So I have finally solved the problem that has plagued Zachs engine since I rebuilt it over the winter. I bought an open box but unused Hot Rods Crank kit and installed it. I also put a new OEM piston and had the cylinder re coated. Kevins bike has a Wiseco piton, some exhaust bridge work for durability and a skim of the head. It fired right up and has run like a beast from day one. So to help poor Zach out I put the same mods into the bike after riding it last month at the WERA Nola round. It was hard to ride, had no mid range or bottom end and a narrow and (compared to Kevin's bike) weak power band. After the rebuild i started it Friday night after getting the reeds last minute and it kicked off just like the old bike. He suffered through The CMRA race Saturday and we went hme to figure it out. Kevin won f-6 and was second over all dispatching all of the Groms by great distance. After swapping the carbs, ran worse checked the needles; they are the same etc. I pulled the plug and stator cover and looked at the timing ring again. I had adjusted it before by rotating it in the advance direction (i thought) I fooled with it a bit more and man she woke up. Like it is an animal. My question is how do real builders do this setting? How does one calculate this setting or is it a go by feel kind of thing? I am guessing a wheel on the end of the crank, a pointer and getting tdc through direct measurement and observation of the of the piston. I am going to mark it and do a few degrees either way of where it is sitting now and use the old ass dyno. Thanks
