Timing light shows 30 deg off? Speedway Electronic Distributor

[Kube]

Originally Posted by willysspeed

Right, as in passenger side, or right as in driver side?

There are ONLY a right side and a left side. It has ZERO to do with the location of the steering wheel.

Here's a lesson: Sitting IN the car, looking out through the front windshield, determines right from left. It doesn't matter which seat you are in.

[Kube]

Originally Posted by marko39

passenger side

That depends on which side the steering wheel is located.
See my previous post to avoid any future confusion.

[Planojc]

I have used a borescope camera to check TDC and looking for stuck valves. They are available on Amazon for around $24.00, and are a great tool. They just plug into your phone.

[KiWinUS]

Originally Posted by Planojc

I have used a borescope camera to check TDC and looking for stuck valves. They are available on Amazon for around $24.00, and are a great tool. They just plug into your phone.

Not sure how you use a borescope to find TDC. You cannot accurately determine TDC visually. Only “positive stop” or degree wheel and dial indicator.
Could you please enlighten us. Thanks.

[69a]

Originally Posted by willysspeed

Right, as in passenger side, or right as in driver side?

What side is the steering wheel?
If your steering wheel is on the left, #1 will be on the passenger side.

[tubman]

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As "Kube" says, "Right" or "Left" is international. Using "Driver's" and "Passenger's" is ambiguous because of Henry's foreign endeavors.

[flatjack9]

I had that happen a while ago. My timing light that I had been using would not work on an engine with an electronic distributor. Borrowed a friends light and it worked perfectly. I have both a Sunpro and a Snap On that work well.

[The Art Doctor]

I have used a balloon attached to a hollowed out spark plug, a chunk of rubber hose will work too if it fits the plug hole. just turn over by hand until it starts expanding and then go slowly a little farther until it stops getting bigger. Not 100% accurate but lets you know when you are on the right track

[willysspeed]

Originally Posted by flatjack9

I had that happen a while ago. My timing light that I had been using would not work on an engine with an electronic distributor. Borrowed a friends light and it worked perfectly. I have both a Sunpro and a Snap On that work well.

That's interesting to hear. I was wondering if the electronic ignition was doing something odd to the light like what happened with you. I forgot I have an older light, I should have tried it out earlier to verify.

[flatjack9]

My friend is a mechanic for Wisconsin Lift Truck and he's the one that told me about it.

[Fritz]

I don’t remember the brand, but I used a tool truck brand adjustable digital timing light on my crab distributor with 6v Pertronix module. You want to set it at 24 degrees at full advance.

[Flathead Fever]

I take a 5/16" stainless bolt and cut the head off of it. Then I grind it to a point and mount it in the timing cover to use as a timing pointer. Then if you ever do have the head off of it bring it up to TDC of the compression stroke on #1 using a dial indicator on the piston, mark the pulley where it lines up with the pointer with chalk. Then rotate it back around the opposite direction until mark #1 lines up again on the compression stroke and mark it. There will be a slight difference between two marks. Actual TDC #1 will be right in the middle of the two marks. File a little groove in the pulley. I do this on flathead engines with crab distributors; I've never tried it on an earlier style distributer. Then you can take the diameter of the pulley and divide it by 360 to find out how much one degree on the pulley is. Then I mark the pulley at 3,6,9, 12 and 24 for total advance, then you can time it just like any engine. If you have an "adjustable timing" light it will be able to tell what your timing is based off of just TDC mark. If you buy a timing light, make sure it is an "adjustable one".

[Bored&Stroked]

Also, if all you have is a 12Volt timing light and a 6Volt car, then just put a battery next to your car and use it to power the timing light, it should still fire off of the spark plug current going to the plug wire.

It should make no difference what type of distributor you have as the inductive pickup is working off of the energy created by the coil (has nothing to do with what caused the coil to fire).

I run about 24 - 26 degrees total advance - all in by about 2000 rpm. Having the correct total amount of advance makes a huge difference in performance and heating/cooling of the engine.

[flatjack9]

Sorry, but it does matter what type of distributor.

[Bored&Stroked]

Originally Posted by flatjack9

Sorry, but it does matter what type of distributor.

Then explain - in the context of the distributors that came on any year Ford Flathead.

If we start talking about CD ignitions, MSDs, Mags, etc - then some (mostly older) timing lights have inductive pickups that only work on certain types of secondary signals.

Truth be told, that seemed to be a long time ago - every modern timing light I've purchased works on every type of ignition I've used it on (all of the above).

[flatjack9]

I should have said ignition system. The light I had was a relatively new unit with an inductive pickup. If I remember right the distributor was a Mallory electronic crab style.