Another clip showing how to retard the inlet cam timing on a Royal Enfield Bullet, but timing gear backlash in the drive train to the ignition distributor is also discussed.
Really a class of valve timing and ignition timing. I did not imagine that these gears would wear out that could mean a large variation in the ignition time. Have they been mistreated with old, low-viscosity oil. Curves of magnetic material to increase the magnetic field, made of rare earths, would greatly increase the firepower (spark). Many companies in China sell these curves at a favorable price. With the Performance Classics assembly of a high-expansion, low-alloy piston and a suitable carburetor, a 500 c.c. would go along with many more famous machines in the category. Wonder of regulation. High competence. Grateful for the demonstrations!
Your thoughts on the electronic ignition matched my own. It's nice to see them agreed with. It's also very easy and cheap to carry spare points and condenser.
I did this to my 1999 year 500 bullet, the change was amazing, first of all the bike is so easy to start now and seems less stressed. On the performance side above 50mph the bike is more willing to go and higher speeds are easier to maintain. The only small downside is correct use of the 4 speed gearbox in between 3rd and 4th on hill climb if its very steep, overall the bike has changed for the better and would not go back to the original setting.
I think the Indians like them to be able to slog around at 20 mph in top gear and that's why they are not timed to give their best at higher engine speeds. Glad you like the change!
Re backlash. There seems to be plenty of advice about rocking the engine back and forwards to locate the ignition point. I think this, if followed can lead to an inaccurate result. Rocking the engine back and forwards in an attempt to find the desired timing point is likely to lead to a less accurate result. If you set ignition timing with the engine loaded in the direction of normal rotation will give the best, most accurate timing which will be most evident during acceleration rather than under no load where the backlash in the timing gears will produce a variation in the firing point. This combined with a precisely determined top dead center point and the use of a degree wheel will give the best possible ignition firing point for points or electronic triggers.
Hi Paul , question..have you ever fitted an electrex world ignition to a bullet ? The kit says to time it up at TDC which corresponds to the ignition point on the system....is it correct or should it be at 40 degrees before as per your ignition timing video ? Cheers Andy B
I'll give this a try.Already have a high compression piston 8.5-1 on my 1992 350. I've now tried it and there is more of a increase in power around 45mph in 4th gear and does seem to get to 60mph a little quicker where mechanical noise is acceptable.
I tend to agree with you about electronic ignition but the argument is that the advance curve is better than the rather on/off nature of the bob weights.
Hi from New Zealand, just stumbled across your channel and I’m most impressed. Can the retarding of that cam be done on the 2017 Classic 500 also? If so. , I’m doing an oil change shortly so to be do this at the same time, would be great timing. (No pun intended)
Hi Alastair, yes you could do it, without causing any mechanical harm. I haven't done it with any of the UCE engines so far, but am about to do it with a 535 GT. It should liven up the top end revs and power a little, I hope.
Hello Sir, i really like your videos, keep on going. Im about to change the hole gaskets, now i have a problem with the Timing cover, when im screwing it down by hand with a flat screwdriver, the kickstarter is very hard to turn by hand, like if somthing is pushing too hard against the pignons inside the timing cover.... What am i missing?
@@paulhenshaw4514 Hi Paul, thanks for the quick answering! Ok what about putting a little silicone compound on both sides? The hole gasket kit comes from Hitchcock Motorcycles
And for the tappet clearence, as per book they are to adjust without play upside down, and spinning freely by hand, my tappets have no upside down play, and spins freely by hand but just like 3 to 4 turns then they block and i have to turn the other side, is this normal or do they have to spin freely as many turns possible?
More than that, it softens the compression stroke, helping the engine rev higher and run smoother, with less likelihood of pinking and reduced vibration, if combined with a high compression ratio. I tried various lengths of inlet manifolds in the past and decided I like to keep the carbs quite close to the inlet valves.
Hi Bill and thanks! Retarding the inlet cam on a British Bullet might work, but probably not to such a degree as for the Indian ones, as the latter are not so well timed in the first place, but it would do no mechanical harm to try!
@@paulhenshaw4514 aah ok look i saw your crank balancing (tick on that) with HC id like to wake it up a bit would it tolerate 9:1? Paul if this isnt the place ill email you 😉
Good video Paul. Had a chap in recently, who had fitted a 535 kit to his 2001 500 Bullet. It didn't go well for him as it had burned a hole in the top of his piston. We hope to find out what else has been tinkered with to cause the damage. Cheers.
I just swapped the oil seal at the timing side which i had mounted the wrong way, hence maybe the 'brave' oil consumption of the new rebuilt engine. I will retard the inlet and see what happens, now i got the carburation satisfactory (OKO 30mm, KLK needle 3rd notch from the top, 132 MJ, 40 IJ.)
I really enjoy your video postings Paul. Thanks for sharing your experience and knowledge so freely. I'm going to try this on my bike. Would you advise any change to the standard ignition timing to go with it? I set mine with the bob weights wedged fully advanced at 8.5mm BTDC.
