Sparks key-Turning Flywheel to the Left???

[Yellow2004ex400]

I am in the process of installing the Sparks Racing Ignition Advance Key (It is mostly a easy install for anyone to do if they have basic mechanic skills) on my 2004 Honda 400ex (Just waiting on gaskets. I ordered them from Corona Motorsports in Corona, CA and have been waiting for a week, not to mention they originally screwed up my order. They don't have the best service in the world), but anyway, I've read threads on this site that say you have to turn the flywheel all the way to the left and make sure the red part of the key is facing away from the engine (It also says that on the directions I downloaded from this site). I put the Sparks key in facing away from the engine, and I put it in evenly like the directions say from Curtis Sparks, but I don't understand the whole turning the flywheel to the left thing. I re-installed the flywheel, but I just installed it the same way I took it out, making sure to line up the flywheel keyhole with the Sparks key. I also already installed the flywheel bolt and torqued it down to 94 ft./lbs. per the Honda service manual, but I haven't installed the gaskets and installed the left crank cover. I am wondering what is meant by turning the flywheel all the way to the left? Wouldn't spinning the flywheel all the way to the left mean that I am turning the whole engine over, since it is attached to the crank? I just want to make sure so that if I installed the flywheel wrong I can go back and fix it before I install the gaskets and install the left crank cover.

[tri5ron]

You are only turning the flywheel to the left a VERY LITTLE bit.
we are talking approx. .040 to the left from original position.
This is so that the flywheel is touching the back side of the Sparks key, (where the little notch is).
That is all.
dont think that it is very much,... it's not.

In other words, there is now going to be a small gap between the forward side of the Sparks key, and the inside forward surface of your flywheel.

[hornetgod13]

You've done it correctly. Once you get the gasket, put it back together and ride.

[hondaking52]

ya as tri5ron said, once you put the flywheel back on you turn it to the left untill it stops, and its very little spin, then hold it there and tightin the bolt up and make sure it stays to the left

[bearair]

That whole "spinning to the left" instruction was a bit confusing to me, and I work on engines for a living. The key I received fit snugly in the flywheel as it was offset for the whole width of the key. There was no room to turn it and preload it against one side of the key. I'm sure you'll be fine.

[Gatekeeper]

Originally posted by bearair
That whole "spinning to the left" instruction was a bit confusing to me, and I work on engines for a living. The key I received fit snugly in the flywheel as it was offset for the whole width of the key. There was no room to turn it and preload it against one side of the key. I'm sure you'll be fine.
WTF My key I just got from sparks is a straight key with the corner machined off- NOT offset for the full bearing width of the keyway. With my key I see why you would have to preload to one side, but would this be weaker than a full width offset? Why are there apparently different keys being sent out?

[sprayedgt]

I wouldn't think that the key would be bearing much load at all. The flywheel bolt is what fastens the flywheel to the crank and the key is only there to initiate the timing event. If the key does bear a load I would think it was because the flywheel wasn't torqued properly and had some free play.

[Yellow2004ex400]

I just got done the other day finishing my install of the Sparks Racing Ignition Advance Key on my 2004 Honda 400ex. Damn!!! It gives a much snappier throttle response all throughout the powerband, but where I noticed the biggest power increase was was in the mid to high range. My quad was already modified powerwise before I installed this key, with a complete Yoshimura RS3 stainless steel exhaust and header, K & N Powerlid, Rev Max rev box, and Hotcams Stage 2 cam, but when I put on this key, it felt even faster. Before installing the key, I rode the quad around with all of these power modifications, minus the key, for about a year at places like Glamis and Pismo Beach, CA, and it was able to do wheelies somewhat easy, with me having to pull the quad back quite a bit to get the front wheels off the ground. After I installed the key, the quad is able to do wheelies effortlessly now. All I have to do is punch the throttle and the quad wants to do wheelies all day!!! I can't wait to see what it will do on a steep hill, like China Wall in Glamis, CA, next fall.

Another thing I did notice about this Sparks Racing Ignition Advance Key is that I was able to hit the rev limiter much quicker. I have to shift much faster than before.

One more thing, most directions I found on this site to install this key, and from Sparks Racing themselves, say it is much easier to use an impact wrench to take off and put on the bolt that holds on the flywheel. Well, in my case, it was much easier to use a 2' long breaker bar and crescent wrench. I tried using an impact wrench originally, but all that was happening was that I turned the whole engine over a couple times. The impact wrench did not shock loose the bolt. After trying that, I locked the crescent wrench into the slot on the flywheel behind the bolt and wedged it in against my nerf bars to keep it from spinning. I then took the breaker bar and turned it to the left to take off the bolt and turned it to the right to tighten the bolt. I then used a torque wrench to tighten the bolt to 94 ft./lbs. For me, an impact wrench was not needed.

Also, thanks to tri5ron for clearing up my confusion about turning the flywheel to the left. Originally, I must have turned the whole engine over to the left about 10 times, thinking that the flywheel would stop turning eventually. After a while, I started thinking, "This can't be right." The flywheel just kept turning and turning. I should have known earlier that you only move the flywheel to the left about 0.04". Why didn't Sparks say that in their instructions? It would have saved me a lot of trouble.

[tri5ron]

Your welcome.
And i belive that ALOT of this confusion could be eliminated if Sparks would tell us that they are, in fact, sending out 2 different styles of keys.
I recieved one of the straight keys with the single notch. I would have much preferred the "offset" type key.

so are you giving a vote for "sticky" to my "How To" write up???

[Gatekeeper]

Originally posted by tri5ron
would have much preferred the "offset" type key.

so are you giving a vote for "sticky" to my "How To" write up???
Yeah would have rather got the offset key as well. half tempted to get out a mic and file my existing key, then ship back sparks' key:rolleyes:
anyway just got my gasket overnighted from motosport, gonna give installation a shot.

Vote for sticky x2