Re: 83' 125 Force - how do you set timing?
Hi mylesrmt, according to the 85 manual there should be timing marks on the Force flywheels. The 85 manual says that older engines may have only two markings, one at TDC and one at 32 degrees BTDC, the right most mark is TDC. The manual notes that to set the timing at 30 or 28 degrees you must scribe new timing marks at a point 5/32 of an inch right of the 32 degree mark for 30 degrees BTDC and another 5/32 of an inch right of that for the 28 degree BTDC mark. If you find several scratches and or marks and can't be sure which are the timing marks this may help. remove the spark plugs, insert a rod straight in the number 1 cylinder and slowly rotate the engine by hand to avoid breaking the rod, at some point the rod stops moving out and stays there as you continue to rotate, this point is very close to TDC, see which flywheel mark lines up with the timing mark on the block. The timing marks are separated by 5/16 inch apart for each 4 degrees, since you are looking for the TDC and 32 degree marks the distance bewteeen them will be 32 divided by 4=8, or 8 times 5/16", this is 40/16 or 2.5 inches. Hope this isn't too much information and that it actually helps.

Ken