Static Timing

[Jackson55]

I have a new to me '66 A65.
I had to disturb the timing recently, it has a Micro MkIII Boyer.
Setting the timing back seemed straightforward: I positioned the peg (the right way round) in the crank to find full advance, and set the magnet so it was visible through the relevant sight hole for an anti clockwise engine. I downloaded the instructions from Boyer it all looks correct. I have two fat sparks at the plug.
Timing is clearly miles off. As a wasted spark system it surely doesn't matter what position the valves are in? 
Not sure what my next move should be, apart from go old school and set up a timing disc on the rotor.
Thanks for any help, I might be missing something obvious.
Dave Jackson

[Catz]

Have you tried swapping the plug leads around?

[Spaceman]

It will fire both plugs at the same time so it doesn't matter whether you are on exhaust stroke or compression stroke for each cylinder.

Although you are using the crankshaft timing plug, it would still be worth double checking that the pistons appear to be at the correct position BTDC by using a pencil down a spark plug hole. According to my calculations, at full advance of 34 deg, the pistons should be 7.74 mm BTDC.

[Mike Farmer]

 

With one exception I have never strobed an A65 engine. I keep an old spoke with a notcth filed in it that is correct on the upsoke for nominally -34deg.

In thruth I doubt that a couple of degrees ie -32deg makes a whole bunch of difference to the starting or use to the way most of us use these old machines.

The only time I strobed was when my old A65 was running lik a bag of nails. Strobe showed a difference in the firing point caused by incorrect setting of one set of points. Actually it appears to have been caused by  one set opening at a less advanced position than the other. Not a prob with ELectronic.

Mike

[Jackson55]

Thanks to all who replied.
After much head scratching, I tried the suggestion of finding TDC and backing off 7.7mm to find roughly 34 degrees BTDC. It worked and the engine fired. Thank you Spaceman.
I then tried to locate the tool in the crank and it was nowhere near!
I have no idea why the notch in the crank is so far off, except that its an SRM crank and it may be non standard. Has anyone else experienced this?
Anyway, I'll take the primary case off and set it on a degree wheel, then mark off -34 degrees and check it with a strobe.
With modern fuels, should it still be 34 degrees, or better to retard it slightly?
Dave

[Spaceman]

Glad you worked out what the problem was Normally, with modern fuels, you back off 2-3 degs but a little trail and error is needed because not all engines are the same.

[Allan G]

Thanks to all who replied.
After much head scratching, I tried the suggestion of finding TDC and backing off 7.7mm to find roughly 34 degrees BTDC. It worked and the engine fired. Thank you Spaceman.
I then tried to locate the tool in the crank and it was nowhere near!
I have no idea why the notch in the crank is so far off, except that its an SRM crank and it may be non standard. Has anyone else experienced this?
Anyway, I'll take the primary case off and set it on a degree wheel, then mark off -34 degrees and check it with a strobe.
With modern fuels, should it still be 34 degrees, or better to retard it slightly?
Dave

Unless the engine is fairly tight (freshly built) I have known the weight of the flywheel to rock the crank a few degrees putting your timing way off. from 65' all bikes had a timing apature at the front of the cases so it should be used where possible. this prevents that "rock".

Strobe timing is good if you can do it but if you fine tune the timing as per the manual then you may find it will end up different to the standard 34 degrees. for 65/66 the timing was actually 37 degrees for the bikes fitted with the full race cam (anything twin carbed). But advance it until you get the best performance then retard it till it stops pinking. If you know how to read plugs, you can adjust it that way too. I find all mine (even the Honda 400/4) runs far better and not as hot if the ignition is advanced a few degrees.