Kawasaki Z1 900 Points & Timing

In this Video I show how I time up the Z1 900 engine using the old method od just a 12v bulb and a 2 peices of wire . if you have other ways of doing it please drop a coment below
Thanks Gary

[@SuperBonko123]

I do my 650 b1 like you but a quicker setup is get a portable radio turn volume up on frequency with no station. You will hear a click from the radio when the points open.

[@garyspracticalworkshop357]

Hi Colin, will try that, great idea

[@MartinQuick-zd2sd]

Absolutely enjoyed your video . But can you do 1 where you replace the points , gap them both , and adjust timing . This very specifically, just checks timing . Great job ,thank you Gary .

[@cedley1969]

I used to do the points and tappets on my cb550 the same way every weekend in the eighties (I did a spell of dispatch riding so I was doing 1500-2000 miles a week).
I always found it quite therapeutic and the bike was noticeably smoother afterwards.

[@queenslander954]

We used to do the timing with a cigarette paper .. setting it to come loose in your fingers on the F mark
& gap the points with ring tab from beer cans , it was very close to 14 thou
But hey it was Australia in the 1970’s

[@garyspracticalworkshop357]

Yes, I used do the same back in the day , Rizla tab worked well.
Cheers Gary

[@toyetoyetoye]

Also…Couldn’t get the spark plug to trip. Did I hear you say the kill switch was on (i.e. non-startable mode) while you were doing that?

[@garyspracticalworkshop357]

The inginition must be on as well as the kill switch.

[@toyetoyetoye]

Points bane of my existence! Never seems to go according to the book but I know once I get it I’ll be golden. I’m using a multimeter like suggested in the manual but on 2&3 I cannot get the points to close within the available range. I’ve even adjusted the mounting plate but no significant difference. Any ideas?

[@garyspracticalworkshop357]

Mark the high point of the cam lobe with a sharpy marker on the crank nut, then work on setting the points gap, 14 thou, then set the crank to T1/4.
Now connect your bulb up, back turn the crank the light should be on, and as you turn the crank clockwise as the T 1/4 lines up the bulb should go out, repeat for T 2/3 adjust the timing points plate so that bulb
work on setting the points gap first.
Hope this helps Gary

[@toyetoyetoye]

@@garyspracticalworkshop357 Will take another stab at it, this time with a bulb. Thanks for sharing your knowledge!

[@garyspracticalworkshop357]

@@toyetoyetoye no trouble....

[@fredfly001]

Your welcome.

[@Bigbushape]

Thank you.

[@jacintyre]

Hi Gary, thanks for this video it was very helpful.
Where I’m getting a bit stumped however, is that after I set it - I start the bike and it’s not quite going right. Then when I check the timing straight after the first start - the 1/4 mark is advanced.
It won’t seem to stay put at the correct timing. Any ideas?

[@garyspracticalworkshop357]

Hi James - Not quite sure what you mean here, if you place the crank align marks T/14 s "F" mark and ajust the postion of your points with a srewdriver by levering them clockwise or anti clockwise, and them lock them in place you should have it , now check with the bulb system you should have it bang on as you rotate the crank.
Hope this helps
Gary

[@jacintyre]

@@garyspracticalworkshop357 Hi Gary thanks for replying! So what I mean is I get it aligned to T/14 with the bulb, start the bike, then when I check it again with the bulb, the t/14 mark is now too far advance. I'm not sure how but the T/14 timing seems to be slipping everytime I start the bike after setting the timing.

[@garyspracticalworkshop357]

Hi James - Sounds to me as if your timing is slipping out some where, I would be inclined to check the auto advance unit behind the points mounting plate, also check all the screws are tight on the points backplate and one more thought would be to check the timing cam can move freely , fine oil only on this .
Hope this helps
Gary

[@johnbelcher7164]

Thanks Doing my Points atm

[@fredfly001]

You are welcome John.