1978 gs550 Timing plate max out rotation

[tmore5585]

Crazyramen: I meant to say - Did you buy the(ND) NipponDenso points? I will blame it on the spell checker.

[crazyramen]

Crazyramen: I meant to say - Did you buy the(ND) NipponDenso points? I will blame it on the spell checker.

Yep I have the ND ignition so I got daichii made ND style points and condensers. I think daichii looks like a pretty trusted Japanese brand so I'm hoping for good quality.

I hadn't noticed in your original post you said you got aftermarket contacts. In that urban monk video he had issues with the contact spacing with his aftermarket points - I wonder if it's a similar issue of poor qc on your aftermarket contacts.

[crazyramen]

Alright got the points and condensers in yesterday. Got her fired up and running so that certainly was my issue.

The Daichii points I got were NOS and had a coating on them that prevented them from having a good connection at first. Not sure if this was a factory coating or corrosion from sitting. This meant that my multimeter didn't show a change in resistance when the points opened. I tried cleaning them using a piece of paper and brake cleaner, and that didn't help. I ended up just setting them by eye and it fired up and ran! After I let it warm up and run for a sec I checked the ignition timing with my multimeter again and was able to see when the connection broke and static time it properly.

I had to adjust the gap then the timing then the gap again then the timing again then do a full rotation then check the gap and timing again probably like 10 or 11 times. On top of that, I couldn't get my 2+3 timing correct when the gap was on the lower end of spec (.013") - I had to adjust it to ~.015" to get it to open on time this gave me the slight advance I needed to get it to fire right on the F. I assume this will mean it'll go out of spec sooner, but I'll cross that bridge when I get there.

tmore:

It sounds like you are able to see the connection break with your continuity tester, its just way early. Are you getting pretty close? Could you get there with another degree or so from setting the gap to the max?

[tmore5585]

Whats up crazyramen. Glad to here you are making progress. Unfortunately my bike is about 30 miles from my residence therefor only work on it when I can get there. The bikes point gap spec size is (.012 to.016 in) A .005 in variance one way or another is so small that I never considered it would make a difference when setting the ignition timing. Interesting to here on you bike it makes a big difference. That is something new I will consider in the future. Using static timing method or bulb continuity tester (this allows me to see connection break and contact when bulb comes on or off) my timing was way off from the 1&4 F marker when cams and chain were properly set up.. More like on the advance marker which is BF the cyl 1&2 F marker. I am probably stuck with having to use a electronic ignition because after a quick internet search can not find any Daichii Kokusai style points or a set of OEM. They would probably cost way more than the knock off cheapo electronic ignition if available. At this point I am going to re set my cams and chain to spec then check TDC with a Top Dead Center Locater Screw to make sure the marker plate mark is allighned with TDC then install EI set.
My bike seems to start/idle and drive half decent even with incorrect point gap, ignition timing or cam or chain alignment but feels a bit off. I plan to do final carb tune, air/fuel mixture using Gunson color tuner. They are synced and have been thouroughly cleened although I am a little worried about them setting for to long.

I have purchased the Amazon cheap ass bullet wire connectors. They work but are thin, bendy and weak. Have spend hours looking for OEM quality with the sheathing pull over covering but can not find any 4 sale. Was about to ask on GS-resource were to find. I think they are 3.5 mm size. Let me know if you know of any. The ones sold all over the internet, Ebay, Amazone, Temu ect. Look to be the same ones I already have. All crappy. Last week I did see a couple of motorcycle electrical connector part sellers have good ones but both were sold out.

I will let you know how it goes. Are you riding your bike yet?

[crazyramen]

Woah yeah looks like CMSNL has some but they're $100+ for the set!!! Definitely worth the switch to EI.

Good call double checking TDC. I 3d printed a screw myself so that it's soft and wouldn't mar the aluminum piston last time I timed cams.

FYI don't try to tune the carbs until after you get the ignition and timing woes figured out or you'll just have to do it all over again

As far as connectors go, I too am rocking the cheapos but have since learned about vintage connections - https://www.vintageconnections.com/c...ions/terminals and will be buying them from there in the future. They have all the old odd ball connectors too