This is the first step of the engine-internal guide to installing the Rae San Hall Effect kit on a Honda CX500 with stock CDI ignition. Looking for an overview of the kit? Check out the overview page here or check out the overview of the entire process. You will be working at the back of the engine, underneath the pulser cover:

It may be possible to do this with the engine in-frame if your overflow coolant bottle has been relocated and you are good at working in tiny spaces but it’s probably not advisable for a first time install.
Remove the cover – don’t forget the bolt at the bottom. Then remove the advance pulsers. Once done there, you should be looking at this:

Underneath you can see the stock CDI advance pulser timing rotor, attached to the end of the crankshaft:

Using a 10mm socket remove the single bolt in the end:


The rotor should now be able to be removed:


If the rotor is stuck a gentle tap with a mallet should free it – they sometimes stick against the crank nose.
Now you should be looking at the bolt on the end of the crankshaft which secures the flywheel:

Now, open up the inspection cover port and rotate the engine by hand (not sure how? read up on that procedure here) until you get to the “FL” mark. No right-hand pickup to use the timing mark on? Head on over to the timing template tool webpage.

Now move to part two.