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Timing light?

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Crisis

Jedi Hopeful
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Haven't set the timing on my tr6 in several years and think I should probably learn how to do it myself. What kind of timing light should I purchase? Basic, advance, digital?
BTW,my car is a 73 with lumenition electronic ignition,cetrifugal advance, vacuum retard (small pipe bypassing top hose of rad. and connected directly to rear carb).
Any suggestions would be helpful. Thanks.
 
Timing lights are all pretty basic, I don't know what the "advance" ones do, and I've never heard of a digital one. All they do is flash a bright strobe (like a camera flash) when the spark plug fires. Most either connect directly inline with the spark plug wire or use an inductive pickup that clamps around the spark plug wire, and they usually have two alligator clips to get power from the battery. Be aware, the inductive pickup one I have (Sears, about $30) only flashes if I clamp the pickup on one way, so if you get one of those and it doesn't work, flip the pickup around and try again.
 
If you go for a basic light without advance, buy new and buy local. You'll have a warranty. A decent light can be had (sometimes) for around $25. If you buy an advance or digital type timing light shop around for the best price and consider eBay. There are typically lots of good used ones to be had these days.

I have not invested in a digital advance timing light but find them interesting as the better ones include an LCD tachometer display.

You may want an advance type light as opposed to basic if you would like to set your maximum dynamic advance. Succinctly, let's say you want your car timed for its max advance to occur at 32 BTDC. With the advance light you turn the knob on the back and set it to 32. You start the engine (vacuum advance disconnected and plugged) and point the light at the timing marks. Bring the engine up to perhaps 4k RPM so the centrifugal advance is full-on, then turn the distributor until the ZERO mark and pointer line up. Tighten the distributor in place and restore the idle RPM. The advance timing light took the information you set (32 degrees) and adjusted the firing time of the strobe accordingly. At first blush you'd think "so what". Remember, however, that your timing pulleys (if stock) won't have a timing mark at 32 BTDC. The advance light will let you set the max advance with marks that WILL be on your pulleys.

The advance lights will also allow you to monitor things like the advance at any given RPM and you can use them to check how (or if) your vacuum advance is working. Simply put, they are more versatile. However, new they will cost at least two to three times what a basic timing light costs.
 
I've got this one. Pretty sweet. I does everything that I would ever want in a light. Comes with remote starter too.

EPI5568+.jpg


https://www.tooltopia.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=26560
 
For cars like ours that have just a TDC mark, and no scale, the advance light lets you determine what your advance is. Run the engine at the RPM that you want to measure, dial the advance knob until the TDC mark lines up, and read the advance.
 
That's the unit that I have also. They've gone up about $30 since I got mine 18 months ago.

I also have Craftsman with the dial for the advance, which works well, but this unit is really nice for the tach, voltage and digital readout so you can watch the advance and RPM all at once.
 
How did a 73 TR6 wind up with a Lumenitron ignition system.?
That is definitely not a factory installation.
 
Ron,

Those bad boys are expensive too. $395 for the kit and coil.
 
I have a basic inductive pickup type.
When I wanted to check my total advance, I started by marking out (with the engine off) where I wanted it to fall at about 35deg BTDC on the damper by using a tape measure and so marking it.
When I shot the timing light at around 3600rpm it shone on my new mark exactly.
You don't really need the advance timing light, it does make things easier though
 
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:]You don't really need the advance timing light, it does make things easier though[/QUOTE]

Very true, Graham. I was just agreeing that if he is going to buy one, the newest models with advance, tach and voltage is the way to go, IF budget allows.
 
My Mini didn't come from the factory with any marks on the front pulley. You had to remove a cover plate from the bell-housing and use an inspection mirror with your timing light. So... before I bought an advance timing light, I did the same as Graham but I had to make a pointer and make the marks on the front pulley.

I stumbled into my first advance light. I was making a return at Sears and all they would give me was credit. I found a light on the automotive tools aisle and expected it to be about $80. When they rung it up, the total was a little over $20. It turned out that I had picked up a discontinued model and the close out price was not marked on the shelf. The next day I went back and bought their last one for a friend of mine.
 
Same light I bought also. I also am very happy with it. Now if your car has timing marks then all you really need is a basic unit. But if you can swing the extra cost I would gt this unit. Having the RPM read out make the job easier, and unless you are working by ear you really need some sort of RPM meter anyway.
 
Yeah I use mine for many different things... balancing carbs comes to mind. It's nice not to have to constantly put my tools down to see what the engine is idling at.
 
My Equus 5568 (same as Paul's?) cost $88 from Amazon a couple of years ago. Now selling for $117 but still worth the all-in-one features IMO.
 
Peter,

I remember feeling like I paid too much after you told me what yours cost back then, but they are still going up in price. I made a pricing mistake on the previous post. I paid $129 at the time. There were two items on my invoice.
 
I have the most basic of timing lights. I use it to set the timing at about 12 degrees at idle during the tune up or if I pull the dizzy for any purpose. My dizzy has been prepared to manage the timing by weights - no vacuum retard connection. I am also presently using points. I have another dizzy in the shop cabinet with the Petronix set up but my car likes the dwell on the mark which Pertornix does not allow.

I set my timing the old fashion way, advance the timing until the motor pings under load and back off a degree or two until the pinging stops. When I read my plugs, they tell me that the timing is just right. Starts effortlessly cold or hot and lots of power. I run it lean (fuel mixture) and mean (aggressive timing). Its a Happy motor.
 
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