Restoration of 1951 Vincent Rapide - Part 36 - Ignition Timing

In this video, I will be setting the ignition timing. I've read quite a few articles online and on that the VOC (Vincent owners club) forums about the most appropriate setting for ignition timing.
It seems to be unanimous that the most appropriate setting is 34° before top dead center (BTDC). I had initially planned to set the timing at 39° BTDC, which is the standard factory settings about the poor current day fuel qualities, I decided to go for 35° B TDC.
As luck would have it, after clamping down the auto advance unit, the final reading was indeed 34° BTDC so I will leave it at that for now!
I enjoyed setting TDC (Top dead center), but setting the ignition timing was rather frustrating. I must admit, I did not enjoy trying to fit the auto advance unit. There seem to be so many variables at play when trying to reach an absolute firing point. For example, the advance unit itself moves while tightening. Inserting a bolt or using something else to hold the auto advance unit at full advance seems to be prone to error.
I would welcome any comments about this project and hints/tips for making this a little easier or accurate.
Many thanks to my friend Geoff who came over to help and offer advice with this job!
Here's a link to the Magneto Synchronizer:
aircraft-tool....
And here is Martyn Goodwin's very good article about using the synchronizer:
www.voc.uk.com/...
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[@royalblue2043]

Excellent video. Thank you.Always interesting to see the inner workings of a Vincent.

[@kimtoth-tevel2522]

Thank you for this video . For 2 years I have been trying to get this bike started , rebuilt the magneto for nothing , ouch , turns out I was timing the front cylinder instead of the rear when setting the points . Now she started up on second kick ! Seeing your point plate positioning turned on the light as I am a visual learner .

[@TheMightyGarage]

Hi Kim, thanks a lot for your note and so great to hear that your bike roared into life again! Best wishes, Mike

[@robmallory]

Man, this tutorial on the accurate use of a degree wheel would have been indispensable for me a few years ago, on a bike I had to learn to time using one. I ended up guess working from TDC. Thanks so much on the detailed descriptions. I will probably never in my life own a Vincent, but this is still super helpful.

[@garymitchell6897]

Good job, you can open points gap a fraction to bring it up to 35

[@neilwilliams7957]

Well done that man. Very well explained and executed. 👍

[@eileeryan9260]

Hey Mike, Thanks for your video. I'm changing over to a BTH on my Rapide, was wondering where I can find that brass shaft that fits in the quill end and bolts to the degree wheel? Thanks, Joe

[@TheMightyGarage]

Hi Joe I got the home-made tool with the bike. Have you checked the VOC spares company by any chance? Or perhaps you could ask on the VOC Facebook page? facebook.com/groups/35916442687/?ref=bookmarks. Please let me know how you get on and if you can't find one and I could lend you mine. Cheers, Mike

[@gentlerowdy]

too good you are responsible for my learning - keeep doing mate

[@craigkeller]

Thirty four degrees? It must know that’s where it belongs! Good hands, gentle touch.

[@geoffhalsey2184]

I've had a couple of bikes with magnetos so could have used a magneto synchronizer. As a substitute, I used to use a cigarette paper between the points. Then with gentle consistent pulling on the paper until the moment of release. Not perfect, but it worked well enough.

[@bsimpson6204]

I tested the cig paper method against an ohm meter some years back, I was suprised just how close it was

[@johnhaverson6313]

Excellent tutorial video. Retiming the front cylinder will presumably open magneto points on the second cam? Are the cams different on a 50 degree twin compared with parallel twin?

[@VinShadow998]

Very useful and well-done! I'd question the notion, though, that setting advance to 5 degrees less than the factory specification is a consensus, or even well-grounded. The justification is that modern fuel supposedly burns faster than in c. 1950 - but no one is able to substantiate this claim with any data. It is true that less advance is called for with higher compression ratios, as specified in Richardson.

[@leguanche]

Total beginners question... where and how do you fit the timing disc on a Norton Dominator engine? Only place seems end of crankshaft, but you need to access that to turn the engine... Also, once you find TDC, to be able to crank the engine in both directions, the nut will come undone (when turning anticlockwise). Not sure I am making sense... Thanks!

[@deanmsimpson]

Excellent informative video. However, did timing the rear cylinder give you the correct timing on the front cylinder? Or did you then have to set the timing on the front cylinder?

[@tadpoles10]

Sooner you than me Mike, thank goodness not a job I've ever had to be involved with. Seen so many times my good friend checking tdc with a piece of bent welding rod of different lengths. atvb t ..

[@1320pass]

34 degree spark lead, all in, correct? What's your initial or 'base' timing? Thank you for the tutorial. Couple more questions, could a guy use a standard continuity check for the points? Of course taking into account the beep function would be opposite.. And, is there any adjustment at all where the points fasten to the Mag? A fine tune on final assembly if you will.. Thanks again.

[@precisionsafetyservicesltd1653]

Another brilliant clip Mike. I noticed you had coloured dots on the Cams etc. How did you check if the timing dots on the cams were correct? I don’t want to assume the dots on mine are correct before I follow your clip on timing. Thanks again. Paul

[@TheMightyGarage]

Precision Safety Services Ltd thanks a lot, Paul. I haven’t finished editing the video on the cam timing yet but the white color paint marks are from when I first got the bike. Before I started taking the pinons apart I marked everything just to indicate how it was set up to begin with. But the red paint marks are the actual cam timing marks. I hope to have a video on this soon. Cheers, Mike

[@Hiwheelman]

Can the degree wheel go on the left (primary-drive) side of the engine?

[@frao4160]

You must be living right!!

[@gentlerowdy]

can you let me know where can we obtain this synchroniser from- i checked this on ebay & they are calling this as timing lamp is this the same?

[@TheMightyGarage]

Rahul Atul hello, There is a link to the product in the description of my video hope this helps aircraft-tool.com/shop/detail.aspx?id=LED51

[@gentlerowdy]

thank you mate would you also help me to know where did you get the piston stopper & the TDC guage form ?

[@jimh.5286]

I think 33.5 degrees would be better, so you should re-do the process for both cylinders, and then re-check a couple of times.

[@TheMightyGarage]

Jim H. Haha! I hope I don’t have to do that again anytime soon! Cheers, Mike

[@984francis]

Just a point 😬You're locking onto a taper not a spline.

[@TheMightyGarage]

Thanks a lot. I appreciate the clarification. Cheers, Mike

[@bsimpson6204]

Ah! so thats where the saying 'the timing slipped' comes from, cheers! Learn a bit every day lol

[@kennethconnors5316]

temperamental Vincent

[@TheMightyGarage]

Not really, I just set it this one time and I’ve never touched it since. Cheers, Mike

[@johnhaverson6313]

Found the answer to my query about differences at magnetoguys. John