Hopefully someone can walk you thru the timing procedure. All I can say is that I have two 1974 DT360As and they have both popped their crank seals on the clutch side which made them hard to start and they ran terrible. Lots of white smoke.

Another issue I had was that one of them had CDI issues making it hard to start and it ran so bad you could hardly ride it. I ended up converting it to points and condenser by using the stator and flywheel from a 1975 DT250B. That bike now starts easier and runs better than the one that still has the original CDI ignition.

Don’t know if any of this helps in any way, but it’s all I got to offer. Good luck!

Page 17 of Service Manual. The following is how I usually do it not necessarily exact to manual. corrections welcome.

* put a dial gauge in, metric preferably, find TDC
* turn crank to RIGHT, a bit past 2.9mm BTDC. I usually go to 3.9mm.
* turn crank to LEFT, to 2.9mm BTDC.
* in the center of the flywheel window is a mark. Align your pulser coil w/that. Lock it down. .
* repeat to verify

if you have points, they should be starting to open. An analog meter will show a short flash when set on x1ohm
if you have the VAPE system, align the stator back plate engraved line to the engraved line on the new flywheel.

Thank you PABDT, this is much clearer than the manual...I'll get a metric dial indicator and give it a shot. Now, my flywheel is super rusty and the marks are almost impossible to see but I'll give it my best. Thanks again!

And here is another thought...I never did inspect nor service the compression release mechanism on the bike. I need to do that now...tried another compression test, couldn't get any compression after I warmed up the bike.

So, I tried to get the compression release mechanism apart but after getting the cotter pin out, I cannot get the pin out...Can I assume you have to do this with the jug off?? I hope not, perhaps take the exhaust off and unscrew it from the jug? 

If i'm on the right page & if your 360 has an original cdi mag so long as you put the stator plate back where the screws left marks it'll be ok. Being CDI if it sparks it'll be good. Be sure to tighten the flywheel super tight or the crank key will get destroyed imediately. Don't overthink timing unless you have a good reason too. It'll start & run no matter where you put the plate in the slots they allow. In saying that--acurate timing is usualy 2.9mm btdc on all 360's. Being cdi by memory there is a tab on the bulser to line up with a notch in the flywheel. I'm thinking the original screw mark on the stator should cause those to line up or very close unless someone's bodgied with the pulser which has its own slots. I'm thinking back 50 years so happy to be shot down in flames if wrong. Can't remember yesterday but ok going 'that far back' haha.
PS, i'm 4 pages behind but if its a performance issue the exhaust & deep within the tail muffler is the first place to look in my book.

Ok, spent some time on the bike today. I took the head off and was able to remove the compression release mechanism. I found out that it's missing some parts and the spring was in backwards! it was missing the nut at the end of the close valve, I'm surprised I got this thing started at all! Anyway, I cleaned all the carbon, put the spring back in so it will close the valve, (when not actuated), and the nut size is M5x.08 which I have to find a nut, (and a cotter key) for the end. The O-ring on the valve is still in tact but is very small, nothing like some of the O-rings I might have to replace it. I would guess this is my compression problem after getting it back together. Have a new head gasket coming so I'll get it back together as soon as I have that...

Here is the compression valve with O-Ring...

This image is hidden for guests.
Please log in or register to see it.

They run good as gold when open & just softens the comp to make starting easier. Various model like AG175 & RD400 have a hole open all the time leading straight to the exhaust port outlet at a steep angle rather that valve controlled which is straight out then straight down but same end result. I drilled one in my YZ465 cylinder for enduro riding which made it easy to start & softened the power in the very low range so not as easy to stall in tricky forest situations.. Hope you get it sorted. In saying that i blocked of my decomp on one or two of mine as to tight to buy bits to fix them. I just put a larg-ish ball bearing in there & then found the swinging arm pivot big bolt off a Yamy quad was same thread so organised it to push on the ball but not too hard & was "good as", no problem starting.

Old studs can be removed by spark, I think its called spark arrest but I dont see it done very often

Put the compression release mechanism back on teh bike, put together correctly this time. I put the head back on with old head gasket to check the compression. Now from the 85 psi I was getting, I am now getting about 115-120 psi...

wheelies!