Timing

[Colonial-Clive (yindi)]

Well I've got new point and backing plate adv-ret good but no matter what I try I cannot get it to line up on 1-4 so can't do 2-3. on full advance I am falling about 3mm short of the F Mark. So I refer to the manual and it says disconect the capacitor to static time? I have followed these instructions but still can only get same results .
The backing plate has no slack in it and on full clockwise I can only get the top screw in.
What Am I missing?

P.S any advice please explain in terms a 5 year old would understand!!!! 

[Bryanj]

You must first set the 1-4 gap to exactly 0.35mm or 14 thou NOT 13 or 15. Then try setting the static timing with a bulb connected from the points spring to earth--NO need to disconnect capacitor.

You will find that as you rotate the plate to adjust the timing that the gap at the points will change, this makes for a frustrating half hour or so to get BOTH the gap and timing spot on.

Then you play the same game with 2-3.

Till you have done it a few times you will curse, threaten give up for tea(or a beer) but eventually you will get it right

[Colonial-Clive (yindi)]

Bryanj have done all of that perfect on 14 thou done on 12 and 16 but it still comes up on just shy of F mark at full adjust clockwise !!!!! Pulling hair out not that there's much left.

[deltarider]

Well I've got new point and backing plate

Honda OEM (TEC) or imitation (Daiichi)?

[Colonial-Clive (yindi)]

There tec points. It's got me baffled

[Colonial-Clive (yindi)]

With all 3 backing plate screws in the case Mark falls between the 1-4 mark on the cam?

[Colonial-Clive (yindi)]

Think I've cracked it thanks for the input it stopped me giving up!

[Chris400F]

So what was it?
I'm sure I had something similar when I first tried to set the timing on my 400 but can't for the life of me remember what the solution was.

[paulbaker1954]

Are you certain you are using the right marks. SOunds obvious but there is another line on the plate near the 1-4 text that is for the advance position. I accidentally tried to strobe time to this mark by mistake once

[deltarider]

This tip might be usable.  http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,5752.msg47539.html#msg47539
Non OEM backplates may shown more radial play than stock.

[triplE675]

I  gave up on trying to get the timing correct and bought electronic ignition instead.

If you want to run and ride these bikes its the way to go.

20 minutes later ......Fit and forget.

I don't want to waste Saturday mornings doing points and timing life's too short.

[deltarider]

Fit and forget.

That ofcourse was what you always read in their advertisements. As if there was a problem... I can tell you from personal experience that you could do tens of thousands of kilometers before you need to look at them. BTW, that's the charme of Hondaman's and my transistor ignition module. In the unlikely event it breakes down, you can return to the old way within 5 minutes.

[Colonial-Clive (yindi)]

  points gap undid everything and started from scratch but I think I will get one of hondamans electric bits of kit! When the penny's allow. Wish I had the skills to make one myself but I get lost on a road map let alone trying to do electronics diagram! 

[Ashdowner]

Can't understand why people still spend hours messing around with points that burn, wear, and pit. Previous CB550 had Boyer which has got electronic advance. Not sure if it was better than the DS unit I have in my current one but what I do know is they're both better than points. Fit and forget. You know it makes sense!!

[matthewmosse]

Set just right, my cb500/4 went around the clock on the standard points, I never adjusted then from when I bought it til the gearbox got so it wouldn't stay in 1st or 2nd. One of my 550k3s seemed about the same, I rebuilt it as my first ever engine job and spent ages on setting the points, never looked at em again though not such high milage, conversly I've had a couple that just would not stay running reliably and at least 1 that was as this one is described, it just seemed the points plate slots were wrong. Sorry I cannot recall if it ever ran or if I gave up, stripped the bike and bunged it in a loft and pillaged it for parts to keep anothe running - a bad habbit that has resulted in there being 18 bikes in my loft as I pillage them for parts for whatever I was commuting on.