Timing marks for 1996 FE 350

Hi Folks

I am putting together a basket case Fe350
I believe I have the timing correct but I want to be certian. I cannot find timing marks on the cam sprocket and can only find 2 small dots on the Rotor. When I set the engine at top dead centre one of the small dots line up with a small notch in a bolt hole located at the approx 11 o'clock position of the cases.
I have read the info Taffy posted and everything I read says the cam bolts are to be at the 12 and 6 o'clock position ( where the lobes are down) This does not work on my cam, the lobes are down when the bolts are in the 3 and 9 o'clock position.
I did see a small cast line on the flywheel but it is not lining up with the small notch in the bolt hole.
Can anyone clarify the correct timing for this machine. Thanks. I have enjoyed reading and finding parts through this website. Now I need to get this rig up and running. Thanks again JIM

Thanks Joe

I will look. I know I am at top dead centre as I have a straw down the plug hole and it is at top dead centre. One small dot on the rotor lines up with the little notch in the bolt hole.
When I have the lobes down on the cam , the mount on the cam ( for the sprocket) the flat side is down horizontal with the top of the head. This places the bolt holes at 3 and 9 o'clock. When I go for 12 and 6 o'clock the lobes are out 90 degrees from down. I have a 99 book but it says the bolts are to be a 12 and 6. Maybe I have another make of cam?
I will go out to the shop and have another go at it.
Thanks for the info. I will look it up tonight. Have to go bale hay now. JIM

Ji Joe

I downloaded the files but cannot open them. Something acrobat reader does not like.
I have not seen a cam with the same backing plate as the one in my bike.
I contacted Bob at Barrett marketing and he says the serial number of my motor is 1992. Apparentley them made a bunch of 350's and they did not sell them all until 1998 hence the 1992 number.
Her are a couple of photos I took showing my cam and the back plate as well as the timing marks on the rotor.
I have a flat side to my backing plate and it is located on the same side as the lobes in this case down. This does not allow for a bolt pattern to match the photos in the manuals.

I am sorry the photo's did not upload not certian what I did wrong.
I there somewhere I can email them to you so you can look at what I am talking about. Thanks JIM

Hi Joe
I am going to try to upload a photo for you to see. I cannot get a look at the downloads of the manuals. Acrobat says unable to open.
I guess I will have to send one picture at a time. Well here goes. JIM

Hi Joe

I did it. Photo's are in.
I also updated adobe and have looked at the pages you suggested. My cam is not of the same breed. There is no auto decompression on my cam. Is there a chance the cam is not stock?
I have turned the motor over and it turns through OK no valve contact.
Let me know what you think. thanks JIM

Hi Joe

I appreciate you trying to help me with my bike. I did send a note off to Dale and got am outo reply we was on the road with the race circuit.
I have dealt with him in the past and it has been a while getting all the parts collected so a few more days is not a big issue.
I have turned the motor through and there is no valve interference. I am only afraid to put it together and have to open it up again because something is out a bit. Therefore I will continute to wait for someone who has worked on this age of motor to reply. I was told there was only 6 of this machine imported that year. Seems everyone liked the 501 more.
I do have one screwup. The book mentions dowles between the head and cylnder. This motor had non. I have Honda Yamaha and Suzuki Dowls on hand and non will fit. I wonder if maybe there was non in this motor when new. I know it was rebuilt once by local shop and it was never as good as it was new. Maybe a few things were not put back as they should have been. The owner sold it to me with a bent set of rockers and wadley worn rockers shafts. I converted it to Kibblewhite valves( from Dale Lineaweave) special valves. They have been shortened to allow the 12mm rocker shafts and elephant foot adjusters. I have Ohlins on the rear and the front is WP with ceramic parts to reduce friction when they heat up with hard use. I did get it running for a couple of weeks but did not want to blow it up so I dismantled it to fix up what ails it.
Like a dummy I forgot to spend time checking for timing marks. Now it is time to get it together and I end up looking like the dummy.
Well thanks to everyone for the assistance you have shown me. Husaberg owners are the best. JIM