Hitchcocks Forum

Hi guys

I've recently had the bike rebored out to +. 040" Which has cured my previous oil burning problem.

I've upped the CR to 8.5:1 from the original 6.5:1.. Fitted forged pistons..

I didn't disturb the timing which was set at standard ¹/32“ ATDC...(or thereabouts)

Bike seems a little harder to start than it was.. Should I alter the timing to suit the new CR to assist starting? ..

REgards

Tom

There were plenty of different timing spindles for the Lucas DX type distributors,check the timing advance range
stamped on the disc,form memory they went from 12deg to 19 deg.Maybe it has an incorrect one fitted.For me i would be
setting the timing according to full advance and let the distributor do it's job of returning the timing at idle,to whatever
it's capable of(assuming the springs is good and well lubricated).

1/32 ATDC ?
If this timing figure is referring to '1/32 after top dead centre', this could be your problem.
I only have a manual for the later 700cc engines however the timing figures are set 'before top dead centre'.
For the later 700cc engines this is-
Retarded 1/32 Before top dead centre.
Advanced 3/8 - 7/16 Before top dead centre.
I hope this helps.

RASP.. The timing is set correctly for the 53 Meteor fitted with LUCAS DX2 Distributor.. That is 1/32 After TDC.. As per the manual.. The only thing that is now not standard for 53 Meteor is the increased CR...

The distributor has been completely refurbished by Distributor Doctor..

Magneto engines are set ⅜-7/16 BTDC

Whoever wrote that info is wrong, stick with what Rasp said and it should work.

Hi Paul

The settings come from RE Maintenance Manual and Instruction book..

Bike was starting and running fine on this setting when 6.5:1..

I will try advancing up a bit.

Hi Tom, it must be a misprint. I totally rebuilt one just the same a few years ago and it ran very well afterwards, honest!

Photo of the week, I reckon.

A.

Hi Paul..

So what did you set static timing at?.....

The same info is in both manuals...

I advanced timing up once running and warmed up until tick over picked up and adjusted carb to give a nice tick over.... Started first kick this morning (very slight kickback)

Tom

Hi Tom, I would have timed it as per the 350 Bullet singles - it is basically a pair of those, after all. 1/32" After TDC aroused my suspicions straight away, 1/32" Before TDC would be much more like it for a retarded setting, so you might have ended up 1/16" retarded overall, following those specs. Don't believe everything you read, as they say! Regards, Paul.