Timing Lights & Hot Coils question

[Bret]

Hi folks,

I just recently installed the Pertronix Ignitor & Flamethrower 1.5 Ohm Coil (Ballasted) in my 78B and am vary satisfied with the improved overall performance. I also installed up rated performance plug wires and opened the gap on my plugs to 34mm to better accommodate and take full advantage of the hotter coil.

Soon after the upgrade however I have noticed that my timing strobe light started to give out on me. Flickering on & off at erroneous intervals while setting my timing. I did manage to get my timing set before it gave out altogether, but before I start looking for a new one I have a question.

Could the hotter coil producing upwards of 40K volts, damage your common everyday timing light?

If so – I’d welcome any recommendations on a Timing Light that is a little more robust?

 

[Dave Russell]

I'm not sure what you are actually saying. 34mm is a huge plug gap, .34mm is very small, did you mean .034"?

The plug gap & the internal chamber pressure determine the actual voltage that the coil puts out, not the coil. The coil output rating just determines how wide the plug gap can be & still work.

In any event, unless the gap is so wide that the plug is sometimes not firing it should not affect timing light triggering or damage the light. Some lights are more tempermental than others.

I don't have a light recommendation, am using a 30 year old Sears myself.
D


<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Bret:
Hi folks,

I also installed up rated performance plug wires and opened the gap on my plugs to 34mm to better accommodate and take full advantage of the hotter coil.

Could the hotter coil producing upwards of 40K volts, damage your common everyday timing light?

If so – I’d welcome any recommendations on a Timing Light that is a little more robust?

<hr></blockquote>

 

[Bret]

My mistake. Gap isn’t 34mm’s it is actually .034 in.

But back to the timing light issue. It is my understanding that with the pickup being an inductive type, that it would pick up a higher signal from the increased power (current) traveling down the #1 plug wire to the spark plug. So depending on how “robust” the design is of triggering circuitry in the timing light, it might be damaged buy the increased signal.

So it sounds like your 20 year old Sears timing light might have been made better than my “Actron” model is – (ah, err?) or should I say “was”.

 

[clint]

that shouldn't hurt the inductive lamp at all. dropped it once too often, or the bulb is finally giving up. don't feel bad, my 450 bean snap-on blanks out if I leave it hooked up too long.