How To Service The Mechanical Ignition Advance Mechanism On Your Vintage Honda Motorcycle

Рет қаралды 43,077

3 жыл бұрын

As common as carburetor issues can be on the vintage Honda CB175, CB200, CB350, CB360, CB450, CB550 and CB750 series of bikes can be, there is often another lesser known, potential culprit.. the mechanical ignition advance mechanism! This part, regardless of bike modes, is never mentioned in any service manual, and is often neglected. Yet it is a critical part of your ignition system, and must be working perfectly for your bike to have a smooth running engine. In this video we will show you how they work, and what the best practices are to keep yours in tip-top shape. Since service information about the mechanical spark advance mechanism is basically non-existent, many units have never been serviced since leaving the factory. As a result, they are often found stuck open, closed, or are just difficult to move with the original factory grease still in them. Be sure to watch through to the end of this video to make sure you are installing yours correctly.
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Пікірлер: 61

@traditional85 3 жыл бұрын

The background music makes me want to ride my 1976 CB200 brat very slowly and carefully to the Elephant Room in Austin and have a whiskey highball while listening to smooth jazz.

@virgilproductions Жыл бұрын

This video needs to be more popular. A forum told me about this and I was dumbfounded that my bike had this…thanks again!

@connorkehoe3870 3 жыл бұрын

You could not have released this video at a more perfect time! Actually yesterday would have been better as it could have save me 3 hours, but I'll take it. Hugely helpful.

@davesharratt 2 жыл бұрын

Hi from across the pond ! 'Ive recently subscribed to your channel as i'm rebuilding a 77 cd 175 which has many similar components and i find your videos the most informative and very easy to understand, i cannot say how much i rely on your videos but they have been invaluable in rebuilding and getting it running for the first time in 30+ years which has only covered 1700 miles and luckily was stored indoors since 1981.. Many thanks Dave

@dade071 3 жыл бұрын

I am so glad to see you all back up and running after the storms.

@richardcasey7521 Ай бұрын

Great video and terrific background music.

@michaelvachon1334 3 жыл бұрын

Nice, straight-forward instruction. Reminds me I need to go check all of mine - 5 different Hondas with this assembly!

@sierrawhiskey5155 Жыл бұрын

great content. I've spent hours looking for an competent how-to on these ignition systems, you're a diamond amongst a sea of amateur hacks Thanks

@timpattemore318 3 жыл бұрын

Brilliant - clear, logical and no waffle.Thank you

@kennorway9690 3 жыл бұрын

I've been looking for this exact video! thank you so much once again, big fan of your spare parts as well!

@mtsudrland 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you for addressing this! Keep up the great job!

@jeffreyweld1449 Жыл бұрын

Just solved a weeks-long mystery - just about to throw in the towel. Clymer no help on this. Much appreciation!

@VictorPaulDiaz 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for these videos!

@keltecshooter 2 жыл бұрын

Very good video , can't stress enough to match mark , take pictures , whatever you need to help when disassembling anything especially if it's unfamiliar to you

@calebsutton1961 3 жыл бұрын

Damn Brendan is getting fit

@deimosreign3662 3 жыл бұрын

I had to order a new/refurbished one for a cb550 project I was working on. Got the new one in and it was assembled backwards.

@danmcneil7181 3 жыл бұрын

Valuable info . Many thanks. 👍🇨🇦

@davidrosen5137 3 жыл бұрын

Great tutorial! Any idea what size those e-clips are? I have one I need to replace.

@KelikakuCoutin Жыл бұрын

Brings back memories of my old Honda 305, taking apart the advance and cleaning it. You missed a trick, though. Next time, try starting the engine, and shoot your timing light at the advance without the cover on it, while revving the engine! We need video. Thanks for the content. Keep up the good work. בס'ד

@davecummings3335 11 ай бұрын

Thanks for the video! I just started working on an '83 XR200R and wondered why the heck they put the trigger coil on the camshaft instead of the flywheel and now I know. I suppose only firing on the compression stroke saves on plugs too.

@bigairdude5238 Ай бұрын

Great video. Simple question. How do the points operate without a cam lobe on the shaft to open and close them. Can you explain?

@yeboscrebo4451 3 жыл бұрын

Fantastic video!

