bmg123

I just bought this timing light for $30 to check the timing in my stock 88 crx si. It's the inductive type. I have never used a timing light before, so i have some questions.

As per the instructions that came with the timing light, I hooked up the red clip to the battery positive terminal and the black clip to an engine ground. Then I attached the inductive pickup clamp to the #1 spark plug wire. I put a paperclip in the service connector to jump it, and started the engine after warming it up first. Now I am trying to use the timing light. I don't really know where to aim. Is the timing light supposed to see through the plastic in the timing belt cover? is there some hole in the timing belt cover that I am supposed to look for?

Actually, when I press the button, I never saw a light. I am not sure if the timing light is defective or if I am not hooking it up right.

I have searched a lot on here, and i saw a lot of people posted to connect the red clip to the positive terminal and the black clip to the negative battery terminal. Is this really what I should do if the instructions for the timing light say otherwise?

Also, the instructions for the timing light says "At distributor, disconnect and plug vacuum line". The service manual says nothing about this, and neither do any of the how-tos that I searched. I am not sure what vacuum line they are even talking about. Could this be the problem?

Thanks

fortymcpants

You're doing everything right. You have to aim the light at the crank pulley. there is a notch in the pulley that marks top dead center. there is a mark on your timing cover shaped like a gun sight, this is your reference. When the timing light blinks it will reveal the notch at the right moment. in this time if the marks are not aligned, you should align the two marks. to do this loosen the three bolts on your distributor and rotate the distributor. you should see the crank notch move. when you have aligned the marks tighten the dist. and your done.

As far as the light goes, when you pull the trigger the light should blink when the no. 1 cylinder fires. so the motor must be running at the time you do this.

For the connection of the timing light the black clip can be connected to a good source of ground, this can be on the car or the battery. if you connect it somewhere on the car and it is not a good ground the light wont work.

Dont worry about the "disconnect and plug vacuum line" that is for cars that have a vacuum advance, ours are advanced electronically by the ecu according to the sensors input.

Hope this helps!

bmg123

Thanks, that was very helpful. I think I just didn't have a good ground. I connected the black clip to the alternator bracket and now the timing light works.