Thread: Timing Problem
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Old 07-08-2020, 12:57 AM   #5
40 Deluxe
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Join Date: May 2010
Location: now Kuna, Idaho
Posts: 3,774
Default Re: Timing Problem

Quote:
Originally Posted by DKnapp View Post
I could not get my '28 Speedster to run real well. Plugs were really fouled and black sooty, so cleaned them and tried adjusting the Weber carb without any results. Checked the distributor for good spark. Timing is the last thing I usually check as it should not change if one has not changed the rotor. I decided to check the timing anyway. Any ideas?? Thanks

I'd like to mention that changing the rotor has absolutely no effect on the timing! The rotor is "keyed" to the points cam lobe (it can only go on one way). "Timing" is the term used to describe the exact moment the spark occurs. That exact moment is when the points just start to open. In turn, the moment of points opening is determined by point gap and the position of the points cam in relation to the position of the piston in the cylinder (it can be at TDC or either before or after TDC). Ideally, initial timing should be at TDC or 1 or 2 degrees after TDC. Once the engine starts, timing of course changes (advances) as you pull the timing lever down.

Trying to set the initial timing by rotor position is like building kitchen cabinets with a chain saw-you won't get accurate results!
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