Power Source for Timing Light
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 10,896
Likes: 2
From: CO
Power Source for Timing Light
Can I hook up a light to the alternator? The lines on the light are super short and won't reach the battery or the starter so I figure I could use the alternator. Any problems doing this? Except to keep the wires clear of the belt 
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 11,322
Likes: 1
From: Living in the Hartland
Works for me. 
EDIT: ERRR I meant it worked for me until I switched to a serp belt set up, the alt boot rides right against the valve cover so I cannot get it off without moving the alt, I used a battery charger to power the timing light when I set the timing.
EDIT: ERRR I meant it worked for me until I switched to a serp belt set up, the alt boot rides right against the valve cover so I cannot get it off without moving the alt, I used a battery charger to power the timing light when I set the timing.
Last edited by Fevre; Sep 26, 2005 at 02:42 PM.
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 32,519
Likes: 1
From: central America
St. Jude Donor '08-'09
Alternator power source works! That's what Lars did on the TFB in Chicago on my car.
Watch out for hooking onto that first plug wire, I melted one of my buddy's nice leads on his Snap-On timing lite. We noticed it right away, so it didn't actually destroy the lead, just put a nice burn mark in it.
trw
Watch out for hooking onto that first plug wire, I melted one of my buddy's nice leads on his Snap-On timing lite. We noticed it right away, so it didn't actually destroy the lead, just put a nice burn mark in it.
trw
Racer
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 255
Likes: 0
From: Mason MI 82-93-04CE
I got one of those sealed rechargeable battery thingies with jumper cables and cig plug, etc. for a gift. Never thought I'd use it. Use it all the time for my garden tractor and other vehicles when the batteries go dead from sitting around.
I just hook my timing light to that instead of messing with the alternator or trying to get behind the seat with extensions. Any old 12 volt battery dragged over to the car works great! Everyone has one somewhere
I just hook my timing light to that instead of messing with the alternator or trying to get behind the seat with extensions. Any old 12 volt battery dragged over to the car works great! Everyone has one somewhere
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Drifting
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 1,634
Likes: 4
From: Northern NJ
St. Jude Donor '04 & '05
Originally Posted by 72 stingray owner
Alternator power source works! That's what Lars did on the TFB in Chicago on my car.
Watch out for hooking onto that first plug wire, I melted one of my buddy's nice leads on his Snap-On timing lite. We noticed it right away, so it didn't actually destroy the lead, just put a nice burn mark in it.
trw
Watch out for hooking onto that first plug wire, I melted one of my buddy's nice leads on his Snap-On timing lite. We noticed it right away, so it didn't actually destroy the lead, just put a nice burn mark in it.
trw
Live and learn.
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 1,806
Likes: 3
From: Burlington WI
Originally Posted by ACECO
Yep alternator works fine. And to keep from burning the wires/clamp on the headers, just pickup the number one wire near the distributor end vs at the plug end. Same thing. Never thought of this until I saw Lars do it at this past weekends NJ TFB.
Live and learn.
Live and learn.
Didn't think of that one..
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 763
Likes: 0
From: Loveland Colo
I made a small guage jumper cable set from a 15' extension cord and some large alligator clips. Then I used a couple short pieces of 1/4" copper tube mounted vertically on a 8" piece of 2X4 with deck screws. Lay the 2X4 on the wiper tray or windshield, hook up my cable to it from the battery and I've got a redneck power center.
Works fine.
Works fine.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 26,545
Likes: 46
From: Huntersville NC
Originally Posted by ACECO
Yep alternator works fine. And to keep from burning the wires/clamp on the headers, just pickup the number one wire near the distributor end vs at the plug end. Same thing. Never thought of this until I saw Lars do it at this past weekends NJ TFB.
Live and learn.
Live and learn.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 1,126
Likes: 0
From: Hudson Falls, N.Y. 76 Vette Modified L-48
I use the jumper cables trick, also...works fine...and clamp at the distributer for #1...no fuss, no muss...no building extension cable..just a cheap pair of jumper cables (my ex-wife's set...she stole the good ones)
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 1,532
Likes: 4
From: Fairview Heights Illinois, near Saint Louis MO, STL C3 Shark
Originally Posted by ACECO
Yep alternator works fine. And to keep from burning the wires/clamp on the headers, just pickup the number one wire near the distributor end vs at the plug end. Same thing. Never thought of this until I saw Lars do it at this past weekends NJ TFB.
Live and learn.
Live and learn.
That's what I do too.
