Ignition Timing

Dr. Gamma wrote: On most Kawasaki fours, the "F" timing mark is where you time it at idle. The full advance mark is usually one or two lines that are on the advancer unit. As you rev the motor to say like 3,000 RPM or so, the line or lines will show up with the timing light. I always time the motor at the full advance marks, screw the timing at idle n my book.

Yeah, problem is as the advancer loosens up it really screws up because the springs don't hold the weights in at idle. On my twin, the total advance from weights in (idle) to full RPM is 30 degrees. The weights were loose enough that it was already about 12 deg advanced at idle. So if I set it correct at 4k RPM, it was 12 degrees too fast at idle which made it really hard to start and it would kick back sometimes. If I set it right at idle, the advance was 12 degrees retarded at 4k RPM. I used to split the difference so it was six degrees off at both ends. It was hard to start and ran like crap. Once I fixed the advancer, it became easy to start, runs great and idles like a Swiss watch.

It should be a transistorized ignition.
It needs to be timed using the F mark at idle.
If it truly is that far off, you can slot the plate, but there are other possible reasons for the timing being off.

It's possible the magnets are not assembled correctly if you or someone else took it all apart.
gpzweb.s3-website-us-east-1.amazonaws.co.../PickupAndRotor.html

Or it's possible the iron pointer of the rotor is not located correctly on the rotor tube.
For that, you can just press the iron rotor off of the tube and press it on in the correct orientation.

To set/check it, make sure the advancer is fully in the retarded position. Rotate the crank clockwise, when viewed from the ignition side, until the F mark lines up with the pointer cast into the engine case. The point of the rotor should be just barely past the center of the pickup (with blue and black wires). If it's far off, use a sharpie to mark where it should be and press the rotor off, then back on in the correct position.

My idle was erratic for years. I bent the spring loops so the slop was gone but it wouldn't go to full advance. I found a good one from a KZ 750 and got it for $25. The notch on the back was in the wrong place and the pin was taller than my Z1. I had ordered a new Dyna rotor and wanted to do it at the same time. The 750 springs are heavier and the arms too. I wound up using the 750 set up on my Z1 plate. Fired it up and it purrs like a kitten.
Steve