Points open gap

[Curlymurt]

From the manual, it seems the main concern when setting the timing is where the points start to open. However, does it matter how wide they open when fully open? My red point second cylinder opens .011 inches (.279 mm). My white point first cylinder opens .018 in (.457 mm). Obviously, that's a pretty big difference and easily seen with the naked eye

[Steven Rempel]

this is not my area of expertise but the timing part of setting the points and the gap would need to be the same with in the tolerance given in the manual. I not sure but I though for the kohler motors my manual said to set points to "close" at (blank) number of thousands before top dead centre AND when "open" to full open to like thousand + or - 2 thousands.

by memory it said something like set the 1 point to 14 thousand at full open. then find the Just Before TDC measurement (cant remember what it is). then turn the whole stator plate to close/open point at the setting of JB TDC. then tighten the stator and with 2nd cylinder set the points to close at that set num JB TDC but not to adjust the stator for the 2nd cylinder. and the points should be with in the tolerance. If not you would have to readjust the 1st point.

I might be wrong, it been a while since I read it.

what page are you reading this from and for what motor/ model, are you using a test light like they say?

every time I try to set them with out a test light I get poor engine performance, hard starting ect.

[Curlymurt]

It's a ccw 340 from a '72 400.

It's the manual with 310 PDF pages... Service manual SM 2100 from '72 Deere's serial numbers 2551+

Edit: found it again. Page 153 of the PDF... Section 40, 10-21.

Looks like I set the timing but NOT the breaker points. Yes, appears breakers need to open to a max spec of .014 inches (3556mm)

[Curlymurt]

I've been fiddling off and on with this. I've got the points adjusted to open at the proper depths, but I can't rotate the stator "enough". When I turn counterclockwise as the manual states, the corresponding points close, like you said Steven... Not open, like the manual states. Am I mixing up my terms here?

The spark plugs have spark, but one side is weaker so I need to clean the points again and see if that helps.

[harleysportster]

Your condensors may need replaced as well, they get weak over time.

[Curlymurt]

After I messed with the timing last year the engine started ok but wasn't great. I spuddered around the yard a bit but it seemed I lost a cylinder. Check for spark and one was dead, so this year I decided once again to get mess with it last minute and ordered a new breaker point. It turns out that the new NOS isn't the one I actually need... No clue there.

But, during this swap I found one of the screws holding the point had loosened, causing contact and no firing spark plug. So that was easy. I'm now armed with thread locker. What isn't easy is understanding the user manual on this... Find TDC, rotate the flywheel clockwise slightly, then this point your piston is should be what you rotate your stator to.

Something Steve said last year about his Kohler just hit me. I've always been looking at the tick marks on the flywheel, especially the one one marked "T" trying to line it up with a mark on the casing, which is probably just a casting imperfection.

Is the position of the piston for my 400 supposed to be .023" as read from my dial gauge (yes, I'm in the first SN grouping on the chart)? That would mean I've been interpreting too much verbiage and not enough of the tolerances provided in the manual.

[Curlymurt]

The answer is a resounding yes. I've been doing the timing wrong and now it all makes sense. I'm able to hit my point gaps and time the engine to .023 from tdc.

Once I buttoned up a bit and pulled the recoil handle the spark I had from the plugs was the best I've ever seen from this sled, so I was hopeful. I put it back into the sled, ran it to a can of fresh gas, and primed and pulled to start over and over. Once I was about to give up and tear down the carb she sprang to life and didn't even give any indication of wanting to die out. I'll need to adjust the carb for sure.

For reference, here's a few photos.

Impact driver removes nut, this scrap piece of angle from the box store holds it so I can torque it (leave your handle longer than mine)

Overall setup

.02 - .04 reading when points are touching

.12 - .13 reading when points open

[Curlymurt]

Took a frame angle bracket to make the holder for the the harbor freight gauge

[Curlymurt]

I'm still messing with this thing... It very well could need new coils, but I want to make sure it's firing when it should. Manual says to find TDC, rotate counterclockwise to specs listed on chart. My specs are .023" +/- .005. Am I supposed to rotate it only .023 (green line) or to .023 (blue line)? The red line indicates as far as I can go before the points close (by rotating the stator), so I can't actually make it to .023". Unless I'm reading the dial gauge incorrectly. I'm using a multimeter Ohms setting to find the exact point that they close (again, currently the red line).

[Curlymurt]

For what it's worth, Brian L explained in a FB Group how he sets them. It's a dance by trying to get both points open the same amount (as measured on each cylinder at TDC) and to have them hit at the same time, which for this engine should be .023". I'm positive I had this correct the last time I did it...

This time, while measuring Ohms (because I don't have a flashlight tester and haven't made one), I was getting some inconsistent readings on cylinder one. As I was rotating the flywheel back and forth and the points were opening/closing, sometimes the ohms would stay at 1.3 or 1.4 when it should have been dropping to .2 or .3. With that suspicion, I tightened the flywheel, had to readjust the points again, then put the recoil back on. I had a solid spark on cylinder 2, but cylinder 1 was good for 2 pulls and then no more spark. So I think I have a problem with the condenser. I'm going to try to source one and see what happens.

For what it's worth, I went out this morning and ended up with great spark on both cylinders. I didn't get it to start so I pulled the carb apart enough to adjust the metering arm lever flush with the plate to now be protruding ever so slightly above the rim.

I pushed some fuel through the carb and it actually started. I did get some fuel spill out the front of the carb while pulling so I might need to go back the other direction with the metering arm again. I didn't run it to the point of warming up so I could instead prep for a stress-free gathering with in-laws. I'm going to keep updating this so I know what I'm doing and what was working and what wasn't.