Electronic ignition timing. - Lm

Can some of you sages direct me to an online ‘ignition timing for dummies’ on the net? After a two year ground up build on the lemans I went to fire it up last night but it would only run on left cylinder. Spark is good on right. Its getting fuel as far as I can see. Compression is good. Do I have the timing out and how do I set it? Please excuse my ignorance! I’m still learning Motivlack2013-06-08 13:53:55

You say “Electronic ignition timing”. Does it therefore have an electronic ignition fitted rather than points?If so which system does it have?I would say if it runs on one, then it is unlikely to be timing, they will run even with the timing quite a long way out.

I found I had a coil that would not supply a spark to the right side cylinder once the engine had been running for a few minutes. Timing is normally set up using the right side cylinder first so chances are it is not the timing that is wrong.
All the best,

You need to tell us more, what electronic system do you have?But first of all, try swapping the coils side for side and see if the problem remains on the left. Also try swapping the plugs round, or try a new one on the left.HT cables can also be a source of problems, as can plug caps. Again swap side for side.

Thanks for replying guys.Its a lucas unit. Could it be the valve clearance? I’ll check them Monday.And try swopping leads/coils etc. My ‘mechanic’ has moved to Holland for work and I’m missing him

Again valve clearances are unlikely to prevent it running. More likely a dodgy plug or coil. Try swapping things over one at a time, plugs, then caps and leads, coils etc till the problem swaps over to the other side.

[QUOTE=Don-Spada] Again valve clearances are unlikely to prevent it running. More likely a dodgy plug or coil. Try swapping things over one at a time, plugs, then caps and leads, coils etc till the problem swaps over to the other side.Â

[/QUOTE]

Will do Don

If it’s the Lucas Rita, do you have 6 volt coils? If so then they are wired in series. Just be careful when you swap wiring. But you can just swap the plug leads over without touching the ciols, and see if the spark appears on the other pot. If it does, and the rH one is dead, then you have a faulty coil.

info on RitA here to check it

http://www.eurospares.com/elec.htm

If it’s a Rita AND … … left runs OK, then timing is correct, so timing for right must also be correct. If right is getting a spark (if the left is, then right should also simultaneously) but not firing must be fuel supply. Or HT short in plug / cap / coil. Have you checked if right spark plug is wet. (with petrol) I hope it’s not one of those with parallel 12V coils

Appendix ~ you can get the Rita reluctor position back to front. Drawing bottom of here shows correct orientation ~ http://www.eurospares.com/graphics/lr124b.jpg Note this is top dead centre of compression stroke of RH cylinder, stamp ‘D’ on flywheel in bell housing inspection hole. If you set it up for the left instead (‘S’), RH would be 180° out of phase. I think. Something like that. HTH

Well success, I think?!! I got the lemans running last night with the help of a friend.We swopped leads and used a timing gun to see where it was firing on the R/H cylinder. It fired at the 2/2 mark on the flywheel so we rotated the distributor anti clockwise until she fired up on both pots…Still none the wiser really but it starts and runs fine! And sounds great. A little adjustment on the carbs later should do it.

Mate if you go to the Rita link above there is a brill sheet that gives you the settings I did exactly what you did…ie fire it up move dizzy till it fired on both BUT no strobe stuff I just followed the Rita destructions and measured the distances. re started the bike and it is real gooooood.

I followed that link and went through the set up procedure exactly but it wouldn’t fire up! Its running fine now and ticking over. Little lumpy but I put that down down to carb balance. Am I ok do you think???

[QUOTE=Mike H]

Appendix ~ you can get the Rita reluctor position back to front.  Drawing bottom of here shows correct orientation ~ http://www.eurospares.com/graphics/lr124b.jpg Note this is top dead centre of compression stroke of RH cylinder, stamp ‘D’ on flywheel in bell housing inspection hole. If you set it up for the left instead (‘S’), RH would be 180° out of phase. I think. Something like that. HTH [/QUOTE]

Thanks Mike. I printed this out and followed the set up but no joy. As above I got it running on the 2/2 flywheel mark and moving the distributor back. So don’t know really?

Did ya use this diag buddy?

[QUOTE=guzzibear] Did ya use this diag buddy?
Â
http://www.eurospares.com/graphics/lr124b.jpg[/QUOTE]

Yep, that’s the one!

well bud if it is up and running you have done a decent job I was able to figure it by measuring the 0.02-0.03 clearance and the other ones had to fine tune it running but the T5 works fine…found out the timing is the same on the V1000 engine as the T3/4/5 so will pop Rita into the V1000 when it goes in

Here’s the youtube link to video of bike starting up and running. I think it sounds fine!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48DMtJA_eXY Motivlack2013-06-12 12:08:53

Sounds alright to me