darboots - 1961 CA77 from boxes

[darboots]

That was 0.35mm, which I got from the Owners Manual - I think it states 0.30 - 0.40mm? Are you saying 0.014 inches?

Any reason you set the points that wide?
Try this.
Set points at .014 and do the other the way you have. ...................lm


quote="darboots"]

I can help.
Call me at 830-895-0654 or give me your number andd I'll call you. .............lm

I must be doing something wrong! I cannot get the bike to fire and run.

New plugs (C-10H) are in. They are 'racing' plugs and have the earth electrode 'inside' the bottom of the plug where he 'nose' is. That's fine, but it cannot be gapped. However, the spark is good and strong.

I seem to be unable to get the timing/points set-up according to what I read on the forum, in the Owners Manual, or in Bill Silver's restoration guides.

The points (Denso back plate) have been gapped to 0.35mm.

First picture (below) shows a scratch mark (red arrow) made by a previous owner. I imagine this was done to give him/her a rough starting point for static timing? The green arrow points to the cast adjustment block for the back plate. Is this the correct position in relation to the screwdriver notches either side?



With the points plate in the position as per the above picture, and with a test lamp connected across the points, the timing light just comes on when the rotor reaches the points between II and TF as shown below. I think the light should come on just as it reaches the 'F'.



If I put the rotor on 'F', the points plate has to be rotated hard clockwise in order to get the lamp just on, but the plate looks like it's too far clockwise as below. (Two Red arrows show P.O. timing marks, green shows cast adjustment block).


No matter whether the points plate is in either position, the engine tries to fire but never catches. The carb float height has been checked and is 26.5 +/- 0.5, but still drips fuel from the over-flow tube. All jets have been run through with a carb jet tool. Air screw is 1.125 turns out.

Does anyone have any ideas on how to get the bike to start before I take a hammer to the head?

That's very kind of you LM. I'm based in the UK, and currently am without a land-line (engineer due on Monday). Do the above suggest the valve timing could be out? - (I didn't rebuild the engine myself).

[/quote]

[LOUD MOUSE]

Yep. ..............lm

That was 0.35mm, which I got from the Owners Manual - I think it states 0.30 - 0.40mm? Are you saying 0.014 inches?

Any reason you set the points that wide?
Try this.
Set points at .014 and do the other the way you have. ...................lm


quote="darboots"]

I can help.
Call me at 830-895-0654 or give me your number andd I'll call you. .............lm

I must be doing something wrong! I cannot get the bike to fire and run.

New plugs (C-10H) are in. They are 'racing' plugs and have the earth electrode 'inside' the bottom of the plug where he 'nose' is. That's fine, but it cannot be gapped. However, the spark is good and strong.

I seem to be unable to get the timing/points set-up according to what I read on the forum, in the Owners Manual, or in Bill Silver's restoration guides.

The points (Denso back plate) have been gapped to 0.35mm.

First picture (below) shows a scratch mark (red arrow) made by a previous owner. I imagine this was done to give him/her a rough starting point for static timing? The green arrow points to the cast adjustment block for the back plate. Is this the correct position in relation to the screwdriver notches either side?



With the points plate in the position as per the above picture, and with a test lamp connected across the points, the timing light just comes on when the rotor reaches the points between II and TF as shown below. I think the light should come on just as it reaches the 'F'.



If I put the rotor on 'F', the points plate has to be rotated hard clockwise in order to get the lamp just on, but the plate looks like it's too far clockwise as below. (Two Red arrows show P.O. timing marks, green shows cast adjustment block).


No matter whether the points plate is in either position, the engine tries to fire but never catches. The carb float height has been checked and is 26.5 +/- 0.5, but still drips fuel from the over-flow tube. All jets have been run through with a carb jet tool. Air screw is 1.125 turns out.

Does anyone have any ideas on how to get the bike to start before I take a hammer to the head?

