Just picked up a timing light, is the dial supposed to read advance/retard timing?
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Just picked up a timing light, is the dial supposed to read advance/retard timing?
Hi guys,
I just got a timing light from my local NAPA. One thing though about the dial adjuster...it goes from 0 up to 60 and it says 'degrees advance". Do I nead one with a dial that reads advance/retard timing, or am I reading this thing wrong?
TIA
I just got a timing light from my local NAPA. One thing though about the dial adjuster...it goes from 0 up to 60 and it says 'degrees advance". Do I nead one with a dial that reads advance/retard timing, or am I reading this thing wrong?
TIA
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Re: Just picked up a timing light, is the dial supposed to read advance/retard timing? (manson)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by manson »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">where are the instructions?</TD></TR></TABLE>
in the box, I read them hooked it all up, but I couldn't get it to work. I jumped the service connector under the glovebox together. I hooked up the black to NEG and red to the alternator bracket, and the pickup clip to the #1 spark plug wire. The gun wouldn't flash or anything.
But back to my question, should I have gotten a timing light with advance/retard on the dial? or are they all made like this?
in the box, I read them hooked it all up, but I couldn't get it to work. I jumped the service connector under the glovebox together. I hooked up the black to NEG and red to the alternator bracket, and the pickup clip to the #1 spark plug wire. The gun wouldn't flash or anything.
But back to my question, should I have gotten a timing light with advance/retard on the dial? or are they all made like this?
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Re: Just picked up a timing light, is the dial supposed to read advance/retard timing? (BlueShadow)
Balck to neg, red to alternator bracket?
Doesn't sound right.
Ground X 2???
I think it should be black to neg OR alternator bracket
Red to pos on battery
pickup on #1
Read instructions. It might be that you set it to 16 which is the stock spec for the engine. Set dial to 16 or 18... I can't remember.
Doesn't sound right.
Ground X 2???
I think it should be black to neg OR alternator bracket
Red to pos on battery
pickup on #1
Read instructions. It might be that you set it to 16 which is the stock spec for the engine. Set dial to 16 or 18... I can't remember.
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Re: Just picked up a timing light, is the dial supposed to read advance/retard timing? (4drEF)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 4drEF »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Balck to neg, red to alternator bracket?
Doesn't sound right.
Ground X 2???
I think it should be black to neg OR alternator bracket
Red to pos on battery
pickup on #1
Read instructions. It might be that you set it to 16 which is the stock spec for the engine. Set dial to 16 or 18... I can't remember.</TD></TR></TABLE>
Yah, I took a closer look at teh instructions and it looks like it was contradicting itself. The text said black to NEG and red to ground for 'safety reasons'. But the picture showed black to NEG and red to POS, so I did that way and the timing light lit up. I'm no electronic expert but I was like, 'hows the timing gun supposd to get power if it's not hooked up to the positive like in the pic?
I started fiddling with the light, and I pointed it at the crankpulley. I couldn't make out any red or white lines, but that's probably because I'm partly color blind. Instead I used it on the camgears and I saw the dots on my Skunk2 cam gears. With the **** set to zero the dots were misaligned, but when I turned it to 20 the dots aligned perfectly to indicate TDC.
So somebody correct if I'm wrong, but would that mean 0 on the dial indicates 20 degrees BTDC at idle and 20 on the dial indicates 0 degrees or TDC?
Doesn't sound right.
Ground X 2???
I think it should be black to neg OR alternator bracket
Red to pos on battery
pickup on #1
Read instructions. It might be that you set it to 16 which is the stock spec for the engine. Set dial to 16 or 18... I can't remember.</TD></TR></TABLE>
Yah, I took a closer look at teh instructions and it looks like it was contradicting itself. The text said black to NEG and red to ground for 'safety reasons'. But the picture showed black to NEG and red to POS, so I did that way and the timing light lit up. I'm no electronic expert but I was like, 'hows the timing gun supposd to get power if it's not hooked up to the positive like in the pic?
I started fiddling with the light, and I pointed it at the crankpulley. I couldn't make out any red or white lines, but that's probably because I'm partly color blind. Instead I used it on the camgears and I saw the dots on my Skunk2 cam gears. With the **** set to zero the dots were misaligned, but when I turned it to 20 the dots aligned perfectly to indicate TDC.
So somebody correct if I'm wrong, but would that mean 0 on the dial indicates 20 degrees BTDC at idle and 20 on the dial indicates 0 degrees or TDC?
