Timing light woes......

[Kerrmudgeon]

I bought a timing light at our version of Harbor Freight and it worked for all of 60 seconds and burnt out. I had to wrap tin foil around the silicone wires at the cap to get a read, then POOF!.....gone. So off to the store to get another of the chinese junk (69$) ones and see it it works a little longer. :mad:
Can someone explain how the dial back thing works. My old reliable one I had for 30 years didn't have that gizmo. :bigears:

[StaticCling]

A dial back light essentially delays the strobe. So if you are setting total for example, lets say at 34 or 36 degrees, dial the light to that number and rev the car to 3500 rpm. The mark on the balancer should read at zero. Basically it in a nutshell.


I have an Innova digital dial back that's great, and an old Matco non dial back.

[mrvette]

My old light I have had for decades, I think has Craftsman on it....at any rate, I just marked/painted the balancer so as to be able to read any degrees, did that when off the car long ago....I"m lazy and cheeeeeeep too.....

:issues::rofl:

[Mike Mercury]

good ones are hard to find these days. When Yvonne bought her 1973... I found myself looking for a timing light. Every now & then a NOS Craftsman will end up on eBay... selling for $20 or near.

[StaticCling]

I would suggest hitting up ebay for an old Snap On or Sun timing light. Not many people have a use for them anymore, so good deals can be had.

[Kerrmudgeon]

thanks guys, I'm taking back the dud, and trying another the same. Fingers Crossed.
The first one worked great for.......60 seconds! :mad::rofl:

My old Craftsman wasn't an induction model, you had to use tin foil or a bobbie pin, or spring that came with it....long gone.
Bulb burnt out and now it's garage art. :toetap:

Modern heavy silicone wires are hard for the magnetic induction pick up to read too. :(

[simpleman68]

My old light I have had for decades, I think has Craftsman on it....at any rate, I just marked/painted the balancer so as to be able to read any degrees, did that when off the car long ago....I"m lazy and cheeeeeeep too.....

:issues::rofl:

:yesnod: We used to use white nail polish on the balancer pulley. Worked like a charm.
Scott