QuestionQUESTION: Hello, I know that I am asking once again but your the only honda person here and you have been a huge help so far so... PLEASE...!! Help! I am at my minds end. I am trying to restore/convert my fathers 72 Cl350 (it has 1900 miles on it and has not run since 73). I was hoping to make it into a nice cafe racer but I can not even it out of the garage. I have replaced the piston rings, had new valves installed and replaced all the older rusty parts on the carbs with nicer clean ones. my problem so far is in the engine (top half) assembly. I rotate the engine so that the LT marker matches the timing mark (like clymers tells me to), which also makes the pin on the cam rod point up, and also the cam sproket has it's L pointing up as well. Ok, so when I try to do my points gap and engine timing I am killing myself trying to get the left point to open when I turn the engine around to the LF marker on the comprssion stroke. It seems to be opening too early and I just can't seem to get it. All the car guys I've talked to (just because I don't know many bike guys) seem to think I am 180 out. But, how do I fix that, man I am just really confused. Anyone willing to tackle this question will forever be my Hero. Thanks, for any input in advance and also thanks for having me.
ANSWER: When putting the cam back in, make sure the cam chain tensioner is in good shape, if it is then proceed, to do this you need to have the nipple (on the left side of the cam) facing up when it goes back in. Then when your putting the cam sprocket back in, nake sure the L mark on it is facing up as well. Then bolt in the cam sproket on the cam, Then (if not already) make sure all your cam lobes are facing away from the rocker arms.
As far as the timing marks, The the LF mark is your timing mark for your left point. you want your left point to open right when the lf mark aligns with your timing mark, And the F mark is the same, but for the right cylinder...
You have the clymer manual right? Try and get a Haynes manual otherwise; they sometimes have clearer pictures.
http://clymer.com/Book.aspx?bid=482&title=Honda 250-350cc Repair Manual, 1964-1974
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QUESTION: OK, I believe now I have the advance setup correctly. Now here is my trouble. I first gap both points to .012 and now start to set the ignition timing. It seems that the circuit test light goes on (on the left side) way too early almost 180 from where it needs to be. So, I turn the points plate left and right to see if the light goes off and it doesn’t. The light remains on no matter which way I turn the plate. So now I start to close the gap on the left side so as to slow down when that point opens and the light goes on. Now, I have it a little closer but the light still comes on about a ¼ a turn early. I continue to turn the engine and it seems that the light sporadically turns on and off before the LF mark ever reaches the timing mark. How do I get this under control??? Do you have any ideas?? Thank you once again.
ANSWER: The points only open once for each cylinder. They should be solidly closed all the way around except for firing at the F mark. Are you sure you are turning the engine in the correct direction? Also is the cam sprocket on the cam correctly? When the points are in the fire position, both the cam lobes should be equal and furthest away from the rockers. i.e. the valves should not be 'on the rock' between exhaust and inlet... Good luck,
Jan
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QUESTION: OK, this is where I am now. I got the left point pretty much dead on and was working on the right side, to where I thought it was all right. Then, that's when my troubles started again. I checked the gaps after timing and they were way below standard they were like .002 vs. .014 like the Clymers book suggest. So I gaped them to spec again and now I'm back to where I started. When I turn the engine the light comes on way to early and no matter how much I turn the points plate it will not turn the light off. Is there a max to the degree that, that plate can turn, it is almost horizontal and it still doesn't delay the timing enough. ANY Thoughts?????
AnswerI am assuming this bike ran when it was stored? You really should have made better notes when you took this all apart. Once you set the back plate for the timing, and you gap the points correctly, just leave them there and perform a dynamic timing check. With 1900 miles this can't be too far off. Use your manual and put everything in the stock position. You should find that even though the bike was stored, all it needed was the fuel system cleaning out and it would have probably run unless it had stuck valves...?
Good luck, Jan