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Re: Just picked up a timing light, is the dial supposed to read advance/retard timing? (BlueShadow)
ALso from the looks of it I am out of spec by about 4 degrees. At 750 RPM for a B18C is 16 BDTC, and if I'm reading it correctly then I'm at 20 BTDC.
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Re: Just picked up a timing light, is the dial supposed to read advance/retard timing? (BlueShadow)
My guess is that you turn the dial until you can see the mark on the crank. Then you look at the dial and see what your timing is.
It sees that you are advanced a few degrees.
Are you sure it's 16 BDTC that you are shooting for?
I can't remember... might be 18 though.
Have you tried turing the distributor to retard it some?
Since you are having problems making out what line is what on the crank, try putting a drop of Liquid Paper error correction stuff on the middle line on the crank. That's the one for stock timing. You should be able to pick up on the dot under the timign light.
It sees that you are advanced a few degrees.
Are you sure it's 16 BDTC that you are shooting for?
I can't remember... might be 18 though.
Have you tried turing the distributor to retard it some?
Since you are having problems making out what line is what on the crank, try putting a drop of Liquid Paper error correction stuff on the middle line on the crank. That's the one for stock timing. You should be able to pick up on the dot under the timign light.
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Re: Just picked up a timing light, is the dial supposed to read advance/retard timing? (4drEF)
For now I just put the dizzy in the center, and it reads 20 BTDC, that's (if I am reading my gun right. The FSM says 16 degrees BTDC @ 750 RPM is the spec, +/- 2 degrees. Later on when I readjust my timing again I will try to get it closer to 14-16 degrees BTDC at idle. But first I need to know if I'm reading the gun correctly.
For the crankpulley you are talking about the white mark that indicates TDC right? I can't get into a good position to see the crankpulley mark. But my skunk2 cam gears are exposed so I'm using them instead. I'm just using a different TDC marking, in my case it's the cam gear.
Since the gun has no retard timing marks, I'm stuck with using 0 on up as reference marks. When the dial reads 20 and the cam gears are at TDC then it must mean that if I go back 20 degrees on the dial to zero then I go from TDC to 20 degrees BTDC.
For the crankpulley you are talking about the white mark that indicates TDC right? I can't get into a good position to see the crankpulley mark. But my skunk2 cam gears are exposed so I'm using them instead. I'm just using a different TDC marking, in my case it's the cam gear.
Since the gun has no retard timing marks, I'm stuck with using 0 on up as reference marks. When the dial reads 20 and the cam gears are at TDC then it must mean that if I go back 20 degrees on the dial to zero then I go from TDC to 20 degrees BTDC.
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Re: Just picked up a timing light, is the dial supposed to read advance/retard timing? (BlueShadow)
Ahhh... so when you set the gun to 20 you can see the TDC mark on the crank pulley?
I bet when you set the gun to 0 then you can see the timing marks on the crank pulley. There should be 3 marks that are seperate from the TDC mark. The mark in the center of those 3 is the stock timing mark. If you can get the timing to set to that mark you are good to go. Advanced and retarded marks are the other 2 marks found on either side of the mark in the center.
what are you using for targeting for the cam gear marks?
For the crank pulley you use the "gun sights". There is one sight on the lower cover and a "fork" on the upper. You look through the "fork" at the lower sight and then shoot the gun at the pulley. It will light up enough so you can see what mark your ignition is timed to. Without looking in the sights you won't ever get the timing right on.
I bet when you set the gun to 0 then you can see the timing marks on the crank pulley. There should be 3 marks that are seperate from the TDC mark. The mark in the center of those 3 is the stock timing mark. If you can get the timing to set to that mark you are good to go. Advanced and retarded marks are the other 2 marks found on either side of the mark in the center.
what are you using for targeting for the cam gear marks?
For the crank pulley you use the "gun sights". There is one sight on the lower cover and a "fork" on the upper. You look through the "fork" at the lower sight and then shoot the gun at the pulley. It will light up enough so you can see what mark your ignition is timed to. Without looking in the sights you won't ever get the timing right on.
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Re: Just picked up a timing light, is the dial supposed to read advance/retard timing? (4drEF)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 4drEF »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Ahhh... so when you set the gun to 20 you can see the TDC mark on the crank pulley?
I bet when you set the gun to 0 then you can see the timing marks on the crank pulley. There should be 3 marks that are seperate from the TDC mark. The mark in the center of those 3 is the stock timing mark. If you can get the timing to set to that mark you are good to go. Advanced and retarded marks are the other 2 marks found on either side of the mark in the center. </TD></TR></TABLE>
Nope, I didn't use the crankpulley at all. The mark on the crank pulley is on the side, where I cant see it. I would have to use some white out as you suggested and paint the top part like you said. But even then I dont think my near sighted, color blind *** will make any thing out, lol.
