Lost Compression after top end rebuild???

[jdtractor2020]

How to set timing on a 1981 xl125s???

Ok heres the deal i did a top end rebuild on my 1981 honda xl125 s, before it was smoking and when it was cold it wouldnt even crank, you would have to let the sun heat the bike up then go kick it for like 30 mins, so i decide its a good idea to do a top end on it, well i staggered my rings 9degrees from each other, i have the letters pointing up, and the black ring is in the middle, the cylinder wasnt wore out hardly none, it had a slight little groove in it, the bike only has 6,000 actual miles on it. I beleive my timings off i was wondering, if someone knew how to time this bike, i timed it by pointing the t to the top straight up, and the cam dot facing straight down towards the t on the crank pulley or "fly wheel" but its not right its blowing air out the carb. :|

 

[whenfoxforks-ruled]

I would be guessing the dot is supposed to be straight up?

 

[jdtractor2020]

no straight up it losses compression.

 

[txkawboy]

the quickest thing would be to do a search for this on thumpertalk.com, but on honda cars the chain also has a dot that lines up with the one on the cam...as u may have guessed, your valves are not timed/completely closing, but other than that i am unfamiliar with your redwing...all my 4-s are ktm, so i have it a bit simpler and dont want to steer u wrong.

 

[whenfoxforks-ruled]

Sure sounds like it is 180 degrees off.

 

[stumanarama]

its worth a shot to just flip it around, and go from there, it may be a tweaked intake valve or valve guide, on my friends 65 trail 90 push rod motor, the valve (and push rod)were bent, before we pulled the top end, we were kicking it and actually shot a flame through the carb and lit the thing on fire, so check your valves, and double check your cam