Timing 1965 XLH

[cajun1957a]

Ive posted many times on here and have always got sound advice.  Given that I have experienced many issues being new to these old skoots, Ive learned much.  Pistons, valves and gears I understand.  Electrics have always given me trouble.  My 65 has been running not all that bad with the exception of a few rattles here and there and it seems to have lots of power, but I have never been able to set the timing exact.  I've spent money on a fancy timeing light and cant see the marks, so I do it by ear. 

The flywheel has a single and dual line mark on it.  The manual tells me that the single is for the front cylinder and is the advance mark.  I have in the past tried to set the timing statically by showing the single line on the flywheel in the sight hole and turning the distributor untill the spark plug fires while grounded to the block.  The motor always starts this way, but I have never been sure if its proper.  Is it advanced when this happens or retarded.  Seem to me that the mark is 45 deg BTDC.  Is this correct?  How close am i to propper timin?.  Im using a Mallory Electronic distributor that has built in advance.

randy

[Pynzo]

The single mark is your advanced mark. Try this: line the mark up in hole, and reach through hole with Qtip soaked in degreaser, clean oil off mark. Paint mark line with white paint or nail polish, let it dry. Start bike and with help from friend, rotate circuit breaker(mallory) until mark is visible in correct position in timing hole at 2000 rpm. Clear timing plugs suck, you'll have to deal with oil spray while timing with light. Check with light again after tightening down the c.b., shut bike off and restart.