K11 Owners Group

Grunter · Posted: Fri Feb 01, 2019 2:24 pm Post subject: Ignition Timing

Has anyone ever made a LED timing device to use with one of the 4 cyl or 3 cyl BMW K series bikes. It cannot be that difficult but having virtually no electronic skills as to what is needed.

Any ideas please? (Preferably with a diagram.)
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1997 K1100LT
1994 R1100RS

N41EF · Posted: Fri Feb 01, 2019 5:03 pm Post subject:

Not sure what you are trying to accomplish, but any inductive timing light will flash when hooked to power and clipped un the plug wire.

Harbor Freight has them, I have one on a shelf in the garage along with a dwell meter. I haven't used either since the 90's.
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2014 R1200RT Water Cooled
2001 R1100S Light
1993 K1100LT. Nissan Ice Blue.(Gone)

Grunter · Posted: Fri Feb 01, 2019 6:38 pm Post subject: Timing light

I have an inductive timing light but you should know that they do not work on a K series bike. Yes they flash, but there are no timing marks to gauge if the timing is correct or adjust them against if the timing is wrong.

The Hall Sensor housing has a rough setting so they can be removed or replaced accuratly enough to at least get the bike running again, but nothing to enable the exact position it should be fixed.

Even pre-marking the housing with punched dots or a marker pen is simply not accurate enough. It is known that manufacturing tollerances were lax enough so that the timing had to be re-set. Yes it will run but fuel consumption and performance will suffer. Static ignition timing is used with the crank set at precisely 6 degrees BTDC and the electronic advance took care of the rest.

BMW had their own device. I believe it was made using something similar to an LED (although a primitive one). Most BMW dealers in UK do not have them anymore with the specialised tools being withdrawn as models become obselete (in their eyes).
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1997 K1100LT
1994 R1100RS