Harley Chopper V-Twin Engine timing issue

purplecatty

purplecatty

Active Member
Joined
Feb 11, 2007
Messages
3,792
Reaction score
7
Hey!! Anyone!!

I need some help on timing on V-Twin. I am trying to help my friend to fix his Chopper so he can ride on nice weather soon. I went over to his place Saturday evening and tried to mess with timing. I got it fired up but the Exhaust and Carburetor backfired (flame with bangs) when I tried to throttle the engine. Betcha it's so loud :giggle:

He have Clinton Motorcycle Engine repair book and section of page under Harley V-Twin. His engine is '78 Pan head but have SS carburetor. It used to have point gap but he bought and installed electronic distrubutor.. The instruction of the book does not say anything specifically how to set the timing correctly for Electronic distrubutor. It did mentioned Advanced and Retard. He inserted the peephole window on other side of engine above crankshaft so we can see " I " and "o" punch for timing. " I " is Advanced and " o " is Retard. I set " I " in middle of peephole window (just center it as instruction say). Then he set the electronic ignition until the red LED lit on. We took turns to kick start cuz it don't have electric starter. I asked him if he can use starter spray. He was afraid that it'll damage the engine. So I primed the engine by twisting throttle enough to get the engine fired up. Sometime it popped a smoke either through Carburetor or Exhaust when I kick start too slow (I was trying to find a pressure before kick starting it).

We tweaked the Electronic Ignition and we could not find "sweet spot" to fire up engine so we gave up. I asked him if he did go online to find info on how to set timing correctly with electronic distrubutor? He said he have done some homeworks online and he said there is no such info there and not even in Youtube either. He feel that Harley people won't post online information and telling anyone "screw you and figure it out". He's feeling :pissed: right now.

I asked him if he have instruction came with Electronic Ignition. He said it's just basically one piece of paper and it's all about wiring but no say about how to set timing. It did mentioned about red LED instruction that's it. He doesn't want to take it to shop and have it fixed. He can't afford to do so.

Bottom line is that we are trying to get it tuned correctly so it would kick start easily and run good. So that he can have fun riding Chopper. He's jealous of me because my motorcycle is reliable and low maintenance :lol:

If anyone can give advice or give us a link , we would appreciate it

Here's the pix of his Chopper and engine ect.. Old School isn't it :rofl:

IMAG0337-1.jpg


IMAG0339-1.jpg


IMAG0340-1.jpg


IMAG0346-1.jpg


Catty
 
The Highlander said:
Learn his lesson. Never buy Harley-Davidson ever.
Click to expand...

He won't learn his lesson tho. But he said that Panhead engine is Mechanic's best friend because it always need fix fix fix. He said once he get a taste of riding Chopper (for long time). He may change mind and sell em and get better one. He just want have fun with it.

I even suggested him into getting Suzuki, he like it but prefer Harley. I bet he will eventually change his mind after all the problems he gets from Harley engine. It would be nice if he get :pissed: and toss his "junk" over Grand Canyon. :rofl: (he said he would do that if it gets over his head)

Here's pix of him trying to start a Harley :giggle: . I told him next time get an electric starter for it!!!

IMAG0344.jpg


IMAG0345.jpg


Catty
 
The electronic distrubutor in pix is what He have on his engine. I hope this would give you an idea what it look like and perhap you might know better infomation about this. You can see the slotted "C" on side been scoured because he had been looking for "sweet spot" and can't get it. It runs but he need 2nd person to use timing gun at peephole on other side of engine to get correct timing while he tweaks it. We didn't get a chance cuz it was getting late and don't want to get friend's neighbor :pissed: over Chopper's thundering engine.

IMAG0336.jpg


CAtty
 
I realized that I mentioned about "Panhead", I had it wrong. I forgot what exactly until it's a Shovelhead. oops!! So He have Shovelhead engine. So my mistake.

Catty
 
Hey guys!!

After 30 min searching and studying Harley blogs and found out that point gap must "just" open to set correct timing. It came in my mind that his electronic ignition isn't set right. I decide to head over to his place (on April Fool's day) and set the Ignition timing according to LED light. It was supposed to be like at the beginning when it's fully clockwise position where retaining bolts stop then turn Counter-Clockwise from "Off----On-----then "just" Off". I kick started for few minutes and got it nearly fired up. My friend tried until his leg was tired. I took turns and decide to twist throttle 8 times then open up halfway then kick start. It finally sputter and tried again it fired up and I was twisting throttle while it's sputtering. It finally roars to life and flame licking out of both exhaust. We hurried to hook up Timing gun and check its timing on other side. I saw middle dot was in "perfect" center which means 35 degree mark. Perfect Timing on one setting. I adjusted the Idle jet and got it stay idle. Then I adjusted the Idle stop on one side of Carburetor to make it Idle running a little fast so it won't die.

I asked my friend if I can ride his Chopper.. He said sure because I was the one who got it fixed right. I rode his Chopper and it was FUUUNNN and LOUD!!! It was really a ground shaking thumping and roar that shook the ground when I took off. My kids was soo excited to watch me as Daddy on Chopper.

It was kinda rough riding because engine was lurching. I opened up Idle Jet just one turn and it finally smooth out throttle.

When I returned to his place. I told him it ran bettter but needed to find out if it can change from VOE (OEM) mode to Race mode on Electronic Ignition dip switch. He wasn't sure and I asked him if I can have instruction manual so I can study through so I would know exactly what I am suppose to do in order to get timing to automatically Advance and Retard or not.

Then new proiblems emerged that fuel was leaking out of "overflow" tube which means Carburetor float bowl was overflowing with fuel. I told him that Float is not properly adjusted. It needed to be redone to get it right.

Secondly, the kickstand just sheared metal stop and popped the retracting spring off. He think it had been worn out from kick starting (weight of Chopper on kickstand while kickstarting) He will replace it soon.

Lastly, My sons and I went to WM for food shopping. He pointed at my pant and told me there's hole on my pant. I look fanically where it was. He said look at bottom of your pant!! I looked down and I went :eek2: :jaw: My jean had a burned hole from Chopper"s flaming exhaust!!! I told my friend that I'm gonna kill his Chopper for burning a hole on my jean!! OH well no big deal but I'm taking pride that I rode a flaming exhaust Chopper :rofl:

Here's pix of my jean with burned thru hole. It's pretty big hole. Luckily, my cowboy boot wasn't burned. You can see tan leather of my boot through the hole :lol:

IMAG0371.jpg



Catty
 
Back
Top