Anybody Try to Dial In a Mechanical Advancer?

I always wondered about this: on my 750 twin, it has the mechanical (centrifugal) advancer with springs. It is supposed to allow you to set the timing to the "F" mark at idle where the weights are not thrown out and then at 3900 RPM, the timing would advance far enough to align with the double line set.

Problem is, the advancer never has had enough "dyanamic range" even when new. If I set it at idle, it doesn't advance far enough at high RPM. Set it right up high, and it is too advanced at idle. It isn't way off, I set it midway between and it runs pretty good.

The advancer is sound mechanically and working as designed (as far as I see) but it needs more range.

Anybody ever tune these at all?

I am thinking you would have to play around with the springs?

bountyhunter wrote:

I always wondered about this: on my 750 twin, it has the mechanical (centrifugal) advancer with springs. It is supposed to allow you to set the timing to the "F" mark at idle where the weights are not thrown out and then at 3900 RPM, the timing would advance far enough to align with the double line set.

Problem is, the advancer never has had enough "dyanamic range" even when new. If I set it at idle, it doesn't advance far enough at high RPM. Set it right up high, and it is too advanced at idle. It isn't way off, I set it midway between and it runs pretty good.

The advancer is sound mechanically and working as designed (as far as I see) but it needs more range.

Anybody ever tune these at all?

I am thinking you would have to play around with the springs?

Am thinking the KZ1000's reach full advance before 2500 rpm (say 2250~2450).

Don't know the rpm operating range of KZ750 twin, but guessing generally lower than the fours, and with a lower redline.

To me, more guessing, the 3900 rpm seems excessive, and should perhaps be closer to the fours.

Advancer rpm specs might be shown in the FSM.

Perhaps the advancer is damaged or sticking or otherwise defective.

Good Luck!

To get more range you would expect the springs to "stretch" more.Is that correct? Could you achieve the same by ovaling out the holes the end of the spring attach to? Next question that "springs" to mind is...have you got a spare advancer to try this with?

Mmm, It is the spring that would need to be changed. The trick is to find a spring with a lighter pull rate and is the same length as the original. Finding that rate would be the hard part.

I wonder if extra weight could be added to the weights in order to get them thrown out earlier in the rpm range?

Maybe springs from a four cylinder are the same length but lighter and can swap over?

I used to do this on cars. Ford Motor Co. distributors, say 1957 - 1970 are designed very similar to the Kawasaki advancer. The stock Kawasaki advancer should not be very far off, if any. It probably just needs some "tweaking".

The counterweights are plenty heavy. The trick, like was mentioned earlier, is to change to a lighter spring or springs, to get a quicker rate of advance. The ideal, is to have the unit fully retarded at say 1,000 RPM. That way the idle will be stable, and the timing can be accurately set. There should be some preload on the springs when the engine is stopped, so that full retard will occur.

Then, advance should begin at perhaps 1,200 RPM, and reach full advance by about 3,000 RPM.

A good hardware store should have a selection of suitable springs. It will take a good workout with a timing light, and some patience, to get this correct.

Patton wrote:

Am thinking the KZ1000's reach full advance before 2500 rpm (say 2250~2450).

Don't know the rpm operating range of KZ750 twin, but guessing generally lower than the fours, and with a lower redline.

To me, more guessing, the 3900 rpm seems excessive, and should perhaps be closer to the fours.

Advancer rpm specs might be shown in the FSM.

Perhaps the advancer is damaged or sticking or otherwise defective.

Good Luck!

The advancer is in very good shape and it has always worked like this. The FSM does show the advance curves. It is indeed designed to reach full advance of 30 degrees at 3900 RPM. Mine always maxes out sooner.

SPARKY47 wrote:

To get more range you would expect the springs to "stretch" more.Is that correct? Could you achieve the same by ovaling out the holes the end of the spring attach to? Next question that "springs" to mind is...have you got a spare advancer to try this with?

I am trying to find a spare so I can screw with one. I am thinking maybe the springs don't hold it closed well enough at idle which uses up some of the advance range.

OKC_Kent wrote:

Mmm, It is the spring that would need to be changed. The trick is to find a spring with a lighter pull rate and is the same length as the original. Finding that rate would be the hard part.

I wonder if extra weight could be added to the weights in order to get them thrown out earlier in the rpm range?

Maybe springs from a four cylinder are the same length but lighter and can swap over?

The real problem is that the range of advance is mechanically limited, not by the springs. There is a "full open" position it can't go past and a full closed position. But, if the springs don't hold it fully closed at idle, you waste some of the range when you have to turn the plate to bring the timing back to the proper point there.

WABBMW wrote:

I used to do this on cars. Ford Motor Co. distributors, say 1957 - 1970 are designed very similar to the Kawasaki advancer. The stock Kawasaki advancer should not be very far off, if any. It probably just needs some "tweaking".

The counterweights are plenty heavy. The trick, like was mentioned earlier, is to change to a lighter spring or springs, to get a quicker rate of advance. The ideal, is to have the unit fully retarded at say 1,000 RPM. That way the idle will be stable, and the timing can be accurately set. There should be some preload on the springs when the engine is stopped, so that full retard will occur.

I am guessing that's what it is not doing. I will try to adjust it and see what's up.

It is the stupid springs. They are made of VERY hard steel and have stretched slightly over time. There is no tension at all to hold it fully closed (full retard position) so the idle timing has to be jacked to make up for it and that means it can't advance fully at high RPM.

Speaking of fully retarded: just went to the dealer to buy the springs and, of course, they do not sell them. The whole advancer assembly is shown (for about $200) and even those are not available.

Thanks again Kawasaki.

bountyhunter, measure the springs and post it up. Someone must have some spare. I'd let you have a couple but Im in England. But if all fails...just say.

If you have an Ace hardware locally, try them. They carry a pretty good selection of generic springs.

Harbor Freight is another possibility. They carry little plastic compartmentalized case kits of springs.