How to use Timing Light?

[monk302]

Having trouble getting my timing light to flash consistently. How exactly should I go about doing this?? The gun I am using has three connections, all clamps, two larger ones and one smaller one.

I am assuming that one of the clamps goes onto an ignition wire. Which one should it go to? Number 1, to the coil, doesn't matter??

Then I think the two larger ones will go to the positive and negative terminals on the battery. Is that right?

Thanks,

Mike

 

[torino420]

2 on the battery (these should be obvious black and red) and the other goes on #1 spark plug wire.

 

[krash kendall]

It's usually a labelled "THIS SIDE TOWARDS SPARK PLUG" on one side of the wire clamp. Be sure to disconnect and plug your vacuum advance hose.

 

[jikelly]

Be sure not to drop a screwdriver on your engine and then try and reach through the fan to get it while the engine is running. That warning "Caution Fan" is not kidding around.

 

[monk302]

Be sure not to drop a screwdriver on your engine and then try and reach through the fan to get it while the engine is running. That warning "Caution Fan" is not kidding around.

I cannot tell you how much that frightens me.....sounds like you have experience?

 

[krash kendall]

I have a tendency to really lean over the engine to get the light to point at the best angle to the balancer and get in close (like with the gun at my cheek) to read it. I tell you, when the fan hits gun you really wake up in a hurry!

 

[jikelly]

My stangs fan looks flimsy, but boy when it's spinin' it's a sumbich.

Yeah I tried to stick my hand through the fan. It was just like blippp. I quickly pulled back my hand. luckly there was only a little skin missin of my finger tips. They didn't bleed or nothin.

I laughed a good thirty mins at my stupidity. What I got for working on my car all night and all day non stop. Brain needs sleep to work right.

 

[yeloxr7]

Auto shop 101...........