case holes. Put Breaker Cam on stem shaft so notches engage the weights.
QUESTION ... The breaker cam has a flat surface between the lobes and the notched part. That surface has a notch as well, about 30 degrees clockwise of the timing mark. Not noted in the manual. Does that notch serve any purpose? Mine faces toward the engine, with the timing mark facing the pushrods. Correct?
QUESTION ... The book says the base is offset such that it can only be installed one way to allow full adjustment. I've been putting mine on so that the stem studs are about equally spaced in the slots on both sides of the base when the cam mark and the breaker arm fiber are aligned. That puts the Condenser on the forward side, and the timing mark on the base is pointed outward from the engine, as per the book. Correct ? (my stem has no visible mark, which the book says to align with the mark on the base)
QUESTION ... When all done per the book (I think), to do final alignment of timing mark with the breaker lever fiber I have to turn the base full clockwise (i.e., what would be fully retarded on a manual advance timer) to align the cam mark with the fiber while holding the cam at full advance. Is that correct, or is something off?
I've tried backing off a tooth per the manual, but the breaker cam moves so far counterclockwise that I'm way off when putting the base back on. Maybe I'm just being heavy handed.
How much should the breaker cam move when I turn the stem shaft enough to move one tooth on the gear?
Or should I forget the initial alignment of timing mark with fiber, and just go for alignment with the breaker cam held at full advance (i.e. timing) and try to get the studs in the middle of the slots so I have lots of room to advance or retard when fine tuning by ear ?
===========
I have a 65 FLH with an aftermarket 66-69 style timer, and that aligns much differently, but is a piece of cake to time, both static and confirmed by strobe timing light or by ear. Ditto for the manual advance timer I have on another bike. Both are easy peazy.
This OEM 65 for the FL is driving me nuts!
I must be doing something wrong ... but what ???
Thanks for any and all help!
John
Can't seem to get my 65 FL timed, so an appeal to the experts.
I've done this process 3 times with the same result, so I meet the definition of insanity.
I set up per the HD 59-69 manual. Starts easily and sounds OK, but when I bring it well up off idle and use a strobe timing light, the mark is nowhere to be found in the “hole” and its prone to stutter/miss. Carb is not yet dialed in. Maybe the timing mark is just too faint to see, and I should just static time and fine tune by ear?
Here's what I've been doing.
STEP 1 ... Timing mark centered by “bumping” the rear wheel per the manual. Pushrods confirm front jug is on compression.
STEP 2 ...Put stem into case with 2 bolt holes aligned to case holes. Put Breaker Cam on stem shaft so notches engage the weights.
QUESTION ... The breaker cam has a flat surface between the lobes and the notched part. That surface has a notch as well, about 30 degrees clockwise of the timing mark. Not noted in the manual. Does that notch serve any purpose? Mine faces toward the engine, with the timing mark facing the pushrods. Correct?
QUESTION ... The book says the base is offset such that it can only be installed one way to allow full adjustment. I've been putting mine on so that the stem studs are about equally spaced in the slots on both sides of the base when the cam mark and the breaker arm fiber are aligned. That puts the Condenser on the forward side, and the timing mark on the base is pointed outward from the engine, as per the book. Correct ? (my stem has no visible mark, which the book says to align with the mark on the base)
QUESTION ... When all done per the book (I think), to do final alignment of timing mark with the breaker lever fiber I have to turn the base full clockwise (i.e., what would be fully retarded on a manual advance timer) to align the cam mark with the fiber while holding the cam at full advance. Is that correct, or is something off?
I've tried backing off a tooth per the manual, but the breaker cam moves so far counterclockwise that I'm way off when putting the base back on. Maybe I'm just being heavy handed.
How much should the breaker cam move when I turn the stem shaft enough to move one tooth on the gear?
Or should I forget the initial alignment of timing mark with fiber, and just go for alignment with the breaker cam held at full advance (i.e. timing) and try to get the studs in the middle of the slots so I have lots of room to advance or retard when fine tuning by ear ?
===========
I have a 65 FLH with an aftermarket 66-69 style timer, and that aligns much differently, but is a piece of cake to time, both static and confirmed by strobe timing light or by ear. Ditto for the manual advance timer I have on another bike. Both are easy peazy.
This OEM 65 for the FL is driving me nuts!
I must be doing something wrong ... but what ???
Thanks for any and all help!
John