please help! 1965 circuit breaker

[mojo-jojo]

i just bought a 1965 pan, it was running, didnt ride it, been sitting for years, pulled cap off to change points, then thought i should check the automatic advance while i was there. to my surprise no weights! seems like a pre 65 distributor. it has an exterior manual advance. im not happy with the seller! . it should be the automatic advance with weights. what do i do now? it ran for 3 miles and didnt seem to take the gas. did it again . same result. cleaning carb, fuel, changing points, plugs,. where in the world would i find a 1965 circuit breaker with automatic advance. ? please help. want to ride this sucker to the smokeout. but dont look good. HELP! thanks

[RUBONE]

A pre '65 circuit breaker, while not correct for the year, will work fine on a '65. You just need to be sure and time it correctly and advance it after starting. Due to the electric start the retard position is a must on the '65 for starting to prevent starter drive damage. But an early timer is exactly the same as far as engine performance and is not the cause of your problem.
'65 Timers are thin on the ground due to use over a short period and some inherent weaknesses, later types are more plentiful, however '65 type due show up from time to time on eBay and other locations.

[Panhead Ed]

i just bought a 1965 pan, it was running, didnt ride it, been sitting for years, pulled cap off to change points, then thought i should check the automatic advance while i was there. to my surprise no weights! seems like a pre 65 distributor. it has an exterior manual advance. im not happy with the seller! . it should be the automatic advance with weights. what do i do now? it ran for 3 miles and didnt seem to take the gas. did it again . same result. cleaning carb, fuel, changing points, plugs,. where in the world would i find a 1965 circuit breaker with automatic advance. ? please help. want to ride this sucker to the smokeout. but dont look good. HELP! thanks

Oh its the old gotta ride to "Butch's Party"... never fails ,, take a hit n slow down..

did what again ?

when was it last running normally ?

does it idle and not rev up ?

does it pop or bang ?

I see your cleaning the system , thats good , I see points but no mention of condenser ?

[mojo-jojo]

thanks guys, i never had it running normally, i just bought it. trying to fix the obvious problems, i would rather use the breaker thats made for it. how would the performance be the same if the manual advance doesnt advance. ? seems to me the auto would advance and retard as needed which would be better. im changing points and condensor as well. while looking for a factory circuit breaker im going to use a replica from drag specialties. it has points, and auto advance , and looks like oem, dont think i want to retard and advance my bike manually everytime i ride. i ride a lot. but also dont want any electronics that isnt factory looking. getting the carb tomorrow and the new breaker wed. going to put it all in and see what happens. thanks a bunch guys. im just like a kid on christmas, i know im impatient, this bike looks so cool i just want to ride it, . if anyone knows of a factory 1965 circuit breaker, im a buyer. i know i need to chill . its hard when your me. thanks for putting up with a newbie! ill post some pics real soon, she's beautiful !

[mojo-jojo]

also i really want to find an original solo seat, i have a buddy seat (oem) on it now. thanks

[58flh]

MOJO JOJO---Use the timer that's on it!--(USE the K-BASE!)--or you can pick-up a aftermarket auto adv. timer for $80 used!--Probably will work better then an OEM auto from that year anyway!---I would simply use whats on there & RIDE the BIKE!--You adv. & ret. by hand or ADV. & RET. like a its suppose to be with a left-grip & Cable !---(K-BASE!!!!!!)--Respectfully---RICHIE

[Panhead Ed]

MOJO, theres not a dam thing wrong with the manual advance ,, and twisting your wrist aint no hassle you can do it with your right hand why not your left? looks to me like you think throwing $$$$ at a simple issue is the way to fix it , its yours to do so .
Go back and read what is being said about the after market junk your thinking of useing . New doesnt make it better , alot of us are twisting our wrist every day its no hassle at all I dont even notice Im doing it .

Hurry up and half ass throw it together if your lucky it will make it to the party , then you can bad mouth it and tell everyone what a pain in the ass it is.......
The other choice is slow down and do it right the first time . The bike is only a reflection of you , it cant make its own choices. You might just as well ride the Ultra , youll have a better time at the party, the computer will do all the thinking and twisting for you .... if it doesnt burn out.... wow then what.... that would be a different forum

[58flh]

MOJO JOJO----Panhead ED is correct!---I purchased some DRAG-SPECIALTIES KICKER PARTS last winter!--& olny used the Bushings -I Fixed my oem GEARS & all is good!---The problem with the DS-KIT was ALL the GEARS were SOFT!--The Pawl upon the kicker-gear BENT while I hand cranked the motor while mocking it all up!----LOOK for OEM////THE DS-TIMER when you get it, make sure the drive gear don't drop into the gearcase!--(This is the trouble with MOST aftermarket crap!---Respectfully---Richie

[1951 adam]

The only time you need to retard timing is on start So no it's not too much to deal with. Solo seats are still available thru your Harley dealer. Good luck
Adam

[1951 adam]

MOJO JOJO----Panhead ED is correct!---I purchased some DRAG-SPECIALTIES KICKER PARTS last winter!--& olny used the Bushings -I Fixed my oem GEARS & all is good!---The problem with the DS-KIT was ALL the GEARS were SOFT!--The Pawl upon the kicker-gear BENT while I hand cranked the motor while mocking it all up!----LOOK for OEM////THE DS-TIMER when you get it, make sure the drive gear don't drop into the gearcase!--(This is the trouble with MOST aftermarket crap!---Respectfully---Richie

Richie, the guy that runs the aftermarket shop would disagree , that stuff they sell is SO MUCH better then OE parts....at least that's the story they tell people , and themselves . I love pulling up to a shop like that , and them telling me how my stock parts suck and marvels of "Aftermarket High tech" how much better my bike would run with an "auto advance" . What else would they say, they have to sell their crap.
Adam

[Bosheff]

I've never seen an aftermarket auto advance unit that was worth a damn. It's like the bushings in the housing are not in the same plane as the shaft. The shaft always seems to drag and grind instead of spinning freely. A 65 won't have the spiral in the left handlebar, so all ya gotta do is use a spring to hold it in the fully advanced position, then release the spring and manually retard the thing to start it. OR, don't retard it and replace starter drives on a regular basis. If ridin' is yer number 1 priority, then git over the originality thing and ride the damn thing into the ground. After all, that is what it was designed, engineered, and manufactured for....bosheff

[58flh]

ADAM!----YES how true!-----Richie

[1951 adam]

Bosheff, I'm not so sure he's concerned with originality, at least not from his other post. Mojo post some pictures of the bike so we can see what you got going on.
Adam

[socalrider]

my original auto advance was a pain in the ass until i finally found a source for the right springs. now it works good. also had to learn to compensate for the base distortion when tightening down the nuts. once you got that down ,they work great.
arnulfo

[mojo-jojo]

ok. seems to be unanimous. keep the oem parts. ok heres pics. how do i retard and advance the circuit breaker? by sliding the little knob forwards and backwards? also found out it had solid lifters. isnt that a bad thing? seems it would be hard on parts.