timing plate slotting

I need to slot the mounts on the factory electronic ignition plate. I've totally burned up two teeny-tiny grinding stones and only cut a few mm! What's the best thing to cut these slots with, and don't say a waterjet?

Also, which direction should I be cutting in to be able to retard the timing? cut slots going counter-clockwise from original position, so I can rotate the plate clockwise?

thankx
Ricky

cut counterclockwise to retard the timing
not sure what to cut with

Ok, I'm confused (again), since the motor rotates clockwise looking at the end of the crank on the right side on the fours, shouldn't the cut be made clockwise to retard the timing?

I used a coarse rat tailed file and a flat file to slot the holes in the kz1000 timing plate I set up for my 650.

I did remove the magnets and pick up coils, noting the position of the magnets for polarity.
Also smoothed out any rough edges when finished.

Post edited by: rstnick, at: 2006/09/05 21:00

steell wrote:

Ok, I'm confused (again), since the motor rotates clockwise looking at the end of the crank on the right side on the fours, shouldn't the cut be made clockwise to retard the timing?

to move the plate clockwise you have to slot it the opposite direction

thanks guys, I've been brain farting on that for a while. turning the plate clockwise definately makes the motor start better with the higher compression.

Perhaps I can drill a few holes and then file them into a slot.

Great idea taking the magnets off, rstnick; thanks. If you don't mind -- can you recommend how long a slot would be useful?

thanks
Ricky

btchalice wrote:

steell wrote:

Ok, I'm confused (again), since the motor rotates clockwise looking at the end of the crank on the right side on the fours, shouldn't the cut be made clockwise to retard the timing?

to move the plate clockwise you have to slot it the opposite direction

Remind me not to post till I have had a significant amount of caffeine in the mornings

just to give this thread closure--

I found a chainsaw sharpening file that was almost the same in diameter as the width of the slot -- I wanna say it was 5/16th. they are long and they are the same diameter the whole length -- your typical rat-tail file is a bit tapered. I took the magnets off and and locked the baseplate in the ol' bench vise. did a lot of filing, and it rides well enough that I'd rather hop on than pull the timing plate to file some more. I still need to measure what I have it set at.

Rickman wrote:

I need to slot the mounts on the factory electronic ignition plate...to retard the timing....

Seems strange that the factory allowances for movement would be so grossly inadequate, and wondering if the strobe light confirms need for additional retarding. I'm probably just plain wrong or completely overlooking something, but doesn't seem logical absent some other underlying problem or condition. Am just wild guessing here, but perhaps advancer unit is failing to completely close at idle, or maybe cam timing is incorrect or ignition unit is faulty. Did onset of the timing problem follow some mechanical repair or engine modification or did it suddenly happen for some unknown reason?

And perhaps a need to elongate the factory slots is more common than I've realized.

In any event, wishing you good luck toward resolving the timing problem.

Post edited by: Patton, at: 2007/06/01 23:46

Some of the factory plates have no slots, just round holes so they are not adjustabe at all. The timing is often off by a couple degrees.

Rickman wrote:

just to give this thread closure--

I found a chainsaw sharpening file that was almost the same in diameter as the width of the slot -- I wanna say it was 5/16th. they are long and they are the same diameter the whole length . . .

I see you beat me to what I would have told you to use. I used one chucked in an electric drill to make short work of an otherwise arduous process.

Rickman, if you haven't finished the project, if you go to somewhere that sells Dremel attachments, they will sell CARBIDE cutters which work well for this purpose. The carbide cutter can actually cut ball bearings (don't ask me how I know or why hehe)