timing lights??

[Ian F]

I wrecked my ancient timing light this afternoon - too close to the fan blades this time!

I would like to get something up to date and advanced - reading timing, dwell, rpm etc.

Anyone got something I should look at please?

I'm quite wary of internet "best buy" reviews, they don't seem to cover all of the models out there so I suspect they are not very impartial.

Ian F

[Vic Butler]

Can't help Ian. I time engines by ear now.

[Paul Hollingworth]

Stay clear of the neon type, they only work in the dark and I too have chewed one up in the fan blades. I have a Sealey one with an inductive pick up (clips around No 1 HT lead) It has one heck of a flash. I asked the kids to by it me for Christmas but with hindsight I wish I'd asked for one with an integral rev counter. I have to use a separate meter when tuning which means I have to find another 12V source. I always set to factory setting because my engine is nearly bog standard. I do then sneak on a couple more degrees of advance using the Vernier adjustment on my 25D distributor. The problem with pre-ignition is you cant always hear it, so you can be doing damage without knowing it so you need to be somewhat cautious. If you hear pinking under load you have definitely gone too far. Distributors are another debate, I don't like the 45D and neither does Peter. I fitted a 123 electronic job to my mates car, they are super, but expensive.
I have recently fitted Luminition Magnatronic ignition (from my mates car) so don't have to worry about dwell anymore but when I had points I got the readout from my separate meter. As your points degrade it changes your dwell and hence your timing, meaning you are forever fiddling. Not anymore.

[Ian F]

Well, I think in the absence of any further advice I will get the Sealey device with the additional features of dwell and rpm. Looks to do all I need.

Ian F

[ChargedAutoGT]

I have one of these
https://www.rapidonline.com/Sealey-TL93 ... gcQAvD_BwE
works v well
G

[Ian F]

That's the one I've just bought. Not tried it yet, that's the plan for today!
Seemed like a reasonable price (if you shop around) from a well known brand.

Ian F

[ChargedAutoGT]

i got mine used but like new about 5 years ago. where did you find best price as a matter of interest?

Sealey seem a decent quality upper-DIY brand. Clarke at Machinemart sell a lot of Sealey tools re-branded as Clarke. Just bough one of their leakdown testers and once the wind dies down a bit looking forward(?) to seeing how much blow by I have from the supercharger.
G

[Ian F]

Amazon were not quite the best price, but the most convenient and reliable, received it the next day after ordering.
The device works quite well, the only issues are that the instructions were not very clear (I learned how to use it by using it) and the timing advance is quite tricky to set to the desired setting - overly sensitive wheel to turn to set the advance. Better than the other old bits of kit I have been using for the last 30/40 years though😊.

We are fortunate with the MGB arrangement of timing marks, I used it on my MK1 Midget, the location of the marks on that 950 A series engine are very well concealed!!

Ian F