Problem setting timing in my car.
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 3,794
Likes: 430
From: Aarhus, Denmark
I have a dial back timing light, an MSD 6AL box, blaster coil, 8.5mm MSD spiral wound wires and MSD distributor.
I have to be sure the clamp on the #1 wire is near the spark plug and gripping the wire in the clamp opening just right or I don't get a spark.
MSD advises that because of the multiple spark over 20* of rotation, SOME dial back lights will not work properly and it will look like the timing is floating all over the place when it is actually the timing light. It will however still show a flash and the flash will sometimes look random. If you get no flash at all and the light works on other cars it must be your connection.
Try another spark plug wire to see if you get a flash.
The worst case scenerio would be to put degree tape on the harmonic balancer so you can set base, vacuum and mechanical timing accurately with a non dial back and non digital timing light.
I have to be sure the clamp on the #1 wire is near the spark plug and gripping the wire in the clamp opening just right or I don't get a spark.
MSD advises that because of the multiple spark over 20* of rotation, SOME dial back lights will not work properly and it will look like the timing is floating all over the place when it is actually the timing light. It will however still show a flash and the flash will sometimes look random. If you get no flash at all and the light works on other cars it must be your connection.
Try another spark plug wire to see if you get a flash.
The worst case scenerio would be to put degree tape on the harmonic balancer so you can set base, vacuum and mechanical timing accurately with a non dial back and non digital timing light.
Hi,
I just tried both, and nothing is working, I even took of the rubber of around the cable in the spark plug end (AV
) and still nothing.
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 3,794
Likes: 430
From: Aarhus, Denmark
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 1,232
Likes: 6
From: Tucson AZ
St. Jude Donor '12
This is starting to sound like an easter egg hunt.Hopefully you have another car...
- Establish a known good timing light by testing it on another car.
- Remove #1 plug wire from the vette and test it on the other car to establish a known good wire. Leave it there for now and:
- With the #1 wire working on the car where the timing light was verified, verify the timing light with the #1 plug wire.
Now you KNOW that:
- the light is good
- the wire is good
- the the light on the wire is good
- and you already know you have spark on the vette.
That ONLY leaves you with an issue with the MSD. If you can bypass the MSD and still get spark, that would be the next step. Maybe you need to put an old fashioned SSD coil in while setting the timing - easy enough.
Robb
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 104
Likes: 1
From: Warner Robins Georgia
I had the same issue with a craftman not working, i went to Autozone and got one of their digital timing lights and still had a problem. Then I hooked jumper cables to the battery and my timing light to it, worked like a champ.
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 3,794
Likes: 430
From: Aarhus, Denmark
Ok, take a deep breath This is starting to sound like an easter egg hunt.
Hopefully you have another car...
Now you KNOW that:
That ONLY leaves you with an issue with the MSD. If you can bypass the MSD and still get spark, that would be the next step. Maybe you need to put an old fashioned SSD coil in while setting the timing - easy enough.
Robb
This is starting to sound like an easter egg hunt.Hopefully you have another car...
- Establish a known good timing light by testing it on another car.
- Remove #1 plug wire from the vette and test it on the other car to establish a known good wire. Leave it there for now and:
- With the #1 wire working on the car where the timing light was verified, verify the timing light with the #1 plug wire.
Now you KNOW that:
- the light is good
- the wire is good
- the the light on the wire is good
- and you already know you have spark on the vette.
That ONLY leaves you with an issue with the MSD. If you can bypass the MSD and still get spark, that would be the next step. Maybe you need to put an old fashioned SSD coil in while setting the timing - easy enough.
Robb
The cables and triming light works, I know that because I had no problem with my "old" HEI when setting the timing.
I will try with a SSD coil also.
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 3,794
Likes: 430
From: Aarhus, Denmark
Today I found my +20 year old timing gun, it a $15 model. AND IT WORKED, so now I could set my timing to 20 degrees. :-)
And the Innova 5568 can stay in the box !!!!
So if anyone has the same problem, find an cheap old timing gun............
And the Innova 5568 can stay in the box !!!!
So if anyone has the same problem, find an cheap old timing gun............
Last edited by c3_dk; Sep 1, 2009 at 01:11 AM.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know
Joe Kucinski
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 3,794
Likes: 430
From: Aarhus, Denmark
