SEFIxCivic

i'd like to gain some insight on people's idea of how to use an adjustable timing light. i've heard from numerous people two different and completely opposite methods, and obviously only one way is correct with the incorrect way possibly causing engine damage. i'd like to really find out and settle this once and for all.

the way i do it, pretty much goes against common sense.

On a stock car.....

when the gun is set to 0, i adjust the distributor until the light lines up with the red mark. then i set the gun to 16 and if I adjusted the distributor correctly the light will line up with the white mark indicating tdc.

now, everyone who's reading this, who does it the opposite way... is probably thinking, "wtf is this guy doing... that's totally wrong and makes no sense."

that's what I used to think too. common sense would tell you that the gun when set to 0 should be at the white mark tdc, and when the gun is set to 16 it should be at the red mark.

while writing this, i come to see where the confusion comes from. the degree setting on the gun isn't referenced from tdc, it is referenced to when the plug is actually firing.

what really made up my mind was when I compared the two methods with a non adjustable timing light. when I did it the first way it matched dead on to 16 degrees. when i did it the second way the timing came out advanced beyond 16 degrees.

If you think I'm wrong, i'd like to hear why. help me understand what's going on.

When you starting dealing with standalones this becomes an even greater problem.



Modified by SEFI8LOxCivic at 11:15 AM 8/19/2003

DSF

You're right. Assuming 16 degrees BTDC is your base timing, that is where the red mark will be. The white mark being TDC obviously. You have to remember when you advance the timing light 16 degrees, you are going to be 16 degrees closer to TDC. So in your case, right at TDC (i.e. the white mark).

boostaholic

That is the way i've always set and verified my base timing. Read the ignition timing from the ecu in the laptop, set the timing light to that reading, and if everything's in sync it should flash when the white mark lines up with the tdc mark on the timing cover. The timing light adjusts for advance so it makes perfect sense. If you gun the timing with a non-adjustable light, at 16 degrees BTDC it should read on the red mark. But take an adjustable light and set it to 16 degress advance, and even thought the motor is firing at the same time, the light factors in the 16 degreess advance so it the light will flash at 0 degrees TDC or the white mark.

ultimatehonda

Where are the red and white marks? Im a bit confuesed. I read in the manual its on the crank pully but how can you look down there with out taking all that apart? Please shine some timming light on my confusion

Prod

just peer down in the engine bay on the pulley side, you will be able to see it no problem with the light flashing on it...theres also a small 'pointer' that protrudes off the side of the block to help you line it up.

SEFIxCivic

the marks are on the crank pulley. point your timing gun at the pulley and you'll be able to see it. even if you have ac and ps there should enough space to point down there.

VTC_CiViC

Maybe i'm nuts, but when I set my timing, I didn't see any red marks, only the white TDC mark..