ok, I got the key fixed.
Put it back together and it still runs the same.
The flywheel key slot was a little worn on the back side towards the engine.
The key fit fine in the crank, but there was a small amount of side/side play when I put the flywheel on.. But I figured since it was a tapered shaft it wouldn't move once installed. No play in it.
I also checked the gap on the coil pickup and it was about the size of a business card.
The flywheel is rusted or muddy looking on the outside, could that cause the issue?
I also thought that I could have moved the timing when installing the flywheel the first time.
I used a prybar against the gear teeth and the inner housing. I thought maybe it might had shifted the stator plate. But the plate didn't show any movement around the bolt area..
I'm stumped.

I also pulled the cam cover and the exhaust rocker arms are moving about the same as the intake. tried to take some pictures of the Cam, but couldn't get it focused.

I did test turning off the fuel and it seemed to run a little better for a while..
Would too much fuel in the carb cause this?
I also pulled the black wire on the hub safety box. and tried running with the override.
still ran the same.

I'm stumped.. last time I change multiple things at once..

 

Make sure the magnetic strip on the flywheel that you measure the pick up coil distance from is clean and free of rust. The rest of the outside can remain dirty..Plus in your original post you said you replaced the stator. Did you replace the pick up coil with it? If not ohm the white and white/red pick up coil wires. Should be around 97 ohms. If all this check out,you've pulled the black wire from the limiter also,then could be fuel related. You can still hook a timing light up and see if the light is continuous or flashes in time with any engine miss indicating it's still an electrical problem. Again I wouldn't rule out a cam lobe unless you actually measured the lobes. 1.2766 minimum cam lobe height.

 

I'll polish the flywheel strip up.. and I replaced the stator and pickup together, came all in one kit from caltric.
OK, never timed an ATV. actually haven't done this in a long time even on a car
I guess Im really not timing it.. just checking the firing.
will it be on steady or blinking steady with rpm and then blink at different rates when it misses. I'll search to see if I can find a write up on it.
I'll pull the rockers tomorrow and look at the cam.
just doesn't make since right now.. that it was running fine, just had a bad idle issues. replaced the stator and did the carb rebuild and now its back to this.
I did do some wiring clean up, new key switch and LED lights. New radiator temp switch and a manual override for the fan. But nothing that I would think would cause this. And I think my neutral/rev switch is bad. I checked the voltage going through them and didn't get anything. Just haven't had time to dig into the switch. busy with this.
could that be part of the issue? I'll check the wiring again tomorrow. just don't think its that, since it sputters in Rev.. and then takes off after about 30 feet.

 

If you've disabled the reverse limiter then the gear position switch hopefully shouldn't be a factor.The timing light as rpm increases should have a steady light. If with more throttle there is an engine miss and the light is still steady,then it shouldn't be an electrical problem,but if the light pulsates or "keeps in step" with an engine miss ,then this can indicate an electrical break down.Again it could be just carb related as you mentioned and also that you replaced the ramp buttons and belt so that should rule out a clutch problem.You just have to eliminate one thing at a time.

 

quick question on flywheel timing mark.
I rotate the engine over and line up the 2 dots on the cam sprocket to close to parallel with the valve cover. The locator pin is close inline with the cam and crank center line.
Then I don't have a stator cover with a cut mark in it.. Mine appears to have a square cut out on the right hand side of the cover. And my T mark kinda lines up with that.. so if looking onto the hole straight on.. the line is on the right side of the hole.
But move my head to back of machine and the T lines up with the square cut out..
Is this correct.. The pictures on the net and my copy of the manual are crappy..
without measuring everything.. there is a few degrees where I could be off..
Do I need to measure, or just eye balling this is ok.. and I seem to be in spec?

thanks

 

The two "dots" are only used when doing an initial cam timing with the flywheel and stator off. The bottom crank sprocket mark lines up on the case mark,you place the one plated link on the bottom sprocket mark,then you line the other two plated links on the two dots on the cam sprocket. Once the engine turn over the plated links wont line up again. You can remove the recoil cover,paint the tdc mark so you can see it more clearly, then when the recoil case pointer and tdc mark are lined up,the cam sprocket alignment pin should be dead center of the head.

 

I just did a double check and rotated the flywheel another half turn.
I can get everything to line up properly.. but my alignment pin/dots etc.. are backwards I thought.
From everything I've seen this is backwards.
and if I rotate to the dots etc.. on the top side.. the T mark is slightly on the right of the timing hole.

Here are pics of the alignment right now.

 

When I set my valve lash, I used the dots being lined up the other way. like in your picture shown.
and if I rotate the flywheel to have the dots on the out side the T mark will line up on the right side of the hole and not the center like in this pic.

I'm just checking the timing to make sure it was correct prior to putting the cover back on.

 

here are pics of the cam alignment the correct way. the T mark doesn't line up..
I'm I off a tooth..? could this be the sputter issue..?

 

First off forget about the two dots!!! If the cam alignment pin is at tdc of the head,the tdc mark on the flywheel is to the right of the case pointer then looks like timing is off one tooth.. You either have to remove the cam chain tensioner,then remove the cam sprocket(while the crank is at tdc without moving it!)and align(wiggle) the chain and sprocket and cam to where the index mark is at tdc and replace the sprocket bolts and tensioner. Only other way is do it from scratch.. Remove the flywheel and stator and use the plated link method for initial cam timing. This method is normally used when rebuilding an engine..and that's where the "dots" come into play..