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 4drEF »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
what are you using for targeting for the cam gear marks?
</TD></TR></TABLE>
On the cam gears the Skunk 2 cam gears have the little dimples that you line up to tell you where TDC is. Those are the ones I'm lining up. I was thinking about setting my gun to 16, and as soon as the TDC markings on the cam gears line up indicating TDC, then I should be at 16 degrees BTDC.
Probably not the best way to set timing though uh?
EDIT: I'm gonna pick up some white out or correction fluid and paint that on my crankpulley. I'll re-check my timing using the same methods only I'll aim at the crankpulley. Hopefully I'll be able to make out the mark.
Modified by BlueShadow at 3:47 PM 8/30/2004
I bet when you set the gun to 0 then you can see the timing marks on the crank pulley. There should be 3 marks that are seperate from the TDC mark. The mark in the center of those 3 is the stock timing mark. If you can get the timing to set to that mark you are good to go. Advanced and retarded marks are the other 2 marks found on either side of the mark in the center. </TD></TR></TABLE>
Nope, I didn't use the crankpulley at all. The mark on the crank pulley is on the side, where I cant see it. I would have to use some white out as you suggested and paint the top part like you said. But even then I dont think my near sighted, color blind *** will make any thing out, lol.
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 4drEF »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
what are you using for targeting for the cam gear marks?
</TD></TR></TABLE>
On the cam gears the Skunk 2 cam gears have the little dimples that you line up to tell you where TDC is. Those are the ones I'm lining up. I was thinking about setting my gun to 16, and as soon as the TDC markings on the cam gears line up indicating TDC, then I should be at 16 degrees BTDC.
Probably not the best way to set timing though uh?
EDIT: I'm gonna pick up some white out or correction fluid and paint that on my crankpulley. I'll re-check my timing using the same methods only I'll aim at the crankpulley. Hopefully I'll be able to make out the mark.
Modified by BlueShadow at 3:47 PM 8/30/2004
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Re: Just picked up a timing light, is the dial supposed to read advance/retard timing? (BlueShadow)
ok, I just went back out to set the timing to 15 degrees BTDC, and I decided to give the cranpulley another look. After about a minute or so I saw what looks like nicks on the back part of the crankpulley. But then I saw that there were two other nicks and another one by itself. DING DING DING!!! I found the timing marks.
hehehe, anyways I looked at the timing marks on the crankpulley and they reacted pretty much the same way as the cam pulley did. When I set the timing gun to 15 degrees the mark on the pulley that is by itself aligned with the mark on the block. When I moved the **** to zero the 3 marks on the crank pulley that were close together moved next to the mark on the block.
So I set my timing to 15 degrees instead of 16, and this time I used the marks on the crank pulley as reference. **pats self on the back**
hehehe, anyways I looked at the timing marks on the crankpulley and they reacted pretty much the same way as the cam pulley did. When I set the timing gun to 15 degrees the mark on the pulley that is by itself aligned with the mark on the block. When I moved the **** to zero the 3 marks on the crank pulley that were close together moved next to the mark on the block.
So I set my timing to 15 degrees instead of 16, and this time I used the marks on the crank pulley as reference. **pats self on the back**
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Re: Just picked up a timing light, is the dial supposed to read advance/retard timing? (BlueShadow)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by BlueShadow »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote"> But even then I dont think my near sighted, color blind *** will make any thing out, lol.
Modified by BlueShadow at 3:47 PM 8/30/2004</TD></TR></TABLE>
You don't drive on the street around other people do you?
Nothing worse than a blind guy driving in traffic!!
Get some glasses!!
Modified by BlueShadow at 3:47 PM 8/30/2004</TD></TR></TABLE>
You don't drive on the street around other people do you?
Nothing worse than a blind guy driving in traffic!!
Get some glasses!!
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Re: Just picked up a timing light, is the dial supposed to read advance/retard timing? (4drEF)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 4drEF »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">You don't drive on the street around other people do you?
Nothing worse than a blind guy driving in traffic!!
Get some glasses!!</TD></TR></TABLE>
hehehe, I can see fine, just mild color blindness that's all. I can still tell which traffic lights are green, red and yellow.
Nothing worse than a blind guy driving in traffic!!
Get some glasses!!</TD></TR></TABLE>
hehehe, I can see fine, just mild color blindness that's all. I can still tell which traffic lights are green, red and yellow.
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