Thanks, John. If the ignition timing is correct, leave it as it is, but if you have a high compression ratio and you have retarded the ignition to combat pinking, you should be able to advance it again with the retarded setting of the inlet cam.
Hey, what do you know. Tried the bike today with the inlet can retarded and it does indeed rev more freely. It also ticks over much more regularly and seems generally happier with life. I wonder now how the advanced condition came to be standard. Was something lost in translation perhaps?
Glad it worked for you and you are happy with it ! I think the Indians like more low down power, as it would probably suit the bumpy roads, slow traffic and all the stuff and people they appear to carry. Just my theory !
@@paulhenshaw4514 this engine is England technology, I have royal Enfield 1966 made in England model with same engine , this engine is now making in India but the original technology is from ENGLAND for world wide not only for Indian .
The Indian made engines run very differently to the British ones, which had different cams and timings and better ports in their cylinder heads. A 1966 machine will not be British, as the last Bullets made in England were 1961 / 62. The engines look almost identical, though.
Hi Paul, i'm tempted to try this on my 350 Bullet but just wondered when you say it has improved the bike, in what way do you mean? More power from the engine or better efficiency? Cheers
It works best if the compression ratio has been increased, it helps the engine maintain power further up the rev range and to rev higher with a small sacrifice of some bottom end power. It also helps eliminate pinking by lowering the cylinder pressure a little on the piston upstroke.
Not too interested in increasing higher rpm performance as the original bottom end is still intact on my 2002 500 ks model & likely wouldn't survive much thrashing at high rpms. Seems the midrange torque could use a little "shot in the arm" though. If upgrading to a higher compression piston & top end tune wouldn't raise my operating temps, I'd love to do that. These triple digit summer Texas day temps would probably be the death of it. Would installing a hi compression piston really raise operating temps that much?
Thought crossed my mind, maybe we can extend the spark plug - machine on so it screws in further to raise compression? It may run hotter at the tip. I think they keep compression low for kick starting, my '2000 350 bullet is hard to kick over with the stock setup - no electric start. Imagine the 500 is worse, thats why it has lower compression. These definitely should not need premium gas, mine is like 7.5:1 I believe.
Yes, I once checked the timing of a magneto fired Bullet by strobe, to find at a steady 4,000 RPM, the fully advanced timing was wondering back and fore by 11 degrees, according to the marks I put on the alternator rotor!
It could certainly contribute, I once strobed a magneto type Bullet to check the timing and at steady engine speeds, it was wandering by 11 degrees on the ignition timing!
@@paulhenshaw4514 Yes you told in your vid.. That is quite a lot.. but okay, on a low compression/sofly tuned engine less of a problem then on a 'normal'bike. indeed i have a single barrel jawa.. Spark factory on the crankshaft... The design of the bullet makes it hard to build on a direct connection from crankshaft to timing. Most of my enfield riding i did/do on my diesel (188Winsun engine) since 3 weeks i have a 500 petrol bullet.. i like itand want to keep the engine.. msut do research to get it all right.. (i belive pistons and vale springs are prone to break down?)
@@paulhenshaw4514 And revving hard, is that anything above 80 kph in 4th gear? I must say, i've installed an (absorption) bsa m20 muffler and the sound is awesome! I am waiting for Topham to open so i can order a mikuni manifold to install a 30mm PWK carb.. Hope to find a set-up with this mufler and the 'pancake' air filter and discard of the lawnmower-amal...
@@paulhenshaw4514 cheers Paul,Iam in the middle of swapping my 2005 Electra 500 clubman for a 1959 pre unit 250 clipper hoping to get it this w/end,would you know if you can still get parts for them ok as everything sames to be for the 350 etc?do you mean retard the exhaust gearing by one tooth like in your video,cheers again and keep up the cracking vids,neil 👀
@@paulhenshaw4514 i did n didnt see much of a backlash other than the gear connected to the points .. does the cam gears get tight overtime ? or loose ?..i think its on the tighter side
I wouldn't do it with a standard 350, but standard and tuned 500's will liven up, as well as tuned 350's. You lose a bit of 'thump' at low revs, but get more revs, power, speed and acceleration. you can't do any mechanical harm by retarding the inlet cam timing.
@@paulhenshaw4514 Okay, some say it won't have a positive effect on a std 500. But when i have the carburation sorted out for sure i will have it a go..
I don't know about the EFI machines, but retarding an inlet cam shouldn't do any mechanical harm, as the valve will open later [earlier or advancing the cam is the risky one], so you could try it and see how it goes.
Thanks. I can't find any numbers for the valve timing on the EFI so it's if it ain't bust don't fix it. I'm considering the hi-lift cams but not in a hurry to pull the engine apart. Runs out of steam at 5000+, which ain't too shabby in top. It's not quite on full throttle, feels like there should be a drop more but it doesn't want to give it up. Scratching my head why it doesn't want to rev a bit higher, mesh in the back end of the silencer looks a mite clogged and restrictive ... other stuff to try first. Advance the ign timing a bit more on the PC5 at the top end?
i remember doing one of these engine up lovely a few years ago .Then lent it the school as a display item Little did i know they cut it up as 3d display grrr.
