Hey guys, i put an SS HI-4N and an SS Super E on my 1983 Shovel and am trying to dial it in.
The directions show what the timing marks should look like on a 70-80 model, then a different picture for 81-95 models.
My case seems to have all the right numbers on it to match the bike but my timing marks match the picture for the 70-80 model flywheels.
Makes me wonder if I have the right motor in the bike, or at the very least the right flywheels? I can't imagine someone putting 74" flywheels in an 80" Shovel?
I'll go ahead and time it with the light this way and see if I can find the 35 degree mark at 2000 rpm. I couldn't by myself but I think with a second set of hands I might be able to.

Also, the Super E has 028 intermediate and 68 main jet which don't sound huge but the thing really smokes black and turns the plugs black quick. I want to get the timing set first then come back to the carb, but I can't imagine having to go smaller than 028/68?
Thanks in advance.
Tom

 

OK the top flywheels are what you should have and the TDC mark is the line - the dot is the advance mark - early wheels bottom only has one and its a line for the advance

 

hmmm well mine looks like neither of those. If I'm kicking the bike slowly with the plugs out, the line comes up right before the cutout, and the dot comes up right after the cutout in the flywheel. Also the light on the HI-4N only goes out when the dot is in the window not when the line is in the window.
This is what's been confusing me. I did verify that my primary side engine case has the same SN as the tree, I guess I haven't verified that SN is 1983, just going by the title there, but it does have belt drive so it has to be 83. Well long story short, I have the static timing set now with the dot in the center of the timing hole and waiting for a buddy to come over to see if we can find the line in the window at 2000+ rpm.

 

Just ran the VIN (which again is both on the tree and the motor) thru the HD VIN decoder and it's definately a 1983 FLHS.

 

Harley had retarded the engine timing marks in those years - so static at TDC is the right way and the 2000 is not going to work as the ignition is not keyed for that as its not an OEM unit

stick a straw into the front cylinder and find TDC - seal off the plug hole rear cylinder and compressed air into it if the rear wheel moves in gear your 180 out on timing

 

Are you using the original timing rotor cup with one cutout, or the later cup with 2 cutouts? (they changed in mid- '83)

 

Good catch T

 

I know how to find TDC, I'm just saying it's a dot not a line, the instructions and the pictures Johnjzjz provided show that the line should be TDC. Mine is a dot and the line is the advance mark and it's an 83. I believe my rotor cup has the 2 notches, but I have my static timing set now so I didn't pull it back off to look.

 

seems to me someone put 74" flywheels in my 80" motor, is that even possible? Why would someone do that?

 

Having oddball marks doesn't mean it has 74" wheels.

The single window cups were silver as were some of the first (factory) 2 window cups but most of the 2's were gold colored after the first runs, if you happen to remember that much when you put the ignition on... Just be sure it was on TDC compression stroke of the front cylinder when static timing.

If you try to time it with a strobe light, you need to ground the violet wire from the module. Otherwise you may have to go way higher than 2000 rpm to ever have a chance of finding the advance mark. Depends where the switches are set on the module.