That's very kind of you LM. I'm based in the UK, and currently am without a land-line (engineer due on Monday). Do the above suggest the valve timing could be out? - (I didn't rebuild the engine myself).

[/quote]

[darboots]

So, everything looks good? Any thoughts on the points plate in first or second photo?

Yep. ..............lm

That was 0.35mm, which I got from the Owners Manual - I think it states 0.30 - 0.40mm? Are you saying 0.014 inches?

Any reason you set the points that wide?
Try this.
Set points at .014 and do the other the way you have. ...................lm


quote="darboots"]

I can help.
Call me at 830-895-0654 or give me your number andd I'll call you. .............lm

I must be doing something wrong! I cannot get the bike to fire and run.

New plugs (C-10H) are in. They are 'racing' plugs and have the earth electrode 'inside' the bottom of the plug where he 'nose' is. That's fine, but it cannot be gapped. However, the spark is good and strong.

I seem to be unable to get the timing/points set-up according to what I read on the forum, in the Owners Manual, or in Bill Silver's restoration guides.

The points (Denso back plate) have been gapped to 0.35mm.

First picture (below) shows a scratch mark (red arrow) made by a previous owner. I imagine this was done to give him/her a rough starting point for static timing? The green arrow points to the cast adjustment block for the back plate. Is this the correct position in relation to the screwdriver notches either side?



With the points plate in the position as per the above picture, and with a test lamp connected across the points, the timing light just comes on when the rotor reaches the points between II and TF as shown below. I think the light should come on just as it reaches the 'F'.



If I put the rotor on 'F', the points plate has to be rotated hard clockwise in order to get the lamp just on, but the plate looks like it's too far clockwise as below. (Two Red arrows show P.O. timing marks, green shows cast adjustment block).


No matter whether the points plate is in either position, the engine tries to fire but never catches. The carb float height has been checked and is 26.5 +/- 0.5, but still drips fuel from the over-flow tube. All jets have been run through with a carb jet tool. Air screw is 1.125 turns out.

Does anyone have any ideas on how to get the bike to start before I take a hammer to the head?

That's very kind of you LM. I'm based in the UK, and currently am without a land-line (engineer due on Monday). Do the above suggest the valve timing could be out? - (I didn't rebuild the engine myself).

[/quote]

[LOUD MOUSE]

Photo 1. ..................lm

So, everything looks good? Any thoughts on the points plate in first or second photo?

Yep. ..............lm

That was 0.35mm, which I got from the Owners Manual - I think it states 0.30 - 0.40mm? Are you saying 0.014 inches?

Any reason you set the points that wide?
Try this.
Set points at .014 and do the other the way you have. ...................lm


quote="darboots"]

I can help.
Call me at 830-895-0654 or give me your number andd I'll call you. .............lm

I must be doing something wrong! I cannot get the bike to fire and run.

New plugs (C-10H) are in. They are 'racing' plugs and have the earth electrode 'inside' the bottom of the plug where he 'nose' is. That's fine, but it cannot be gapped. However, the spark is good and strong.

I seem to be unable to get the timing/points set-up according to what I read on the forum, in the Owners Manual, or in Bill Silver's restoration guides.

The points (Denso back plate) have been gapped to 0.35mm.

First picture (below) shows a scratch mark (red arrow) made by a previous owner. I imagine this was done to give him/her a rough starting point for static timing? The green arrow points to the cast adjustment block for the back plate. Is this the correct position in relation to the screwdriver notches either side?



With the points plate in the position as per the above picture, and with a test lamp connected across the points, the timing light just comes on when the rotor reaches the points between II and TF as shown below. I think the light should come on just as it reaches the 'F'.



If I put the rotor on 'F', the points plate has to be rotated hard clockwise in order to get the lamp just on, but the plate looks like it's too far clockwise as below. (Two Red arrows show P.O. timing marks, green shows cast adjustment block).


