Automotive timing lights

[alohavw]

Would like to know what would be the best timing lights under $100.00.

 

[nissan_crawler]

I don't remember what brand mine is, but I prefer the ones with a dial on the back. Just set it to whatever timing your car calls for, then you time to the 0* mark. It makes it much easier.

 

[SteveU]

Actron 7529, has tach & digital advance. www.toolwarehouse.net has them for 73.95

 

[alohavw]

Actron 7529, has tach & digital advance. www.toolwarehouse.net has them for 73.95

Couldn't find it on the toolwarehouse site. But found it on the sears site and it don't look that bad.

 

[Fedwrench]

Check out ebay. Timing lights aren't used a whole lot these days and you might be able to find a bargain. If not consider these:

http://www.thetoolwarehouse.net/shop/ACT-CP7529.html
http://www.thetoolwarehouse.net/shop/OTC-3365.html

http://www.thetoolwarehouse.net/shop/ACT-CP7528.html

 

[billymade]

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/search_1...light&gobutton.x=0&gobutton.y=0&gobutton=find

 

[Danglerb]

Digital tach and delay are both nice features. I wanted the Snapon for a bit, but using a friends I found out they have some known defect in the zero delay setting (jumps around a bit).

 

[Merkava_4]

Having a tach is damn near a necessity.

22 degrees BTDC @ 1100 RPM in park - was my Cadillac's spec.

 

[ni[x]it]

I picked up a metal/chrome adjustable crafstman light for $15.oo on ebay.
Works like a champ.
Speaking of, is there a contraption I could use to verify the adjustable settings? So I know 0 degrees is 0 degrees and 15 degrees is 15?

Oh well. I'm going on the merits of the light as it is, so I'm happy.

 

[alohavw]

Thanks for the advice so far.

 

[pl_silverado]

I think i have a cheapo craftsman, and a used snap-on one...
havn't used them in years.

 

[alohavw]

Anymore suggestions?

 

[Tool Pants]

I have the Sears one in this link that looks like #21023, inductive and with advance.

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/search_1...light&gobutton.x=0&gobutton.y=0&gobutton=find

The part number on mine is 116.219400 and the 116 would indicate it was made by Actron.

http://www.actron.com/

But I bought mine 25-30 years ago. I used it a lot back then when cars had points and wooden wheels. Now I only have one vehicle, a 1988 Toyota pickup that I have owned since 1989, that you can even check the timing on. Even the old 1988 has an electronic distributor, so the only time I used the light was every 2 years when it was time for a smog inspection. We now have rollers so the inspector does not even check the timing anymore.

But I take it out every few years to see if I still remember how to use it.

A timing light is a timing light. I would find a used decent one.

 

[72chevy]

I picked up a metal/chrome adjustable crafstman light for $15.oo on ebay.
Works like a champ.
Speaking of, is there a contraption I could use to verify the adjustable settings? So I know 0 degrees is 0 degrees and 15 degrees is 15?

Oh well. I'm going on the merits of the light as it is, so I'm happy.

Another vote for the Craftsman Dial-back timing light.

If you want to check for accuracy, get an adhesive backed timing tape made for your diameter balancer and compare the readings both settings.

 

[89MustangGX]

As many times as I have looked at them, I have yet to "pull the trigger" on a new light. I still use my father's Sears Penske light. IIRC, the original paperwork in the box indicated it was from about 1974 or so. I wonder if these things lose accuracy over time? Anyone?

Adam

 

[Torque1st]

Another vote for the Craftsman Dial-back timing light.

If you want to check for accuracy, get an adhesive backed timing tape made for your diameter balancer and compare the readings both settings.

Some vehicles have more than one mark or a scale. You can set your timing with the marks or scale then compare to the dial which should bring the mark back to "0" when you dial in the proper timing. Or conversely dial in your timing and set with the O mark then turn the dial back to "0". Either method works. Watch out for parallax error. I check mine every time I set it to make sure it is at least close. The timing marks or scale are extremely hard to see on some vehicles, hence the need for the dial on the timing light.

 

[MAD]

I have the Craftsman with the advance dial as well but got along fine for most of my life with a basic inductive light for home use. If you do not have a meter with a tach than it is hard to beat the digital models with a tach function. I prefer the simplicity of the big dial over poking at buttons but that is personal preference. Also remember that if you are running an ignition with points you will want to get a meter that shows dwell angle as well.

Here is another thread where we discussed timing lights
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13588&showall=1

 

[Torque1st]

I have a Craftsman light with the dial also. I use a separate Dwell Tach unit tho.

 

[SpiderGearsMan]

distributors are really rare these days

 

[alohavw]

Here is another thread where we discussed timing lights
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13588&showall=1

Thanks for the link. The timing light we are using it for is a 1967 VW Beetle.

I think I have narrowed it down to this 3.




http://www.flamingriver.com/index.c...=prod/prd67.htm
and
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000BSY9JE/?tag=atomicindus08-20
and
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000EVU8J8/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[Torque1st]

What is wrong with the $47 CP7528 at Amazon?

 

[terabyte]

i have this and I love it
http://www.iequus.com/product_info.php?product_id=3568&category_id=1_20

 

[alohavw]

What is wrong with the $47 CP7528 at Amazon?

Nothing wrong with it. I just think the CP7529 might be better cause it has the option to check RPM.