Points conversion for Evo sportster

[fjrosinski2]

Hello all,
This is my first post here. First anywhere actually. I have been snooping around here for awhile, looking at a lot of the cool bikes. I ride a 79 FLH. I just got another 1200 sporty and hardtailed it. I used the chain conversion thread found here. Awesome!!!. Anyway, I noticed a few questions about putting points into an Evolution sportster. Most people say "Why???" Well, because. Electronic is more reliable. Modern. Needs very little attention. But, points are cool. And it's different. You can carry a set with you, and find them at most auto parts stores. Here is how I did mine.http://www.flickr.com/photos/113675156@N08/11798669023/
1. First remove all the electronic pickup and plate, etc.http://www.flickr.com/photos/113675156@N08/11798844564/
2. Make sure your engine is at the proper firing spot on the #1 cylinder.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/113675156@N08/11798431925/

3. You will see the small slot where the mechanical advancer indexes on the cam.http://www.flickr.com/photos/113675156@N08/11798851754/
4. This is the back side of the advancer. You can see the small roll pin which fits into the slot of the cam.http://www.flickr.com/photos/1136751...8/11798710763/
5. The advancer is placed onto the cam. Make sure it fits into the index slot.http://www.flickr.com/photos/1136751...8/11798441335/
6. The bolt is then put into the advancer to hold it to the cam, so it will spin with the cam. I just snugged it into it.http://www.flickr.com/photos/1136751...8/11798692883/
7. I use Isky cam lube on the advancer cam for the points. I've used this for years building 426 Hemi engines. This stuff is great. You can use other stuff like Lubriplate, etc. Notice the lube on the advancer cam. There are TWO lobes. The taller one is for the #1 cylinder. This is where you want the points to be when you install them.http://www.flickr.com/photos/1136751...8/11798450555/
8. Place the points/condenser plate over the advancer. What I do is turn the advancer to the advanced position. I did because I placed the engine crank at the advance mark for #1 cylinder. You can also place the engine at TDC and just put the points in that way. It will still fire, but will be really retarded. You'll have to advance it more or your pipes will get pretty hot fast. Anyway, just put the two hold down screws on the plate. Move the whole plate to get a points gap of about .018.http://www.flickr.com/photos/1136751...8/11798471535/
9. now just feed the wire that comes off the points through the cam cover hole. This will get connected to the negative side of your coil. (If it's marked +/-)
10. Now fire it up. You can use a strobe in the timing hole, or tune it by ear.
I know this is a little vague, but hope it helps. I never saw a thread on electronic to points, so I did this with my Iphone.

[Guest]

*** Somehow I broke all the attachments, still cleaning up...

Just did this conversion on my 2000 1200c. Not a whole lot of information online so I thought I would help with readability and my personal experience.

I used the J&P Cycles® Advance Unit & Point Conversion Kit (J&P Part: 3800210)

Hello all,
This is my first post here. First anywhere actually. I have been snooping around here for awhile, looking at a lot of the cool bikes. I ride a 79 FLH. I just got another 1200 sporty and hardtailed it. I used the chain conversion thread found here. Awesome!!!. Anyway, I noticed a few questions about putting points into an Evolution sportster. Most people say "Why???" Well, because. Electronic is more reliable. Modern. Needs very little attention. But, points are cool. And it's different. You can carry a set with you, and find them at most auto parts stores. Here is how I did mine.

1. First remove all the electronic pickup and plate, etc. The duetsch connector for the electronic ignition can be found on the bottom frame rail near the back.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]60239[/ATTACH]

I should have taken more pictures but it can be disassembled by hooking the orange seal at the back of the plug and pulling it out of the body. Then flip it over and pull the green wedgelock out. After it is out you can use a small flatblade to release the pins and remove the plug from the wires. This allows you to pull out the electronic ignition without cutting anything.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]60229[/ATTACH]

2. Make sure your engine is at the proper firing spot on the #1 cylinder. You are looking for 35deg BTDC on the compression stroke for the front cylinder. The solid line is TDC the two dots are 20deg BTDC and the single dot is 35deg BTDC

[ATTACH=CONFIG]60230[/ATTACH]

3. You will see the small slot where the mechanical advancer indexes on the cam.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]60231[/ATTACH]

