BSA B31/33 setting ignition timing Lucas MO1L Magneto

Setting the magneto ignition timing on my BSA B31 chop! Using a degree disc and some homemade tools and a HT Magneto Timing Light made by ‘Independent Ignition Supplies’ (who are sadly now retired) which I was lucky enough to find at a local motorcycle auto jumble for the bargain price of just £15.00 🙂 when I took it out it’s now running very nicely at 40 1/4 degrees BTDC , no pinging, no vibration it’s running really smoothly and is very responsive so this is where it’s staying!!! When I looked on KZbin I couldn’t find any info on timing up the B31/33 so thought I’d ask Kate to film me and put it up for anyone who might be interested, it’s a bit long winded and I don’t get it right first time but it’s real time and honest and just how it happened!!!!! All the best Melv

[@highdownmartin]

The most beautiful engine. I’ve got an M33, my second, should never have sold the first one!

[@HepcatHarley]

Very sweet, runs like a swiss watch and sounds like thunder....perfecto :)

[@sambocotton5868]

Cheers Hepcat 👍 I love it, l have since rebuilt another engine with ported head and fitted goldstar touring cams which make a big difference to low down torque, you can slog it in top with a bit of retard on the ignition and acceleration and top end is also a big improvement! All the best, Mel

[@martynjames5963]

Have to wait til the end - but love that sound!

[@stevenlight5006]

This I like,and the memory is slowly returning 😄😭.

[@scottlarke9297]

Mate you saved my sanity this WM20 has been kicking my arse for over a day now. Watched this (twice) and she was roaring within an hour, legend!!

[@sambocotton5868]

Scott Larke I’m pleased it helped you Scott, these old friends can be a bit frustrating at times 😆 Now my mag has finally died so I’m going to have a go at rewinding it which should be fun, I’ll film my attempt and if I’m successful I’ll put it up for anyone who might be interested. All the best

[@tonywhitehead3327]

Great help, thanks for posting 👍

[@sambocotton5868]

Tony Whitehead Your very welcome Tony, I’m pleased it helped you 🙂 All the best

[@watkinwilliams1]

GREAT VIDEO VERY INFORMATIVE, THANKS FOR POSTING

[@sambocotton5868]

alan davies I’m pleased you found it useful Alan, trying to explain it is what takes the time, it’s usually pretty quick to do 🙂 All the best

[@geraldfitzgibbon7428]

Bike sounds so good.

[@sambocotton5868]

Gerald Fitzgibbon Cheers Gerald, I love it 🇬🇧🙂

[@Triumphandme]

Thanks man great video, just setting the timing on a Ducati 250 I have built. I need a lathe to make some tools up !

[@sambocotton5868]

Triumph and me Glad you liked it, yes you defiantly need a lathe! I’d be lost without mine and my milling machine! Thanks for your comment

[@user-mb4tt4xd7q]

Easily method that "change" ignition system to distributor by using alternator instead of the original current is more stable.voltage is high good for night driving you are right pal but I am in Thailand parts are not much to repair to nice condition so I apply the ignition to the new one and my BSA BB32 plunger model able to use daily life don't worry about electric system any more it solved over heat engine was more smoothly at idle running it showed performance and even at high speed was so good also.

[@sambocotton5868]

นิคม สหะวิริยะ I’d rather keep the magneto thanks... don’t even need a battery to run the bike the way it is and when I refurbish the mag it should be good for another 65 years 🙂

[@russellblampied]

Hi,great vid and bike,could you tell me what did you do about oil seal after removing primary covers ,I have an M21 and want to do the same,also where did you get the primary belt drive from ? thank you Russ .

[@Dieseldyl]

Relationship goals

[@davespringate5469]

Great video, simple explanation, thanks. Can i ask what gearbox and open primary is that? forgive my ignorance but new to old British bikes.

[@sambocotton5868]

Dave Springate Cheers Dave! The gearbox is standard BSA B31, the belt drive is an ancient home brew job from somewhere back in its past with crappy welding on the back of it which I will sort out when I rebuild the gearbox. The next challenge is to have a go at rewinding the magneto, I might put it up on video if I manage to successfully do it! Thanks for your comment

[@sambocotton5868]

Dave Springate Oh, by the way....... Welcome to the world of old English bikes Dave 🙂

[@thra5herxb12s]

@@sambocotton5868 English is the language by the way. The people and the bikes are British 😁

[@fredhaggart3154]

Hi Melve is that rear wheel a hub suspension or just off the seat springs fantastic bike all the best fred.

[@sambocotton5868]

Hello Fred, it’s a rigid frame no rear suspension, I prefer hard tails to swing arm or plunger frames, just seems to hold the road better and has better lines ( in my opinion ) cheers Melv

[@stevenlight5006]

The concept was ,a moter bike ,to take u here an there at a modorit time ,speed finn

[@harryscat]

Did you build the bike or bought it like that. Great video.

[@sambocotton5868]

harryscat I bought it already pretty much like it is, but it was a death trap! The back brake had no torque arm there was just a bolt resting on the back axle plate so when you applied the brake the brake pedal shot your foot up in the air and locked the back wheel up😳 also the taper roller bearings in the back wheel were bodged up and it was all put together wrong, in the end I ended up machining up an old triumph pre-unit back plate I had knocking about and made some stainless spacers to sort it out, I cut down the rear mudguard and made new stainless struts cause it looked crap and when I changed the 40 year old tyre that was falling to pieces ( Goodyear speed grip ) for a higher wall tyre it didn’t fit anyway! I cut welded and fettled up the top yoke so I could fit some risers cause the bars were too low, also made the bars out of stainless tube, l could go on forever🤨 I should have done some videos of it from when I got it really, the first time I took it out I got about 5 miles up the road in the middle of nowhere and it started popping and banging then died, I kicked the bloody thing over for 30 mins without it even firing, (but with the plug out it had a nice blue spark), so I got Kate to pick me up in the van, and thought I’d try it before I put it in, and yeah, sure enough it fired right up first kick 🥵 so I slung together a good magneto outta two buggered ones which got me about for 800 miles but it’s now starting to get difficult to start when hot so I’m going to have a go at rewinding the mag, and this time I will do some video of it, l might put up some photos of when I first got the bike, and photos I took along the way up till now!!!!!

[@luismoreno6659]

manera mas simple y rápida, introduces una varilla por el agujero de la bujía estando el pistón en el punto muerto superior, haces marcas de referencia en la varilla y la base de bujía y bajas el pistón exactamente 11 milímetros y allí mides la luz del platino y la ajustas y listo...

[@fragged8]

dude where did you get the belt drive from ? and come and set my timing for me will ya :-)

[@johnbower]

Interesting video, But instead of trying to move the timing gear wheel to get the exact ignition timing, can the exact timing be achieved by simply "adjusting the advance and retard cable" as it is this that determines where the points open and close ?

[@sambocotton5868]

Hi John, you would lose the range of advance/retard if you did that