Roadrocket 1955 ( not super) has sooty exhausts

[Slymo]

Sounding more and more like spark. Modern fuel will fog plugs but leave them just working. Might also be worth running a clean cloth around the slip ring incase there is a conductive carbon line causing grief. Take the points out first otherwise it will surprise you!

[muskrat]

G'day Barry.
Attach + & - leads to a 12v battery (doesn't have to be the bike battery) and the pickup lead to the sparkplug lead.
Drop the primary cover off and put a timing disc under the cush nut. Rig up a pointer off one of the screw holes. Find TDC using a dial gauge down the plug hole and mark the disc. Mark the disc at 25, 30 & 35 degrees BTDC. A high comp SR on 98 octane should spark at about 32 degrees BTDC.
You can also swap the pickup to the other lead and check that the timing is the same both sides.
It all sounds harder than it actually is.
Cheers

[barry2]

Hi Mates
Checked the spark, jumping 5mm,  I though I'd  check the brushes , to my surprise the bottom bush holder never had a brush on it, it was under the slip-ring ( manage to get it out w/-  tweezers and a mirror ), it had never been on ( years ?) , no wear marks, it is very hard to get the bottom brush holder on  as mine has a oil filter on the r/h side , my first attempt failed , wouldn't  run on that cylinder, next time put a new holder / brush on that I had in stock, goes well well now,
                         thanks  for all the replies and help ,
Barry

this all started with sooty exhaust , well they are still sooty, I'm leaving it for now