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I have a 1981 midnight special that was having problems with the ignition that I fixed in large part to the help I received here. I gapped the pick up coils with a feeler gauge but I'm wondering now about trimming it with a light. Is it even possible with my bike I'm looking and I can't see what could be manually adjusted in order to time it. Thanks Dustin
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Is it possible...Yes, but not designed to be changed. There are two "screws" with tamper proof heads that mount the timing plate. You could drill heads off, or cut a slot in them, and remove them, replacing with phillips or cap screws. Then your timing could be adjusted. I have the same setup on my SH, to date I have not found the need to mess with it.Life is what happens while your planning everything else!
When your work speaks for itself, don't interrupt.
81 XS1100 Special - Humpty Dumpty
80 XS1100 Special - Project Resurrection
Previously owned
93 GSX600F
80 XS1100 Special - Ruby
81 XS1100 Special
81 CB750 C
80 CB750 C
78 XS750 -
I don't know which screws you mean. If its not normal to time the bike then I don't want to do it. People were telling me to have someone time it with a light. I was looking at it and I dident see a way to adjust anything. Where are the tamper proof bolts. I have had the whole thing off in order to mess with the reluctor but it was just the two bolts but they weren't tamper proof. The bike is running well but I wanted to get it as dialed in as is reasonable.Comment
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Also since it is a wasted spark system you would get a flash from the light at both TDC compression and then exhaust. You get double the flashes and it is sort of useless.
I hooked my timing light up to it once and it was just flashing constantly and too hard to distinguish the exact point of the flash.Nathan
KD9ARL
μολὼν λαβέ
1978 XS1100E
K&N Filter
#45 pilot Jet, #137.5 Main Jet
OEM Exhaust
ATK Fork Brace
LED Dash lights
Ammeter, Oil Pressure, Oil Temp, and Volt Meters
Green Monster Coils
SS Brake Lines
Vision 550 Auto Tensioner
In any moment of decision the best thing you can do is the right thing, the next best thing is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing.
Theodore RooseveltComment
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If you look in this picture you will see the screws at roughly 10 and 4 oclock positions, the ones that almost line up with the timing cover bolt locations. These have been changed out already, sounds like your were as well.
What I noticed on this timing plate is that those screws do not go into slots. My last SH those were slots. Anyway, if yours is like mine, you have no option to time it other than open up the holes into slots.
The timing on your bike is built into the TCI with the exception of the vac advance. It was all part of the emisions changes to keep people from changing the settings to effect emisions.Life is what happens while your planning everything else!
When your work speaks for itself, don't interrupt.
81 XS1100 Special - Humpty Dumpty
80 XS1100 Special - Project Resurrection
Previously owned
93 GSX600F
80 XS1100 Special - Ruby
81 XS1100 Special
81 CB750 C
80 CB750 C
78 XS750Comment
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Hey Don and Dredel,
The 81's timing plate is NOT adjustable, the slots are filled in!! Don, I think you're thinking of the 80 machines which have the break off bolt heads, but still have the adjustable slots in the timing plate, but the 81 is essentially locked in place. The TCI controls the cent. adv., it's programmed into it, so as long as it's working properly, then no adjustment should be necessary! Just make sure your vac. adv. pot and plate are moving smoothly, easily.
See embedded photo for reference, of my 81 SH!
T.C.T. C. Gresham
81SH "Godzilla" . . .1179cc super-rat.
79SF "The Teacher" . . .basket case!
History shows again and again,
How nature points out the folly of men!Comment
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Yeah that looks the same as mine. That was my question I saw the video on you tube about timming and I saw how they were adjusting and I couldn't figure out how I could do it with mine. Mine runs so I guess it's not needed. If my tdc was out is it possible for the bike to run? Or could maybe that be something to look atComment
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the other problem is that that little metal pointer gets bent and then you really have no way to truly tell anymore.Nathan
KD9ARL
μολὼν λαβέ
1978 XS1100E
K&N Filter
#45 pilot Jet, #137.5 Main Jet
OEM Exhaust
ATK Fork Brace
LED Dash lights
Ammeter, Oil Pressure, Oil Temp, and Volt Meters
Green Monster Coils
SS Brake Lines
Vision 550 Auto Tensioner
In any moment of decision the best thing you can do is the right thing, the next best thing is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing.
Theodore RooseveltComment
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I could have swore my first SH had the slots. Still have the timing set up in a box, no slots.
Life is what happens while your planning everything else!
When your work speaks for itself, don't interrupt.
81 XS1100 Special - Humpty Dumpty
80 XS1100 Special - Project Resurrection
Previously owned
93 GSX600F
80 XS1100 Special - Ruby
81 XS1100 Special
81 CB750 C
80 CB750 C
78 XS750Comment
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True, that can happen, and make life difficult, but it's actually very easy to tell if its off. The two things that dont change are the TDC mark on the plate (which is fixed to the crankshaft) and TDC of No1 cylinder, which it's referenced to. With the plug out on 1 it's pretty easy to determine TDC and then all you have to do is line the pointer up with the mark on the timing plate.Originally posted by natemoen View Post
However, that said, if your not expecting it to be 'off' then it can be a curveball you didnt need.1980 SG. (Sold - waiting on replacement)
2000 XJR1300. The Real modern XS11. Others are just pretenders.
Woman (well, my wife anyway) are always on Transmit and never Receive.
"A man should look for what is, and not for what he thinks should be" Albert Einstien.Comment
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Very true Brian, it can be put back.Nathan
KD9ARL
μολὼν λαβέ
1978 XS1100E
K&N Filter
#45 pilot Jet, #137.5 Main Jet
OEM Exhaust
ATK Fork Brace
LED Dash lights
Ammeter, Oil Pressure, Oil Temp, and Volt Meters
Green Monster Coils
SS Brake Lines
Vision 550 Auto Tensioner
In any moment of decision the best thing you can do is the right thing, the next best thing is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing.
Theodore RooseveltComment
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I tried to check my tdc and a member here told me to pull the plug on number 1 and then turn the timing plate till the pointer is almost to the tdc mark. Put a pencil in and turn it the rest of the way to tdc. The pencil should rise and then stop. When I did this the pencil fell as I was turning it to tdc. All of this is a little above my pay grade in just trying to figure out what the best thing to do is. If the answer is leave it alone and ride that's ok with me.Comment
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Do you have a manual? These are not that hard to work on but you do need some basic info, like how to identify the correct TDC mark, and direction of crankshaft travel etc.
If you dont already have one you can find them here..
http://www.ringler.us/family/mybike.html1980 SG. (Sold - waiting on replacement)
2000 XJR1300. The Real modern XS11. Others are just pretenders.
Woman (well, my wife anyway) are always on Transmit and never Receive.
"A man should look for what is, and not for what he thinks should be" Albert Einstien.Comment
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i do agree you should get a manual. I also think that unless your having some type of poor running condition, I would leave it alone. You are killing yourself over nothing if the bike is running decently.Life is what happens while your planning everything else!
When your work speaks for itself, don't interrupt.
81 XS1100 Special - Humpty Dumpty
80 XS1100 Special - Project Resurrection
Previously owned
93 GSX600F
80 XS1100 Special - Ruby
81 XS1100 Special
81 CB750 C
80 CB750 C
78 XS750Comment
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Alright thanks everyone for the help. DustinComment
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