Combat timing advice please

If your advance and retard unit is well worn, and it probably is, your timing will be well out by timing IAW the manual. When I was running points (many years ago) and finally got my hands on a strobe, I found the timing was at 40 degrees before TDC and that was after setting the timing meticulously as per the manual. When you lock the points cam fully forward with a washer, any play in the spindle skews the cam and gives a false opening point. I had to retard my points back plate so far that I had to remove the A/R unit and reposition it to bring it back to 28 degrees. On my first day of ownership in 1975 my timing was so far out that I cracked a piston. Two new pistons in those days were about £26!

Retard your ignition until you can get it started and get a strobe on it asap and adjust it from there. You are unlikely to do any damage with the timing retarded but over advanced is risky. The A/R units are poorly manufactured and the springs allow the timing to be fully advanced by about 2000rpm. Electronic systems progressivly advance the spark and make the bikes much more responsive and easier to ride.

This is the twenty first century, treat yourself to an electronic system. Pazon seem to be flavour of the month.

Hi Steven,

If you have a look at the advance curve published on the pazon site then you will see that at kicking speed it is basically 0 degrees.

http://www.pazon.com/ignition-system/sure-fire-british-twin-12volt.html

Regards

Tony

Previously wrote:

Ok, I took your advice and put the pazon in. the bike started on the first kick! Still have to put the strobe light on, still i have started a few times and she is a one kicker. DO you like 28 or 31, Pazon says one can run 31?

The Pazon was pretty easy to fit, i soldered all the connections and used the solder pads on the "trigger' instead of the screw clamps.

I have owned Nortons for 39 years and i never fitted an electronic igniton before. I feel most stupid for running the points all these years.

I'll keep my the mag on my Atlas but i am now a believer for Pazon in a Commando.

Thanks for the good advice!

Hi Stephen,

The old mechanical points were set to 28 max advance as they could not manage a smooth increase. With the electronic you should be at 28 degrees at 3000 RPM and then this should carry on advancing to 32 degrees at 5000 RPM but it is not nice to run the engine at that speed when it is sat in the shed !

Regards

Tony