What timing light to use

[Chris Bracey]

Hi. I have tried to check the ignition timing but its difficult to get my old timing light near the marks because of the fan and other fittings. Any suggestions or do i just need zenon timing light!

Chris

[johny]

you need white paint on the relevant timing mark and maybe dimmer back ground lighting to maximize the effectiveness of your strobe but obviously not too dark that it becomes risky.... 

[Chris Bracey]

Footnote. Its a 1979 spitfire 1500 .

[Chris Bracey]

On the spitfire 1500 what is the best place to hold the timing light. Is a zenon light  a better bet as unlike my midget i really cannot get very close the the pulley.? I will try dimming the light . 

[Colin Lindsay]

Your light should be good enough to shine onto the pulley from a range greater than that of the fan, but it needs to be close to the ends of the blades so that it actually hits the pulley with the beam. Too far away is no use; if it's too dim for that, any more modern version should do. As johny says, white paint on the pulley marks will help immensely, as will a dark garage.

[Pete Lewis]

Or small bulb connect coil dizzy terminal and earth , discon the HT switch on and turn engine , when points or electronic just  break the bulb will light, then see where the marks are showing 

Using a strobe you need to  be visually inline with the pointer and the crank centre line or you make errors

So its point from somewhere from alternator to vertical  not drivers side , as pointer is that side .

White paint , china marker,   or tipex are useful for marking 

Pete

[rlubikey]

Tip-Ex on the timing mark on the pulley.

Cheers, Richard

[JohnD]

TippExe isn't so easy to get these days - after all, who types out letters?   It is useful but any white paint will do.

Some Triumph crank pullies have the timing marks engraved on the rim.  Careful prep and white paint can make the marks much more visible.

Clean the edge of the pulley, scrape out the grooves of the characters and the markings with a sharp point.  Thoroughly degrease.

Apply several thin coats of paint right over the markings, allow to dry.

Use a sharp, flexible knife to cut off the excess paint, leaving it in the grooves.    A clear coat of varnish will protect it and keep it white.

Here's one of mine, with the excess half removed.

John

 

[Chris A]

White nail polish works as well as paint & it dries straight away. 

[Pete Lewis]

ooooh     Pretty 

 

 John   tipex is in the dinosaur cupboard        old habits   etc !!!!

Pete

[Colin Lindsay]

Tesco and most of our Pound Stores still have it... 99p at most... the places where people go who can't afford a PC, or are too old for this new fangled technology....

When did phones stop taking 2p pieces?

[Badwolf]

Colin - Where have they now put button A and button B?

[Colin Lindsay]

Somewhere in the back of my mind...... I remember them so well, but not as this photo shows in two parts - I remember them as all one unit. The other grey one is more familiar, including the little bar across the coin slot that you used to be able to press in with a knife and get free calls.

Not that I ever did, of course.

 

 

[daverclasper]

26 minutes ago, Colin Lindsay said:

including the little bar across the coin slot that you used to be able to press in with a knife and get free calls.

Yes. Use to use lolly sticks