After reading many posts on this forum about the wonders of a adjustable timing light I finally decided to buy one today.

It took three hours to find a store that had one in stock for a decent price (Sears was out of stock, and the closest store that had it was 45 minutes away), but I finally found one at Autozone for $64.99.

My L-48 runs fairly well but the throttle response has always left a little to be desired and I didn't want to advance the timing over 12 degrees because that was the limit of the timing tab and the engine has always had a noticeable knock in it at about 2500 rpm's after warming up.

With the adjustable timing light I was immediately able to see that my total centrifigal advance was only getting to 30 degrees (initial timing was set at 10 degrees), so I felt pretty comfortable bumping the initial timing up to 16 degrees knowing that I still would not be going over 36 total.

Wow! that sure did make a nice difference in the idle quality and the throttle resonse. :D

It still knocks at about 2500 after warming up, but I have pretty much narrowed this down to a bad wrist pin on one of the 29 year old pistons that Bubba reinstalled in it when he "re-built" the engine.

I should have the money to pull the engine and rebuild it properly in a few more months, until then I will just continue to baby it.

 

Congrats!! I picked up one too but don't know how to work it. Do i rev the engine to 3000 rpm and then rotate dial on light until ?

 

I second that question. By the way, cool pics with the dogs and the plane and all. :cool:

 

I’ve got a new timing light ordered. It has an LCD readout that displays Tachometer and Advance functions. It should be here Tuesday. I have already purchased a recurve kit from Lars and can hardly wait to get started working on it.
Once I finally get the timing nailed down to where it needs to be, I can start working on getting the carburetor dialed in.
My G-Tech recorded a 4.90 second 0-60 yesterday afternoon. I hope to see a detectable improvement.


http://www.autotoolexpress.com/intimlig1.html

 

Decide what RPM you want full advance at.
Decide how much advance you want.
Hook up your timing light.
Disconnect and plug your vacuum advance.
Start the engine.
Rev the engine to your desired RPM for full advance.
Turn the dial on the timing light until the timing mark on the balancer lines up with the 0 point on the timing tab on the timing cover.
Read the dial on the timing light.
Adjust the dist. if needed.

 

I first used one not too long ago when I was in an automotive tech class. It makes setting the timing sooo much easier and accurate. Surprisingly, I haven't bought one yet. I'm still using the regular type.

 

It has got to be my next purchase. Let's see, what time does Autozone open? :lol:

 

FYI,
The one you have pictured above was in stock at both my local Pep Boys, and Orielly. Pep Boys wanted $99.99 for it, Orielly was getting $129.99.
:eek: :eek: :eek:

The one at Sears is $69.99, but none of the local stores had it in stock.
Every time I go into a Pep Boys or Orielly I amazed by their level of incompetence, so I refused to give them one penny more than Sears was charging for their timing light.
Those digital displays look like they might be cool to look at, but I don't think they are all that necessary. The one I bought has a simple **** that you turn to whatever degree of advance you want, very simple, works great, and it didn't cost me a c-note. :D

 

Thanks, I thought it would be cool to have a pic of all the wonderful things that take up my free time. That pic shows most of it, but I have room to get the house and the computer in the shot. :lol: :lol:

 

Ok Kevin, now you have forced me to justify my tool fetish. :lol:
Basically, I saved SOOO much money dying my carpet last week that I thought I would reward myself!!!:jester (I'm joking ya know)
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/zerothread?id=176175

Seriously though, I was going to purchase the Craftsman Inductive Timing Light for $69 + TAX = $76 (not counting 100 mile round trip to pick it up.) (on sale now for $59 but not last week when I was ordering) http://www.sears.com
All things considered, I felt like the extra $25 spent for the “tachometer” feature might come in handy when determining the centrifugal and vacuum advance while installing the timing recurve kit sold by Lars. Not that it matters for my needs, but the Equus timing light is also supposedly accurate to +/- 1 degree whereas the Craftsman is accurate to +/- 2 degrees. (and NO, I don't believe that Iwould ever be able to tell the difference in "accuracy" between the two of 'em)

Bottom line: If had known someone local that owned one, I would have just borrowed one! At least now I have one to loan out.
AND. . .MY TIMING LIGHT IS BIGGER THAN YOUR TIMING LIGHT!!!


P.S. That is a WAY COOL jet on the back of your WAY COOL Vette. I have dabbled lightly in R/C stuff for many years. The plane I currently own is a Sportster .40

edit = ((removed the long url for sears, it was messed up))


[Modified by MIKER, 12:59 PM 11/4/2001]

 

Don't feel bad. I bought one of those timing lights and they're great. I love the tachometer feature. they're very :cool:

 

:lol: :lol:
And a fine justification that is!! I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks this way!

No it's nooo :eek: , Ooh well maybee it is :cry :cry
Well my vette told me that it's not the size of the timing light, it's the accuracy of the aim anyway! :lol: :lol: :lol:

Thanks. Those Sportsters are great flying planes, I never owned one myself but I used to fly other peoples every time I got a chance.
BTW, where is Tolar Texas ?? I was going to ask you where you fly, but I realized that I don't even know what part of the state you are in . :D

 

Timing tape on my harmonic balancer, $5 and just as effective! :D

 

Yea, those adjustable timing lights are great. I have a Craftsman; I guess it's this $69 one you're talking about. This is one of those few things I got right, b/c I asked here on the forum b4 I purchased it. Usually I have the tendency of getting the cheapest stuff, and having to upgrade from time to time, so I end up spending a lot more $$$. :mad

-Pedro

 

ROTFLMAO!!! :lol:

Tolar is about 45 miles West of Fort Worth and about 91 miles from Carrollton.
I have never been a member of a R/C flying club. I was self-taught and usually just find a quiet country road that faces the breeze and just have at it!

 

Yeah, I got the same one MIKER!!! The tach feature is nice but I really liked the dwell feature.

 

You're lucky you could teach yourself one of those, I fly real planes and I just have never been able to get the "feel" for an R/C plane. It looks fun and fast though :)