Dumb question... timing mark

[young enthusiest]

Hey guys, my 1650 has been giving my problems lately. first, it wouldnt tune very well. it ran really bad. I had to change the mixture every day so it would run, sound, and smell ok. I put on the pointless ignition system, and had to re-tune it again. de-carboned the head, and had to retune it again. both of those things helped, and I had it running really well one day. then all of a sudden, while I was throwing snow, It just died. I looked, and I was almost out of fuel. filled it up, but it backfires and dies, but if you pull the choke out halfway, it runs ok. I'm thinking I may have been chaseing a timing problem, and the bad tuning was just a symptom. now, the question, what does the timing mark look like on these things, and how do I know when the points should be closed, and when they should be at .20 open? I have the pointsaver ignition system, so I can use the LED to help determine open/closed. any help with timing this thing will be appreciated. thanks

[Matt G.]

If you have to pull the choke halfway, you've got a carb or fuel delivery issue, most likely, especially since you say you have to keep changing the mixture all the time to get it to run right. Have you thoroughly cleaned the carb and fuel tank? Do you have a fuel filter installed, can fuel flow freely through it?

The timing marks are an "S" and a "T" stamped into the flywheel. The points should be just beginning to break as the "S" mark enters the sight window on the shroud. 0.020" point gap rarely corresponds to the correct timing.

[young enthusiest]

Matt, I haven't cleaned the tank or the carb, but the carb I will rebuild tommorow. (all new gaskets, needle, and seat) I do have a fuel filter, but without a cleaned tank.... Maybe fuel can't get through it well. I'll check that tommorow too. Thank you for explaining the timing mark, now what does it look like on a kt17?? I can't find anything on the flywheel... Thank you

[Matt G.]

I can't remember for sure because it's been awhile since I've had a KT that wasn't blown up but I think the mark is on the side of the flywheel near the ring gear, similar to the location in a K-series. There's a sight hole in one side of the flywheel shroud, and there's a roll pin that's sticking out of a hole in one jug, and you line up the timing marks with that. See the service manual for details.

[young enthusiest]

Ok, so thats what that roll pin is for. makes sense! I looked for about a half hour on my k341.... and I couldnt see anything. I'm looking forward of the ring gear, is this the correct spot? a picture of the timing mark would be helpful. thank you

http://public.fotki.com/blazbk/john-...ing.html#media

See pics 90 and 91.

Scott