4. This is the back side of the advancer. You can see the small roll pin which fits into the slot of the cam.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]60232[/ATTACH]

5. The advancer is placed onto the cam. Make sure it fits into the index slot.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]60233[/ATTACH]

6. The bolt is then put into the advancer to hold it to the cam, so it will spin with the cam. I just snugged it into it.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]60234[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=CONFIG]60238[/ATTACH]

7. I use Isky cam lube on the advancer cam for the points. I've used this for years building 426 Hemi engines. This stuff is great. You can use other stuff like Lubriplate, etc. Notice the lube on the advancer cam. There are TWO lobes. The taller one is for the #1 cylinder. This is where you want the points to be when you install them.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]60235[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=CONFIG]60236[/ATTACH]

8. Place the points/condenser plate over the advancer. What I do is turn the advancer to the advanced position. I did because I placed the engine crank at the advance mark for #1 cylinder. You can also place the engine at TDC and just put the points in that way. It will still fire, but will be really retarded. You'll have to advance it more or your pipes will get pretty hot fast. Anyway, just put the two hold down screws on the plate. Move the whole plate to get a points gap of about .018. For this step I held the points plate in and checked the gap on both lobes. If there is a difference split it so get close to 18 on both sides. I then static timed it by having the single dot centered in the inspection hole. I hooked up my multimeter in continuity mode to a ground and the points connection. While holding the advance cam in it's most advanced position I rotated the points cam until the infernal beep of my multimeter just cuts off and snugged it down. This should get you to where it will run and you can continue tuning from there.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]60237[/ATTACH]

9. now just feed the wire that comes off the points through the cam cover hole. This will get connected to the negative side of your coil. (If it's marked +/-)

10. Now fire it up. You can use a strobe in the timing hole, or tune it by ear.

I know this is a little vague, but hope it helps. I never saw a thread on electronic to points, so I did this with my Iphone.

[HighWolf666]

My 2003 doesn't seem to have the single dot. Only the line and 2 dots. Neither one of those allows the cam to touch the points properly. Any ideas??

[JBinNC]

About the only way to do this accurately is to remove the primary cover, mount a degree wheel on the crank, and mark the flywheel yourself. I've done that a few times for modified motors. I made a sleeve that was a slip fit in the timing hole, to guide a copy punch to make the mark.
Note that on evo XL flywheels that do have a full advance mark, that the mark is at 40°, and not 35° as the OP states. That is another good reason to use a degree wheel on these motors, to be SURE of what you have.

Jim

[farmall]

I and zillions of other old farts timed them by ear for a very long time. I "center" the backing plate to the cover mount stud, attempt start (backfire out carb is too far advanced, backfire out exhaust is retarded), then tweak until it starts easily.

Then I test ride including roll-ons to ensure I'm not too far advanced (detonation is not healthy for top ends) while making good power. I use a thick Sharpie line from backing plate to cover then scribe a reference line across that for a reference for the very small backing plate movements required.

A TDC indicator and a degree wheel are worth owning though so you can reliably repeat settings, but the ear method is fast, easy and works at the roadside. Each has its place.

KNOW what detonation sounds like when timing by ear but it's not gonna start well cold if timing is overly advanced.

The degree wheel kits I've seen like the S&S 53-0020 go on the engine sprocket shaft which makes them a giant asspain to install on an assembled Harley and they're not cheap. https://vtwin.parts/supplier/ss-cycl...el-kit-53-0020

I'd be much more inclined to buy a generic degree wheel like the car guys use then drill and tap the compensator nut for a socket head cap screw which could live there forever when not holding a degree wheel. Motion Pro wheels are a little over 20 bucks.

Remove compensator nut, carry to local machine shop with socket head cap screw, they drill and tap it in a lathe which takes very little time, then use cap screw and flat washer to attach degree wheel. Dial indicator mag base goes where ever it's convenient to bolt a hunk of steel flat bar. You can also find nut center by manual layout but a lathe is so fast and accurate I wouldn't bother.

14mm spark plug hole dial indicator setups are easy to find because the dirt bike guys use so many of them.

[JBinNC]

Flywheel has front cylinder TDC mark, and that is close enough for setting the degree wheel to mark the flywheel fortiming. No dial indicator necessary in this particular case.

Jim