How do you set the valve timing on a Atlas with Sachse ignition
- Thread starter Nick
- Start date
D
Davo
Guest
I wouldn't trust the marks on any flywheel or ignition. Use a stop, piece of dowel, whatever to find top dead centre and then work out everything with a degree wheel and marker.
But then, I am not a mechanic. :
But then, I am not a mechanic. :
Thanks Davo,
Problem solved - not a valve timing issue. But if you want to know bring the right hand up to TDC and line up the marks on the cam wheels and cam pillars. On mine the exhaust appears retarded but nowt you can do about this unless you have drilled wheels I guess.
Cheers again
Nick
Problem solved - not a valve timing issue. But if you want to know bring the right hand up to TDC and line up the marks on the cam wheels and cam pillars. On mine the exhaust appears retarded but nowt you can do about this unless you have drilled wheels I guess.
Cheers again
Nick
B
bob
Guest
Hi Nick , Have you done anything about checking the ignition with a strobe?
I found the Sachse to be compromised on the Atlas due to to two issues;
1] You can't alter the Sachse timing with the engine running due to the rotor arrangement.
2] You can't check the timing once the engine is running due to the alternator rotor being in a wet chamber.
This problem with the lack of strobe facilities is peculiar to the Atlas, not the 500 of course.
if you've solved either of these problems I'd be interested to hear about it. My engine ran well on the Sachse ignition but it frustrated me that I couldn't check or tune it. I've since fitted a Todd/Boyer ignition which has a more conventional moveable backplate to facilitate small running adjustments. I still haven't worked out a feasible way to get a strobe reading. I reckon the only way to do it is to have a bolt on disc of some some sort that attaches to the crank sensor.
Bob
I found the Sachse to be compromised on the Atlas due to to two issues;
1] You can't alter the Sachse timing with the engine running due to the rotor arrangement.
2] You can't check the timing once the engine is running due to the alternator rotor being in a wet chamber.
This problem with the lack of strobe facilities is peculiar to the Atlas, not the 500 of course.
if you've solved either of these problems I'd be interested to hear about it. My engine ran well on the Sachse ignition but it frustrated me that I couldn't check or tune it. I've since fitted a Todd/Boyer ignition which has a more conventional moveable backplate to facilitate small running adjustments. I still haven't worked out a feasible way to get a strobe reading. I reckon the only way to do it is to have a bolt on disc of some some sort that attaches to the crank sensor.
Bob
Hello Bob,
Well I've not encountered the problem you describe but then that's probably because I'm just chugging about on a standard bike so don't need it to be as well set up as you. I have been impressed with the Sachse ignition in that not only did it make the bike run better (something I've found every time I've replaced an original Laverda ignition) but also even I could notice the difference between the different curves.
The big issue I have had is poor starting. I tried the Zimmerman sprag like you and also copied your Zane conversion route (recommended upgrade - I'm still running the Atlas idler gear 'cos machining either the gear or case isn't so easy when you polish a chair with your arse for a living) - but Scott Potter may have fixed this merely by fitting new plugs (in fairness I had a dodgy thread and so needed someone with confidence to run a tap through it) and clipping the ends of the HT leads. I'd have hoped to have covered this ground myself but hey ho...I'm not so proud that if it's fixed it's fixed.
I've covered lots of miles on the Atlas and it's a good bike - if only it had an 800cc engine.
Nick
Well I've not encountered the problem you describe but then that's probably because I'm just chugging about on a standard bike so don't need it to be as well set up as you. I have been impressed with the Sachse ignition in that not only did it make the bike run better (something I've found every time I've replaced an original Laverda ignition) but also even I could notice the difference between the different curves.
The big issue I have had is poor starting. I tried the Zimmerman sprag like you and also copied your Zane conversion route (recommended upgrade - I'm still running the Atlas idler gear 'cos machining either the gear or case isn't so easy when you polish a chair with your arse for a living) - but Scott Potter may have fixed this merely by fitting new plugs (in fairness I had a dodgy thread and so needed someone with confidence to run a tap through it) and clipping the ends of the HT leads. I'd have hoped to have covered this ground myself but hey ho...I'm not so proud that if it's fixed it's fixed.
I've covered lots of miles on the Atlas and it's a good bike - if only it had an 800cc engine.
Nick
Dellortoman
Hero member
- Location
- Tasmania, Australia
G'day Bob
My ducati is the same as your 600, in that the pickups, backing plate and all the rotating ignition parts are in an oil bath so can't be viewed directly with a strobe. Ducati's solution is to have a little access port in the outer cover, through which a degree wheel can be bolted to the end of the crank with the ignition cover still in place (shown in the photo below).
The engine can be run with the degree wheel attached, allowing the strobe to be used on the degree wheel (with a suitable fixed pointer of course). You then have a reference to make timing adjustments. There's no seal in the hole but there's only a small gap around the degree wheel shaft so very little (if any) oil escapes while running.
Perhaps you could organise a similar solution for your Barcelona - bore a hole in the outer cover and make up a degree wheel with a short shaft to poke thru the hole and bolt onto the end of the crank. Obviously you'd need to make a suitable cover or plug for the hole.
I have an Ignitech ignition on the Ducati, so timing adjustments can be made with the engine running simply by plugging a laptop into the ignition module and dragging the advance curve around. Ignitech is a great little piece of kit for race bikes, and dirt cheap.
Cheers,
Cam
My ducati is the same as your 600, in that the pickups, backing plate and all the rotating ignition parts are in an oil bath so can't be viewed directly with a strobe. Ducati's solution is to have a little access port in the outer cover, through which a degree wheel can be bolted to the end of the crank with the ignition cover still in place (shown in the photo below).
The engine can be run with the degree wheel attached, allowing the strobe to be used on the degree wheel (with a suitable fixed pointer of course). You then have a reference to make timing adjustments. There's no seal in the hole but there's only a small gap around the degree wheel shaft so very little (if any) oil escapes while running.
Perhaps you could organise a similar solution for your Barcelona - bore a hole in the outer cover and make up a degree wheel with a short shaft to poke thru the hole and bolt onto the end of the crank. Obviously you'd need to make a suitable cover or plug for the hole.
I have an Ignitech ignition on the Ducati, so timing adjustments can be made with the engine running simply by plugging a laptop into the ignition module and dragging the advance curve around. Ignitech is a great little piece of kit for race bikes, and dirt cheap.
Cheers,
Cam
Attachments
B
bob
Guest
That's a good solution Cam, I've thought about making a sight window in the alternator cover but space is very tight, a bolt on cover as you describe with some form of seal might be the way forward. By and large I'm happy enough to set the timing up by ear and thus far haven't had any problems but I'd like to run a wee bit more advance and being a cautious kind of fellow I wanted to check if I was pushing it too far.
For the time being I'm just happy to have the bike starting reliably and going quite well!
For the time being I'm just happy to have the bike starting reliably and going quite well!