@LarryReynolds591 Жыл бұрын

Hey great vid! Would it be similar to do this job on my 1971 SL 125? Would it be accurate to say that as long as I follow your directions on putting it back together I shouldn't have to worry about timing?

@davidburroughs6416 2 жыл бұрын

Awesome video! Thank you

@marksmith5208 8 ай бұрын

Thank you for your great videos. On the cb175, can you have the advance unit 180 degrees out?

@KamieNJim 3 жыл бұрын

This is the shizzle. Recommendations... (1) start with a list of tools & products needed before each video, (2) torque settings on the bolt, (3) where to buy springs (4) maybe reference how this works with your new Shockwave product.

@davidford4491 3 жыл бұрын

Fantastic video

@mg-lz3kk 2 жыл бұрын

Invaluable...thanks so much!

@pauljo9441 3 жыл бұрын

Great tips🤠

@millarfarewell5343 2 жыл бұрын

A good video on maintaining an important part of the ignition system. I would suggest that grease be applied SPARINGLY to the advance unit. Why? When the engine is hot some of this grease will be vaporized and will be floating around in the points area. It will get between the points and will get burned causing the points to get black and loose some of their conductivity. Using a high temp grease will minimize this.

@CoastGhost13 Жыл бұрын

On my CL175 one of the little plastic bits that sits on the arms and makes contact with the shaft came off. Any recommendations on an adhesive to put it back? Thinking of JB Weld Plastic Bonder. Hopefully this isn't a "throw it out and buy a new one situation".

@toddl6139 3 жыл бұрын

I just pulled unit out of my 72 CB350k3 and it is stamped with 286, not the 312 that the video states is in the CB350. However, it does look similar to the 312 in design.

@Fezzler61 3 жыл бұрын

Are those springs so unique that new ones are not available?

@ezemartino4569 3 жыл бұрын

Could you confirm if the advance TEC 292 corresponds to a honda cb 450 1974 engine? Thank you

@davidrosen5137 3 жыл бұрын

Torque for the bolt that holds the mechanism in place?

@thatkidintheranger9014 3 жыл бұрын

Could bad springs in the mechanical ignition advanced cause the bike not to start, i pull for hrs and it wont start and when it does it wont idle, one guy said if the springs are worn or broke your 3 wheeler wont wanna start you’ll pull forever and it will snatch back at u somtimes,( mine does the same thing that he said) should i just replace the springs and see??, if i buy that part im gunna be by then putting more money in parts then i did buying the 3 wheeler itself(i already cleaned the carb it still is doing the same thing

@kimber1911 3 ай бұрын

I am assuming this can be an issue with the "307" spark advancer for the CB175? My original unit does not have identifying marks on it anywhere and looks to be symmetrical. However, I recall removing the cam lobe and reinstalling it and now having a suspicious issue with my bike not running well.

@blackieable 8 ай бұрын

I have a 1982 kz550 ltd C2 and mine advance mechanism was stuck and when I took it apart the lil magnets fell off the arms ?? Do you know where I can get a new one ??

@mikemchaney23 2 ай бұрын

I recently did an engine swap on a 350, had fuel, spark, compression, timing and valve adjustments but no start. Not even starter fluid would pop, just backfire once in a while which made me think something is fundamentally wrong with the timing, like 180 out of phase. Which got me here and sure enough - my hash was on the wrong hemisphere! It was working on the old motor this way... Which leads me to ask - how was it possible for the old motor to run, while the timing mechanism was in backwards? Did the old engine have the cam shaft installed funny??

@aaronshugart881 11 ай бұрын

Where can i find just the springs? I can't find a whole advance for an xl185 for sale anywhere online. Mine has a broken spring

@user-rv9rn4sf6m 9 ай бұрын

can i use just normal multipurpose grease on this?

@carlosdelgado1684 5 ай бұрын

Can you do a cb 650

@rubenotero7100 11 ай бұрын

My bike suddenly started firing funny past 5k rpm, and I'm now almost certain it's some piece of debris snagged in one of the spring mechanisms

@joshagadoni1488 3 жыл бұрын

I just opened up my cb360 and found that the ignition advance is a 312, which it sounds like is supposed to be from a 350. Is the 312 usable in my 360, or am I going to need to source a 369?

@Common-motor 3 жыл бұрын

the 360 used a few different styles. You should be good.

