When checking the ignition timing

 Morning...
Get yerself a coffee on me..

Is it really necessary to use the HD timing mark view plug, or can I just
run it with the timing inspection hole uncovered?

A little history:
I had a bunch of bad stuff happen all around the same time. On a downshift
into fourth heading for WOT, I hit false neutral and spun the motor all the
way up to the SE ignion rev limit of 6000.

(I've had a bit of a problem with that particular shift both up and down,
and it needs to be addressed.)

Not long after that it started missing and it took me a while to figure out
that a wire had come loose on the coil. Not long after _that_, she started
leaking oil all over the place from under the lower rear rocker cover (I'm
now thinking that hitting 6000 was just more than that paper gasket could
handle).

I tamed down my riding style for a few weeks as I resolved the issues, but
I've now got a detonation problem. I replaced the rocker cover gaskets (with
steel) and I've been doing some homework, reading up on the difference
between detonation and pre-ignition.  I understand that there are a couple
of possible sources of detonation.

Lean air/fuel (heat)
Carbon deposits (compression)
Ignition timing

I posted a pic of one of my front plug across the street under the subject
_How's she running_. Got one reply to say it's running right.

So I'm wondering if carbon build-up is a possibility give that I was running
the engine around at 2000 rpm for a while as I mentioned above. I've also
read that there's a product out there that you spray into the carb with the
motor running, then shut it down and let it sit overnight to break-up any
carbon, then blow it out the exhaust in the morning when you fire it up.

I'm hoping it's just the timing has wandered off a bit, or somehow got loose
in the high rev mis-shift. Manual says to check the timing at 5000 mile
intervals, and well, I've gone at least 50% past that without checking, so I
figure it's the first thing I need to do.

And of course, I've already tried getting my high octane fuel from a few
different sources to eliminate the simplest solution of bad fuel. No such
luck.

-Steve P.

 On Sun, 23 Sep 2007 10:08:02 -0400, "Steve Paul"


It can be done, but it's a PITA and quite messy...
--
Curly LaJolla AH #117 BS#107
93 FLHS Bark-O-Glide
04 FLHTPI Cop Bike
The party never ends.

 
<LaJolla (LaJolla)> wrote in message
: On Sun, 23 Sep 2007 10:08:02 -0400, "Steve Paul"
:
: >Morning...
: >Get yerself a coffee on me..
: >
: >Is it really necessary to use the HD timing mark view plug, or can I just
: >run it with the timing inspection hole uncovered?
:
: It can be done, but it's a PITA and quite messy...
: --


Or use a short bit of rubber hose same diameter as the timing hole snubbed
up to the flywheel.  Keeps most of the oil in and can be done without a trip
to the parts store.  It also wipes most of the oil away so the mark shows up
better.



--
Chuck Eaves
78 FLH Shovel-in-Progress
SENS BS#267

 

You can buy a plastic plug for the hole but it gets messed up and hard to
see the line.

I never set my timing with a light on my bike. On a good hot day after a
good long ride and you've listened to it ping, put the front tire up against
your garage door and back off the timing until it stops. The engine is under
a load that way and it will never be a issue again. I'm running 10:1 pistons
with 89 octane and I lug down with no ping two up pulling my trailer.

--



Carl

I started out with nothing, and
I just about have that paid for.

Remove one 9 to reply



--
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Sarge wrote:


You still in the area?

roach