295 timing

[Steven Rempel]

So after setting the new points as per manual specs, I am still having hard starting issues, like the timing is still off I have the points set using a dial indicator. what will happen if I turn the whole stator assembly clockwise. I guess I am asking why are the holes slotted if in the manual never says anything about readjusting.

just a note. this has always been a great running sled when you can get it started, I feel the carb is set good for running, seals are new in the last 2 years. compressions are 128 and 131. I have to get past the hard starting issue in order to figure out why after it gets hot, then turned off num 2 loses spark. when cold spark looks good.

I wish I could get this sled up and running it is the most fun of all my sleds to drive no bogg and great back shifting just a pure love to drive, just I cant turn it off and hope in hell to restart until it stone cold.

thoughts?

[jep_800]

Steve, I’ve always heard that it is an ignition gremlin that causes that. But I don’t know if it is stator / timing related, or ignition coils. I’ve heard many times of this sort of thing happening with mid-mount Deere’s especially from the points ignition sleds. Something must get overheated and prevents easy re-starts.

The other thing I’ve heard is the dreaded vapor lock issue which makes starting near impossible. I’ve tried hard to insulate my fuel lines, and heat shields to keep the hot engine from affecting the carburetor. I’m sure you’re tried all sorts of things, so let us know what your progress is.

Jason

[ihengineer76]

If you are loosing spark on a cylinder when it gets hot, you probably have a coil that is bad. When they warm up, a small crack in the wire can open and loose continuity. The crack closes back up when it cools down. ThaTs where I’d start.

[Steven Rempel]

tks for your thoughts guys,
as for the vapor lock issue, I dont believe this sled is having that issue. 1 its a 75 and runs the fuel lines in a tube within the tunnel well away from the engine, but it is possible the card itself it hot enough even with a cooler fuel delv. all that aluminum sucks a lot of heat out the lines and keeps it cooler before it gets to the carb.

also I have tried putting fueling the plug and still no joy. I have with my 73 had the vapor lock issues in the past and yes very frustrating to take measures to stop this, and still have it bite you when trying to show off to the guys how good your sled is.

As for the coil, I do not have any new ones but will try to replace with cold one and see what happens. just to be clear when you say coil we are talking about the external ignition coil with the spark plug wire right? If yes I have in the past swapped the num 1 and 2 around and still no joy. with this info what would be the next thing to try, the condensers coils things

[Steven Rempel]

Ok so update.
I pulled the points out and notice that the stator had some rub marks on it. these marks matched up with rub marks on the flywheel. I thought maybe the crank was bent so I tested with a inductor and it is only out by less than 1 thousand via my indicator. I relook at everything and loosed and mad sure that thing were seated in there right place. still things where rubbing. I tried differed sectors and different flywheels. still no luck. I took out my die grinder with a polishing wheel and polished the surfaces as best I could, and then retested fit. currently they do not touch.

I reset the points gap. set num 1 to TDC with indicator, then the lower point to 16 thousands gap and then using a dial indicator with my home made timing light turned the flywheel back 90 thousand and set the stator to within 2 thousands so currently the points turn on at very close to 90 thousands BTDC. I then set the num 2 points gap to 16 thousand and found it to be very close to point on 90 thousand BTDC. reassumed motor and recoil confirmed spark and then did I live test. After getting gas up to the carb it fired right up, I reset the idle and warmed it up.

it seems to start better now and revs up under no load very smooth. After a few times of getting it up to temp and letting the heat soak in the elections it will start on the 3rd pull but always needed a touch of throttle to help get going. most of my others would flood if I started them this way. Took seld on a 20 min hard run in the snow. parked and let the heat soak in. it will start but still always takes a few pull and throttle. tested like this 2 more times restarting and letting heat soak for 10 mins. then let sit over lunch hour, it fired up on 3rd pull with throttle. took out for a 1 hour hell run, driving as hard as I dare and fast as she would go. Ran really good,tons of power and pulls really good. there is a very slight bog at a dead stop to full wide open hard pull, but very slight once over that its just really good in the whole range.

So in conclusion to this very long post, do you think it is possible that the rubbing stator and flywheel might have been the hard starting issue when hot? The only other thing I changed was the timing is much more close to the manual then it was before.

[jep_800]

Steven, I think you are definitely on the right track there. The only other thing I would think you could try is the new external ignition coils. Possible there is a weak or broken wire in there somewhere. New ones only run about $34 each, so not like it breaks the bank. Then you'd know your ignition is nearly 100%.

It's probably overkill, but regarding your fuel lines... I wrapped them with that silver duct insulation you can buy on a roll from the hardware store. So they are insulated from the tank to that square tube that attaches by the bulk head, and then insulated from that point under the flywheel until it reaches the hole where it has to pass through the heat shield. I ran my sleds last year at RWTC during 53 degree weather, and never had an issue. It was a little hard to restart at that warm temp, but the carbs never felt like they were giving me issues.

Jason