Timing light

I had to order a new timing light and the one I wanted wont work on an MSD type ignition. HAs anyone else heard this. It was one of the Actron lights from SUmmit.

Thanks Tore

MSD PN 8991
It'll make you forget about what you paid for it after you have used it for a while.

My wife won't forget when she opens the Credit Card Bill. But on serious note has anyone seen a difference in timing an engine using one not recommended for the MSD type ignition.

Tore

only two I have ever found that worked good are the MSD and the cheap Sears/Craftsman ones. My Snap-on was about 9 degrees off and my Actron was about 5 off. These measurements were compared on an engine analyzer at the local ford dealership.

yes ive been using the snap-on digital and the mac dial timing light ......then about a month ago i switched to a cheap no dial timing light like the sears piece and my timing was 6 degrees off ....we went testing this past Friday night and i can tell you this 6* makes a hugh difference

Thanks guys thats interesting. I was very surprised when the staff at Summit told me that. Tore

the MSD light is great

Why is that? Is that true of all "multi-spark" CD ignitions? I've got an old Holley Pro Anhialator ignition in my car and use a dial-back sunpro "fancy" chrome cheap timing light. Ya reckon I should verify against something else. I've heard this topic a couple times before but never checked it out any further.

TJ

I'm a noob that just lurks here, so I apologize if I'm speaking out of turn. But, I thought you might find this article interesting. From DRO a few years ago:

http://www.dragracingonline.com/technical/vii_10-lights-1.html

Just a I like to do this and I don't know if you guys do it or not. I put the clamp that goes over the wire as close as possible to the spark plug boot. Why? because it takes time to travel from the distributor to the plug. So if I can get it closer to the spark plug, the time the light goes off will be closer to the time the plug sparks. Anyone ever think of/do this? i do to make sure its more accurate.

I've found the same results with the digital timing lights & my MSD. Any standard inductive timing light will work with the MSD ignitions. I bought mine from O'Reilly's and it works great.








Doug...

<<<by Mach9 on Mon May 10, 2010 9:10 pm

I'm a noob that just lurks here, so I apologize if I'm speaking out of turn. But, I thought you might find this article interesting. From DRO a few years ago:

http://www.dragracingonline.com/technical/vii_10-lights-1.html>>>

Well, isn't that something. Thanks

I switched from my dialback light when we were running nitrous and a guru told us to throw it away and get an MSD.

Was your Actron a dial back to 0 light?


Tore

"I'm a noob that just lurks here, so I apologize if I'm speaking out of turn. But, I thought you might find this article interesting. From DRO a few years ago:"

http://www.dragracingonline.com/technical/vii_10-lights-1.html

Thanks for the link, good read.


TJ

linkie no workie for me

got it now

X2 what Tommy said. Hey Nikki, have ya got the quote thing figured out yet?

My Actron was dial back. I had both a dial back Snap-on and a non-dial back.

Now i question how good my "dead ON" TIMING IS. NOW i WANT TO GO RE-CHECK THE MAVERICK.

Dang Caps Lock. Looks like I start yelling in the middle of the sentence.