Timing Light Not Working with Dyna Copper Core

Well having the Advance feature will let you see not only the timing at Idle, but what it is at any RPM. You just turn the dial, or set the digital to the desired # like 40. Then when revving the motor it will align with TDC mark when reading the set 40. You can do it all through the RPM range and compare it to the chart in the FSM, this will tell you if the curve of the advance is actually as KAW designed. If not it maybe to be worn springs, now sometimes quicker advance is a good thing, such as with altitude or racing.

Cool Thanks!! looks like I'm exchanging my timing light for a better one.

All and all I am damn glad the bike is finally running! It has been nothing but problems since I bought it, turns out it was all ignition related.

Now the only thing left is to repair the small oil leak that I believe is coming from the tachometer cable connection (ordered a new seal from Z1) and get this timing issue straightened out and then I'm ready for the next sunny day!

Thanks again!!

rcarver wrote: ...Any opinion on riding the bike with out dynamically timing it?

Running with static timed ignition is perfectly okay.

Dynamic timing mostly serves to finer tune the timing, and with a strobe-type light enables watching function of the advancer unit as it moves back and forth while blipping the throttle.

Good Fortune!

rcarver wrote: Cool Thanks!! looks like I'm exchanging my timing light for a better one.

Even the cheapo junky inductive pickup lights should work on copper wires. I have never heard of this before. The inductive pickup needs to get the current pulse through the wire when the plug fires to generate a magnetic field for the pickup. The pickup is basically a transformer and the wire is the "winding". I have no idea why copper wire should not work, I would think it works better?

bountyhunter wrote:

rcarver wrote: Cool Thanks!! looks like I'm exchanging my timing light for a better one.

Even the cheapo junky inductive pickup lights should work on copper wires. I have never heard of this before. The inductive pickup needs to get the current pulse through the wire when the plug fires to generate a magnetic field for the pickup. The pickup is basically a transformer and the wire is the "winding". I have no idea why copper wire should not work, I would think it works better?

It's probably able to pickup the signal, but the RFI is screwing with the electronics to where it just won't work. Same thing happens with some digital meters too. I'm surprised they would market the thing at all, since other strobes seem to be able to time solid wires with no problem.

I have a Sunpro (Actron, actually) with the timing advance dial. I think the sears models were made by them (Actron). It's convenient, but you have to remember, the advance on the knob is off by a factor of two since it's for a car with distributor.

Also, I tape the knob when I'm not using it. It's too easy to bump it and time the bike to find out it was not set to zero.

Been looking at an Advance Timing light. Found models with a dial and with LED that shows advance settings. Anyone worked with both styles and can give opinions on which is better to work with? Dial or electronic readout lights...good...bad...? Which do you prefer? Is one style easier to use then the other...? Loudhvx...explain the "off by a factor of two". Off be 2 degrees or 4 what do you mean?

The timing light assumes the spark (on one plug, of course) is happening every other crank revolution. On the KZ (fours and older twins) and most Jap inline-fours, the spark happens once every crank revolution. So the crank is actually turning half as fast as the timing light is sensing. So the advance is half what the light is registering.

If the dial reads 14 deg when the TDC mark lines up with the strobe, then the ignition is firing at 7 deg BTDC. This is assuming the timing light advance is calibrated in crank degrees, but I believe most are. If the timing light is calibrated in "distributor degrees" (which is the same as camshaft degrees), then the dial will correspond directly to crank degrees on the KZ.

So if you want to set 9 deg advance on the KZ, you set the dial to 18 deg. That's the factor of 2.

I contacted the Actron manufacturer and they confirmed that none of their timing lights will work with copper core wires. The best part is the tech that returned my email owns a KZ1000 and mentioned KZrider!! Awesome!

So I ended up returning the Actron Timing Light to Advanced Auto Parts and ordered a new one from Z1 Enterprises. The guys at Z1 were shocked when I told them this problem too. Live and learn.

Which light did you get from Z1?

I've had this Snapon Light for like forever, and it has yet to not work on anything. Even use it with a Diesel Pulse Pick-up Adapter for checking Advance on Injection Pumps.

I just ordered this one yesterday:

www.z1enterprises.com/detail.aspx?ID=2581

rcarver wrote: I just ordered this one yesterday:

www.z1enterprises.com/detail.aspx?ID=2581

Hopefully it will serve you well for a very long time.