Need to buy a Timing light

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    Author Topic: Need to buy a Timing light  (Read 3812 times)

    Offline lemming303

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    Need to buy a Timing light
    « on: October 22, 2009 - 11:36:28 PM »
    I need to buy a timing light and I've read threads about some not working. What is a good brand? I don't need the top-of-the-line or anything, but I do want one that will be accurate. What brand should I buy? Thanks for the help yall.
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    Kevin

    73 Challenger Rallye - first project


    Offline Chryco Psycho

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    Re: Need to buy a Timing light
    « Reply #1 on: October 23, 2009 - 04:50:28 AM »
    I never use one
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    Offline 71chally416

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    Re: Need to buy a Timing light
    « Reply #2 on: October 23, 2009 - 05:53:55 AM »
    Sears makes a good one  :2thumbs:
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    Offline 72hemi

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    Re: Need to buy a Timing light
    « Reply #3 on: October 23, 2009 - 07:53:58 AM »
    Neil do you time by ear then?
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    Offline Chryco Psycho

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    Re: Need to buy a Timing light
    « Reply #4 on: October 23, 2009 - 01:36:07 PM »
    Yes I always time by ear
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    Offline lemming303

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    Re: Need to buy a Timing light
    « Reply #5 on: October 23, 2009 - 03:50:23 PM »
    CP you must be a ninja! I don't know hardly anything about working on motors yet so I have to use a light.  :) Thanks for the help, I was thinking about getting the Craftsman one but wasn't sure if it was a good one or not.
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    Kevin

    73 Challenger Rallye - first project

    Offline 500Stroker

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    Re: Need to buy a Timing light
    « Reply #6 on: October 23, 2009 - 04:32:45 PM »
    Quote from: Chryco Psycho on October 23, 2009 - 01:36:07 PM
    Yes I always time by ear

    So does a friend of mine with a Polara.  You can hear the pinging before he gets close.  LOL
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    Offline dodge freak 2

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    Re: Need to buy a Timing light
    « Reply #7 on: October 23, 2009 - 05:32:45 PM »
    Quote from: Chryco Psycho on October 23, 2009 - 04:50:28 AM
    I never use one

    Yeah you can time by ear--is the best but I found my msd timing light is useful to double check the timing after I set it.

    I keep giving the motor more advance until it stops speeding up or running smooth and then back it off a bit...a timing light I like to see were I am at. 
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    Offline MEK-Dangerfield

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    Re: Need to buy a Timing light
    « Reply #8 on: October 23, 2009 - 07:30:20 PM »
    You can time by ear for sure, but you need to back off a few degrees after you reach the limit of it's happy spot. I tried to stay at the limit of it's happy spot, and was pinging at 30MPH.   :lol:  That's where I see a timing light being of help. You back off 4-5* from the max happy spot, then you should be in good shape.


      Mike
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    Mike

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    Offline moparmaniac59

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    Re: Need to buy a Timing light
    « Reply #9 on: October 23, 2009 - 08:06:20 PM »
    I just bought one. Ill have to look and see what brand it is. I bought it from Summit for around $35 bucks (non-adjustable, inductive timing light) and it works fine. No bells and whistles. I just needed to check total advance and set it and forget it!!



                                                   Matt B.
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    Offline thedodgeboys

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    Re: Need to buy a Timing light
    « Reply #10 on: October 23, 2009 - 08:19:43 PM »
    I like one with an adjustable knob for the light to dial it back to zero I think it’s a little more accurate unless you have degrees on your crank dampener.   :2cents:
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    Offline 6packCuda

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    Re: Need to buy a Timing light
    « Reply #11 on: October 23, 2009 - 08:20:35 PM »
    Quote from: 500Stroker on October 23, 2009 - 04:32:45 PM
    So does a friend of mine with a Polara.  You can hear the pinging before he gets close.  LOL

     :smilielol: :smilielol:
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    Dave

    Offline lemming303

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    Re: Need to buy a Timing light
    « Reply #12 on: October 23, 2009 - 09:52:20 PM »
    OK, after reading all the other posts, I realize that I know even less about timing then I thought. The only thing I know is that you hook it to cylinder 1, and your supposed to line the marks up on the balancer with the light. I don't quite understand the "sweet spot" or advance. Can someone please explain this? I don't have anyone here that does this type stuff to actually show me. Thanks.
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    Kevin

    73 Challenger Rallye - first project

    Offline the_engineers

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    Re: Need to buy a Timing light
    « Reply #13 on: October 23, 2009 - 10:03:35 PM »
    As you twist the distributor to advance it, the engine will pick up speed, then start to ping.  When it starts to ping, go back the other way a little.

    Hook everything back up (vac advance), go for a spin and check for part-throttle pinging.  If it pings, you can either back off the initial or re-curve the distributor to limit how quickly the total timing advances.
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    Brooks

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    Offline lemming303

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    Re: Need to buy a Timing light
    « Reply #14 on: October 23, 2009 - 10:08:30 PM »
    So where does backfiring fall into that? Is that too little timing? I think I need to find a website all about this so I can read it. It's confusing.
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    Kevin

    73 Challenger Rallye - first project
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