i have a feeling my ignition mod was the culprit to my non-running bike problem.. (after new batt, coil, plugs, plugwires etc...)sooo it was cheaper to go w a set of points, but i never worked w points before, anyone have any "pointers?"lol

i want to set static timing. i looked in the inspections hole and rotated my tire till i found TDC line for my front cylinder, installed and gapped the points to .20, but when i placed the points in the nosecone i lined it up with the notch on the cam. i have read it is suppose to be on the small lobe on the cam piece when at TDC, but mine is not. my bike still will not fire up just turns over and over an over.

Also which side of the coil do i connect the points to? i checked with the ignition on both terminals on the coil they both (left side and right side) read 12.79 i thought only one should be hot till the bike is running..

anything would help thanks a bunch.

Matt

 

Do yourself a favor and don't put that old technology in your bike if your going to fix it do it right you can find compufire hd5 boxes for 7 pins all over cheap even new there like 180 - 200 and a new pick up is like 50 bucks spend the 300 bucks you'll be happy you did . Did you even try changing just the pick up to see if it was that ? Or swap your module with a Buddy's too see if it was that ? Its just my opinion but I think the points thing is taking two steps back .

 

First you put the points back plate in and don't put the pillar bolts in...then rotate the points and check the gap on each cam lobe.....one gap may be bigger than the other so you gotta get each gap either side of the optimum listed gap in the manual by adjusting them and re-checking.

Then you set the back plate with the points on your right and fit the pillar bolts.

Turn the engine over until you get the advanced timing mark showing in the centre of the hole.

By turning the points cam in the advance direction (counter clockwise) you either put a cigarette paper in the points, or use an Ohms meter so you can tell when the points open.

Keep adjusting the backplate until the points just start to open at full advance.

If you got gas and spark the bike will start....then you warm it up and strobe it.

There is a chance that the bike still won't start because it wasn't an ignition issue....this will vindicate your decision to go el cheapo on the fix :-)

Not sure which way up or where your coil is mounted so I can't comment on the wiring but make sure you have fitted a points coil and not an electronic ign coil or it still won't work properly.

 

So long as your only trying to diagnoise a problem on the cheap then i'll not give you a hard time. But if your seriously thinking of running points as a full time solution then your just plain nuts - the only people that ever recommend points in an Evo are the old school Shovelhead/Panhead folks and thats only because they run em.

I tried to track down an intermittant Ign problem for months and finally just said fcukit and went and bought an Ultimate kit on Ebay for $150... Never looked back since (other than the cheap piece of chit coil blowing up on me - but they all do that)

 

how do i know i have the point wire on the right side of the coil..? both are coming up w 12.79 same as batt when ignition is turned on. This is just to get me on the road, been off for too long now.. i set my gap on the lobes but when the TDC mark isnt the center of the hole, the point is not at the peak of the lobe... is on on of the flat sides... is this wrong.. its installed properly..
Matt

 

How much voltage do you have at the coil while cranking and trying to start it?(plugs installed & wires connected)

 

I agree with all the above, and besides that the coils are different ohms for points or electronic. Can't remember which is lower, you either burn up the coil or get a weak spark.

 

Did this on an 81 shovel in the early 80's as the electronic ignition of that day was not understood and prone to problems. Negative coil always goes to points which is ground. V-Twin is a waste spark system so you fire both towers at the same time. Basically you fire the cylinder under compression and wast some spark on the cylinder that is exhausting. The resistance between pos and neg is the same as both are one end or the other of the same primary coil winding.

 

If memory serves me correctly put the crank at tdc front, gaps set as Spanners instructed, now advance the lobe and if points aren't at the point of just breaking with volt meter and ignition on ( I use to use a 12 volt test lite) then turn the backing plate until it does when fully advanced.
I beleive it's the low ohms coil that is electronic ignition like 3 ohm.

 

I, too, do not recommend going to points. I don't remember what your original problem was, but here is how points are wired up:

+12V from ignition switch to one side of the coil. Other side gets the points. Disconnect both sides of the coil, see which wire has 12V when the switch is on. That's the side the points don't go on. The tach usually attaches at the negative side (points side) as well.