Picture Attachments Fixed? (18 Feb 2023)
Hopefully, the pictures uploads are fixed for the time being. Let me know if you continue to have issues. I am looking into a more permanent solution. Thanks for your patience. - Makotosun
[Help] with my '73 DT3 250, having ignition issues
- 19stuberd
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Replied by 19stuberd on topic [Help] with my '73 DT3 250, having ignition issues
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- 19stuberd
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Replied by 19stuberd on topic [Help] with my '73 DT3 250, having ignition issues
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- MarkT
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Replied by MarkT on topic [Help] with my '73 DT3 250, having ignition issues
One of the windows in flywheel will be over points when they open so you can observe/measure gap.
Finally, you don't "adjust gap". You get points to just open with piston at correct position BTDC to set timing. Then gap is what it is. You can set the max gap at like 0.012" or so until you get to the point of timing correctly.
There are no voltage specs but what you said is about right. You really need a oscilloscope or high tech meter that can measure the very short AC voltage peak. Regular meter readings are "average" and will be much lower than the voltage spike that should be just peaking when points open.
You might just have dirty points... even new they often have an invisible non-conductive bit of corrosion.
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- RT325
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Replied by RT325 on topic [Help] with my '73 DT3 250, having ignition issues
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- AirborneSilva
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Replied by AirborneSilva on topic [Help] with my '73 DT3 250, having ignition issues
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DT250 points adjust
1976 DT400C
1981 DT175H
1972 DT2 250
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- 19stuberd
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Replied by 19stuberd on topic [Help] with my '73 DT3 250, having ignition issues
And now on to everyone's lovely comments. It seems all three of the comments made were about the points and whatnot, so I will address that. Unfortunately today is a rainy day here in Pennsylvania so I think I'll have to wait until tomorrow to put any of this into action. From what I'm hearing from you guys, the gap itself isn't actually the important part. The point is to adjust the gap at a known position (say at TDC) so that since the flywheel cam has a fixed/known profile, we know that a certain amount of point-open-ness in one angle of rotation will equal another amount of point-open-ness at a different angle of rotation, such as, say the point of rotation where we want ignition to happen. This is to say that changing the gap at TDC will change the time at which the points close, I think. Please correct me if I'm understanding this wrong. Also the manual and Markt mentioned use of a dial indicator to gauge piston position, doesn't this require removal of the engine's valves and head? I would like to avoid that because that sounds like it would suck. Is there some other way that's used to measure piston position?
It seems that RT325 is saying that since we know that certain positions on the keyed flywheel are IDEALLY equal to certain positions of the piston, which is what I would imagine the timing tab is for, although I don't know what it's supposed to represent in terms of piston position (TDC? ignition point? something else?). So I guess RT325's approach is using flywheel positions to determine timing instead of piston, which sounds like an attractive option. One issue: I don't know where this mark is you are referring to, so I have included an image of the stator with every remotely screw-like object circled in a different color, just let me know where you are talking about and that will settle that. All that being said, I think I can give this a try tomorrow depending on what you guys say re: which method of timing you suggest. I will have to buy some feeler gauges or make something 12 or 15 thou thick (I do have a caliper) and/or borrow/buy a dial indicator (I found one in an abandoned factory but I'm not sure how accurate it is).
Now on to the couple of other things mentioned. RT325 mentions a flywheel puller, and I have actually made one myself! It's of the type that uses the slots to pull the flywheel, I made it out of some other kind of puller. I know people are wary of these because you can ding up the coils through insertion of the two bolts but I am being very careful and so it seems to work for me quite well. Images are attached in the same album as before. Also nobody seemed to react to the coil idea, still would love input on that. I take it that this is the better thing to do first because if I am putting an overpowered coil into a bike where the points just need adjustment, I might not even fix the problem, I might cause damage to the points through increased wear, and if it worked it would be fixing the problem in the wrong way anyway. I see what Markt is saying about the voltage measurement, so if I make this coil I might just guess & check it. Please let me know what you guys think. Also what's the thing circled in pink in the diagram?
Thanks again for everybody's help, these responses are really giving me hope that I might get to finally ride a motorcycle.
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- AirborneSilva
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Replied by AirborneSilva on topic [Help] with my '73 DT3 250, having ignition issues
1976 DT400C
1981 DT175H
1972 DT2 250
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- Sneezles61
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Replied by Sneezles61 on topic [Help] with my '73 DT3 250, having ignition issues
Sneezles61
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- AirborneSilva
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Replied by AirborneSilva on topic [Help] with my '73 DT3 250, having ignition issues
1976 DT400C
1981 DT175H
1972 DT2 250
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- RT325
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Replied by RT325 on topic [Help] with my '73 DT3 250, having ignition issues
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