Check Timing - How to?
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 221
Likes: 0
From: Farifax Station VA
Check Timing - How to?
Can anyone give me the basics for checking/setting the timing on my '77? I have read several posts, but they explain bow to build an iginition system, I just want to set the timing and move on to other projects.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 3,428
Likes: 5
From: Japan
Check the timing by connecting the positive(red) lead of a timing light to the positive side of your battery, negative to negative, and the 'trigger' lead around the #1 spark plug wire. Disconnect and cap off your vacuum advance hose, start the engine, point the light at the timing tab on the left front corner of your engine (make sure the wires from the timing light don't get tangled up in your fan!!) and pull the trigger. The light will come on every time the #1 plug fires producing a strobe effect that will allow you to read your timing indication at idle. Opening the throttle while doing this will allow you to read total advance (if you have a means of indicating degrees on your balancer-the timing tab runs out at about ten degrees). Reconnecting the vacuum advance hose will allow you to read vacuum advance as well.