No matter whether the points plate is in either position, the engine tries to fire but never catches. The carb float height has been checked and is 26.5 +/- 0.5, but still drips fuel from the over-flow tube. All jets have been run through with a carb jet tool. Air screw is 1.125 turns out.

Does anyone have any ideas on how to get the bike to start before I take a hammer to the head?

That's very kind of you LM. I'm based in the UK, and currently am without a land-line (engineer due on Monday). Do the above suggest the valve timing could be out? - (I didn't rebuild the engine myself).

[/quote]

[darboots]

Excellent. Thank you.

Photo 1. ..................lm

So, everything looks good? Any thoughts on the points plate in first or second photo?

Yep. ..............lm

That was 0.35mm, which I got from the Owners Manual - I think it states 0.30 - 0.40mm? Are you saying 0.014 inches?

Any reason you set the points that wide?
Try this.
Set points at .014 and do the other the way you have. ...................lm


quote="darboots"]

I can help.
Call me at 830-895-0654 or give me your number andd I'll call you. .............lm

I must be doing something wrong! I cannot get the bike to fire and run.

New plugs (C-10H) are in. They are 'racing' plugs and have the earth electrode 'inside' the bottom of the plug where he 'nose' is. That's fine, but it cannot be gapped. However, the spark is good and strong.

I seem to be unable to get the timing/points set-up according to what I read on the forum, in the Owners Manual, or in Bill Silver's restoration guides.

The points (Denso back plate) have been gapped to 0.35mm.

First picture (below) shows a scratch mark (red arrow) made by a previous owner. I imagine this was done to give him/her a rough starting point for static timing? The green arrow points to the cast adjustment block for the back plate. Is this the correct position in relation to the screwdriver notches either side?



With the points plate in the position as per the above picture, and with a test lamp connected across the points, the timing light just comes on when the rotor reaches the points between II and TF as shown below. I think the light should come on just as it reaches the 'F'.



If I put the rotor on 'F', the points plate has to be rotated hard clockwise in order to get the lamp just on, but the plate looks like it's too far clockwise as below. (Two Red arrows show P.O. timing marks, green shows cast adjustment block).


No matter whether the points plate is in either position, the engine tries to fire but never catches. The carb float height has been checked and is 26.5 +/- 0.5, but still drips fuel from the over-flow tube. All jets have been run through with a carb jet tool. Air screw is 1.125 turns out.

Does anyone have any ideas on how to get the bike to start before I take a hammer to the head?

That's very kind of you LM. I'm based in the UK, and currently am without a land-line (engineer due on Monday). Do the above suggest the valve timing could be out? - (I didn't rebuild the engine myself).

[/quote]

[darboots]

So, I've again had several attempts at starting the bike today. I ended up completely stripping and re-assembling the carb and using the jet cleaning tool on every oriface I could find. I also checked the points again, and ensured a spark on each plug.

I gave up, and decided I'd drop the exhausts to re-paint the left engine case (on the bike) to repair damage done to the freshly painted case after I managed to spill petrol on it a couple of weeks ago.

As I took the left downpipe off, I noticed a wet black oily sooty coating inside the exhaust port (I suspect the engine has been trying to fire and this may be unburnt sooty fuel?)

I also happened to glance down the header, and saw lots of small hard orangey/gold pieces. I managed to finger some of these out, and to my horror discovered that they are made of quite a hard substance. I'm really unsure what these are, or where they're from, but suspect that something is not quite right in there. They almost look like hard plastic, or bakelite type materials. It doesn't appear to be metallic, but I could be wrong.

To give a bit of context to this (and in my defence!); when I purchased the bike, as several (around seven) boxes of bits, the engine had been rebuilt by one of the PO's aquaintances, but I've no idea how long the engine stood prior to, or after the rebuild. I suspect it was certainly rebuilt at least 5 years ago.

It looks highly likely that I'm gonna have to drop the engine and remove at least the top end to investigate this material, and where it's from. Any thoughts?

[rpr851r]

Acorns?