@mikeziviello8789 3 жыл бұрын

what are the symptoms of a sticky ignition advancer? how will the weights sticking out (not returning to no advance position) affect the idle? thanks mike

@davidrosen5137 3 жыл бұрын

The bike will be slow to return to idle after revving the engine.

@trapperjohn3400 Жыл бұрын

On my bike it caused spark knock under load at lower rpms

@user-bk9oy6ct5q 2 ай бұрын

Someone please help me help someone else lol. 1978 xr75. Owner sheared woodruff key somehow. They replaced it and it sheared on them during first kick. Came to me and I successfully put a woodruff key in it but I discovered a problem. The points break open 180° EARLY. Meaning as I rotate the flywheel CCW the F mark is at a 7 o'clock position relative to crank shaft end when it should be at about the 2 o'clock position and align with the < shaped pointer mark. How would this happen and how can I correct it so the points break open at the right time? The breaker point is currently set dead center in its adjustment slot. The max gap is correct it's just the points break open 180° EARLY so it won't run. Only puff unburnt charge out of the intake. I verified cam/crank timing and valves clearance is spot on. Someone please help!

@speedphreax 3 жыл бұрын

... And put some grease between the cam and the advancer so it does not get stuck to the cam

@Garage2Trail 3 жыл бұрын

Just picked up a 74 XL350...having problems with mid range/partial throttle and the engine running rough. If I go WOT it eventually revs and pulls normal in the upper revs. The bike starts 1-2 kicks stone cold with choke, starts super easy once warm, new plug, my spark advance mechanism moves freely, carb jets are cleaned....any ideas? Thanks

@gregzupon4012 3 жыл бұрын

Are replacement springs available I had disassembled mine to service it and broke a spring.

@lanceackerman4419 3 жыл бұрын

I too, would like to know about replacement springs.

@adamkurth6839 3 жыл бұрын

@@lanceackerman4419 I three, would like to know.

@jordogo 3 жыл бұрын

I've been hunting for springs for months, asking all different shops and retailers. Nobody makes just the springs. And good luck finding a whole NOS advancer assembly. So I took a bunch of advice from some guys on sohc forums, and attempted to trim a half coil off each spring and then rebend them back into a somewhat original shape. Now they're too tight and the advance curve is all screwed up. So I just bought a reproduction assembly from 4into1. A lot of people think it will be garbage, but a couple mechanics were like, "dude you have no other choice". Will be installing it soon. 4into1.com/spark-advancer-assembly-30220-323-154-honda-cb500k-550/ Gotta be honest, it's pretty absurd that this is completely ignored in the shop manual, and nobody has thought to offer just some replacement springs for the last 40-50 years of these bikes' existence. Frustrating.

@roheetp 3 жыл бұрын

@@jordogo let us know how the 4into1 replacement works for you...would be good to know if its worth purchasing. thanks...

@01thomasss 3 жыл бұрын

Worn springs can be replaced with new ones.

@jayshaw63 3 жыл бұрын

The 369 ignition advance is for the CL360 engine. The CB360 uses the 312 ignition advance. I've mistakenly used the 369 on my CB360 engine. Don't make my mistake. ;-)

@manuroelants1215 3 жыл бұрын

Did thé engine run rough or not at all ? I am asking because i have the 369 advancer, and my engine block is build up from some cb360 and cl360 parts.

@jayshaw63 3 жыл бұрын

The 312 advancer on my CB360 was damaged, so I replaced it with a used 369 advancer, not realizing there was a difference. The CB still ran when using mechanical points. I'm not sure how much of a difference it made. However I did have problems trying to set the timing, but maybe that was just me. I became so frustrated that I ordered an electronic ignition system from Charlie's Place. It then became impossible to set the timing. Charlie's Place provides a magnetic cam and switches to replace the original lobe cam on the advancer and the mechanical points. The magnetic advancer cam that Charlie's Place provides for the 312 is different from the magnetic advancer cam provided for the 369. I didn't realize this and ordered the wrong item, based upon the type of bike, CB, rather than the type of advancer, 369. I got it sorted out with help from Charlie. I went back and replaced the 369 with a NOS 312. The bike starts instantaneously now. I am no expert. The part number for the CB cam shaft and the CL cam shaft is the same, so I do not understand why the advancers are different. This would be a good question for the guys at Common Motor Collective.