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Just put a second hand 186 in my HK and I have had trouble setting up the timing .
First I found TDC (white dot on zero and checked with a screw driver that the piston was at the top) and put the dizzy in pointing at number 1 lead, tried to start and it coughed and spluttered, so I turned the dizzy a bit and tried it again and it ran enough for me to tune it by ear then checked with a timing light and the little white dot on the balancer was about 1/8th of a turn out, but this is were the engine runs the best .

Help! Trev .

Maybe the outer has turned on the inner Trev , pretty common with red motors.

Thats why I checked with the screw driver in the number 1 spark plug hole , Trev .

I never rely on the harmonic balancer on a used red anymore. I've found the best way to tune an old red is leave the dizzy bolt just tight enought to hold the dizzy. Go for a quick lap around the block with the boot in it, if it doesn't ping turn the dizzy to bring the revs up (can't remember which way ) a bit. Give it a foot full again if it pings back it back a touch and go again and Bob's your uncle! The quickie back yard racer tune up..... Or the I don't have a working timing light no more tune up

Pretty much what I've done, it just shits me that when it is all lined up it runs like crap , Trev .

Terry (FBMAD) rang me last night for a chin wag and gave me a few things to go on with, I'll try again when I get home from work , thanks mate, Trev.

Sorry Trev,
just found this - relax - no novel for you...... and no cigar for me......

What I did with mine once I found where the ignition was best set ....
was to scribe a line with a ruler and diamond-tip cutter from the centre of the balancer out to the circumference... no great trench, but a line which could be found with a timing light.......

This way, if ever the outer belt pulley moved on the central hub - it would "show up" by the lines not matching.

It also avoided the necessity of having to "find" the spot again - just re-scribe the pulley from the hub........ but, mine hasn't slipped yet.......

Again - sorry, Trev - better late than never....

frats,
Rosco

Good idea Rosco .

Had a play with it today and this is what I found.
First I changed the dizzy for one that I had with a 10 deg BTDC sticker on it, I believe it was for a hotted up motor, which I thought would suit this one it has a Yella Terra head and a bit of a cam (not sure about the cam numbers?).
Ran heaps better with this one, got my timing light onto it and found it didn't work on number 1 lead so I checked it on number 2 lead and it flashed, checked the rest and it flashed on 3 and 4 leads but not on 5 and 6, got it going on number 1 but still no go on 5 and 6, so, I'm thinking there is something afoot at the circle K , Trev .

I'm not up to speed (excuse pun) with hot motors Trev - I have never owned or maintained one so can't give you any input.

I am expecting your timing light to be a "battery" type... that is, it has three leads?.... one each for battery pos and neg and another to connect to the plug.

I have found that some spark plug leads do not lend themselves readily to connecting timing lights to - this may be the issue with not getting a "flash" from your light........

You state that the motor is running much better - and I would take this as meaning that all cylinders are firing - even though you can't get a flash on three of them from the timing light.......?

An old trick we used to employ with timing lights (especially those terrible neon ones) to get a sound "pulse" - was to fit a spring over the plug and into the plug lead - this need be long enough so that the alligator clip of the timing light input could also fit on the spring whilst it was in place......

Failing this - I would suspect you have carbon leads and the "message" is just not getting conveyed through them.......

Let me know if you need more....

frats,
Rosco

I have just replaced leads, rotor button, plugs and dizzy cap, so it will get it's maiden trip to work tomorrow , Trev .

And.......?

frats,
Rosco