joe reeves method.Timing...I need help with a few items..

[Rscardina]

"NOTE: If your engine has the "Fast Start" feature", you must disconnect/eliminate that feature in order to use the following method. The "Fast Start" automatically advances the spark electronically when the engine first starts, dropping it to normal when the engine reaches a certain temperature.

The full spark advance can be adjusted without have the engine running at near full throttle as follows.

To set the timing on that engine, have the s/plugs out, and have the throttle at full, set that timer base under the flywheel tight against the rubber stop on the end of the full spark timer advance stop screw (wire it against that stop if necessary).

Rig a spark tester and have the gap set to 7/16". Hook up the timing light to the #1 plug wire. Crank the engine over and set the spark advance to 4? less than what the engine calls for.

I don't know the full spark advance setting your engine calls for, but to pick a figure, say your engine calls for 28?, set the timing at 24?. The reasoning for the 4? difference is that when the engine is actually running, due to the nature of the solid state ignition componets, the engine gains the extra 4?.

If you set the engine to its true setting at cranking speed, when running it will advance beyond its limit by 4? which will set up pre-ignition causing guaranteed piston damage! You don't want that to take place.

No need to be concerned about the idle timing as that will take care of itself. The main concern is the full advance setting.

Be sure to use your own engines spark advance settings, not the one I picked out of the air here in my notes."
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After reading this in the sticky I had a few questions regarding this method. I am hoping someone could verify this for me..

When I go full throttle my timer base is snug to the spark advance rubber boot on the screw (adjustment)...if it is already touching at this point...do i need to adjst anything?? or move to the next step?

Can someone tell me what or where the 18 (or 14 ) degrees is read?. Is it on the flywheel??..and Do I use a timing light to view this number??

My flywheel is stamped with a whole bunch of numbers..on both sides of the cast in TDC.. so if I want spark at 14..is that in front of the pointer or behind the pointer while the flywheel spins.

Thanks

 

[clanton]

Re: joe reeves method.Timing...I need help with a few items..

1st question, you adjust if the timming is incorrect.

2nd question, numbers on flywheel. use timming light.

3rd question, number must match pointer when flywheel turning. The full throttle timming is BTDC and the idle timing is ATDC.

If you do a link/sync the idle timing should be close, and there is a spec. The idle is controlled by the timing. More rpm at idle advance idle timing, less rpm at idle retard idle timing.

After all is set and connected, you should check the Quick Start with timming light. Cold engine will advance timming 6 degrees, after warm up timing will return to what the idle timing was set at.

 

[tal]

Re: joe reeves method.Timing...I need help with a few items..

To make it easier to see where your numbers are aligning with your pointer, you can mark whatever your timing spec is with white out, chalk, or a white crayon. It makes it easy to see with the timing light.

 

[dehydrated]

Re: joe reeves method.Timing...I need help with a few items..

each tooth on flywheel is 3 degrees from tdc hope that helps

 

[Rscardina]

Re: joe reeves method.Timing...I need help with a few items..

thanks guys that was a big help.. one thing I was a bit taken back by was that i had to do a lot of adjusting to get 14 degrees BTDC on the screw adjustment...

can that be normal?.. the enginedid run good before but since I had issues with my powrpack..it has appeared timiing was out some..and by this method it was a whole lot of at WOT advance..

i'm still having other issue but will post appropriately...thanks again for the help!

 

[clanton]

Re: joe reeves method.Timing...I need help with a few items..

If the engine was running, before the pack problem, and you only changed the pack. The timing shoul be very close with very little adjustment. I would review the method used to set timing. I would also suggest that the final check with the engine running.

 

[Rscardina]

Re: joe reeves method.Timing...I need help with a few items..

If the engine was running, before the pack problem, and you only changed the pack. The timing shoul be very close with very little adjustment. I would review the method used to set timing. I would also suggest that the final check with the engine running.

Thanks for the reply.. its strange.. I used joe reeves method to set WOT advance without having to put it in the water..

my engine calls for 18 BTDC so i set the max to 14 as described in the thread. Before I did that..I was showing 8 BTDC..and Idle at TDC, which i knew couldnt be correct.

Once done...the final numbers were 14 BTDC and 4 ATDC..

What I plan to do is charge the batteries overnite and check everything again with full batteries and see if anything changes..if not then I assume i am set.

Thanks for the input