remember timing lights?

[a52-830]

yeah, i thought you did.

does anyone have a recommendation for getting one now? none of the brands on amazon look familiar, and while i remember my father having one, i can't find it anywhere.

 

[OldToolMan]

Just sold a Sun on ebay.
Pretty sure I have my old Snap-on, Ill look for it.

 

[cgrutt]

Have a Snap On one up for sale in classifieds cheap. Don't know if it works or not but if you buy it and it doesn't work I'll refund your money and you can keep it

 

[theoldwizard1]

I thought setting the timing on my Honda 350 with a test light was pretty cool !

 

[md21722]

I would like to know how to connect a timing light to a coil pack. LOL.

 

[PoorOwner]

Maybe use a spark plug inline spark tester under the coil pack and hook a timing light to it. Not that there is much you could do to change them?

Wait seriously you guys are selling them? I still use it on the 80s 90s cars Many in CA still

 

[cgrutt]

I would like to know how to connect a timing light to a coil pack. LOL.

Pretty much why I don't know if it works or not, nothing to test it with!

 

[willjogervais]

I've had very good luck with the Innova I bought 5-10 years ago. Does everything I need it to do. Appears to be well built, has good directions, and everything fits in the case well.

 

[willjogervais]

Pretty much why I don't know if it works or not, nothing to test it with!

I would think it would work... just put it on the #1 plug wire. don't know how you're going to turn the coil pack to get your timing to change though!

 

[colin39]

I had a snap-on tach advance timing light until last year, best timing light i ever had, hadnt used it in 10 years so i gave it to a friend that works only on classic cars and he uses it every day. And says it still works perfectly

 

[454ragtop]

A52, how far north of Boston are you? I have 3 top quality lights here, obviously could part with one reasonably. Have a Snap On and Ferret, both with dial back and a tach, and another light only with an inductive clamp with a chrome metal housing, manufacturer escapes me at the moment, but it's a good one.

 

[cgrutt]

I would think it would work... just put it on the #1 plug wire. don't know how you're going to turn the coil pack to get your timing to change though!

Yeah, great, but I don't think either of my vehicles have spark plug wires. The coil packs sit right on top of the plug...

 

[anndel]

I have an very old Craftsman (early 1980s) and a 5 year old Innova I bought from Amazon. They both work great. Ebay or GJ Classifieds would be an option if you're looking for used or else Innova from Amazon.

 

[four.cycle]

all kinds of timing lights on Ebay.
best one we ever sold was a model T64 Niehoff. none listed right now.
there's a couple model T63 Niehoff lights listed - that would have been the T64's predecessor - but it doesn't say whether or not either of them work.

Sun made a hell of a timing light. used to own one and gave it away. metal housing/inductive pickup.

there are usually a few KAL lights listed on Ebay as well.

not really familiar with others. we sold Niehoff / Sun / and a cheapie line.. (Hawk, I think ???)

 

[GTA Matt]

For new timing lights, innova is probably the the best bang for the buck. My old Fox Valley? probably from the 80's, recently **** the bed, I'm happy with the innova I got to replace it.

 

[GRX]

My Kal-Equip light has been great for over 25 years. Can find used ones on Ebay for $20-30.

 

[disston]

You need to make a couple of choices or maybe it's refinement of needs.

Is it an advance light that is needed or just a standard non advance type? Advance lights can be helpful in certain situations but are not needed by most. They cost a lot more. I have one and needed it once about twentyfive years ago. Since then it has only been used with advance set to 0.

I hear some modern cars need a stand alone light. That is a timing light that has it's own power supply and is not hooked up to the vehicle's battery. I have such a light but not for that reason I have a timing light that runs on a couple of D cells and like it for it's compactness and less cords to mess with.

http://www.jegs.com/i/JEGS/555/W805...1y_GQAbuQT6fOVik9lqIrube2Sz-82g8ZYaAhmh8P8HAQ

Do not by any means get an old light that doesn't have a magnetic pick up. They also had a very dim light and were only useful in the dark.

 

[dbabicky]

Still have my 80's era Craftsman timing light and also my Craftsman dwell/tach meter !!

 

[DTE]

I got this one in with some stuff I bought this weekend, still in the box and appears to be unused. Interesting conversation piece.

 

[GRX]

Got this set up for $10 a few weeks back. Yeah, I am old school & drive old school.
All appears to be un-used. Receipt from 1991 said the 4 part kit alone was $60. The remote start switch & vacuum tester found in the bottom of the box were added bonus. The timing light & compression tester work perfectly. Have not used anything else yet.

 

[johninct]

I got this one in with some stuff I bought this weekend, still in the box and appears to be unused. Interesting conversation piece.

I have my fathers like that one. I don't know how to use it. Can you tell me where the wires go? I have 2 alligator clamps on mine.

 

[Hearse85Caddy]

I bought the Bosch one that O'reily Auto stocks. The gun is plastic, but it also does advance and rpm. I like it, put prefer Dad's old Sun timing light.

 

[DTE]

I have my fathers like that one. I don't know how to use it. Can you tell me where the wires go? I have 2 alligator clamps on mine.

I have no idea, the paper with it is the warranty.

 

[GRX]

I have my fathers like that one. I don't know how to use it. Can you tell me where the wires go? I have 2 alligator clamps on mine.

One goes to ground other on the spark plug wire. It should have a spring that the clip attaches to. You yank a plug wire and put the spring in-line between the wire & plug (or wire & cap connection). Using one can be a shocking experience. Spend a few clams and get an inductive type.

 

[RM209]

I see them frequently on C-L and estate sales for cheap (under $10). If you've got some flexibility, look around, and you'll find a good quality one at a good price. Timing lights normally aren't used that much, so it's common that you'll find one w/ all of the packaging and in excellent condition.

Make sure you try it out before you pay.

RM209

 

[NUTTSGT]

I had to dig mine out about a week ago after fixing the distributor. I thought I knew where it was and I was right but not the timing light I thought it was. At some point 10-15 years ago, I replaced the one I had with a Flaming River unit.

 

[finn]

I'd suggest you look at the Summit Racing or Jegs sites for a cross section of what's currently out there on the market and price range.

My 45 year old Craftsman / Penske still works fine.

 

[stonesg]

Ebay...

Last year I bought a SUN tune up set. Came in a plastic molded case with a timing light, dwell tach meter, compression tester and all the cables/fittings for about 35 bucks.

I've got several old motorcycles still running points so it was just what the doctor ordered.

The timing light is one of those nice old heavy chrome jobs.

TG

 

[dadsEH]

I got this one in with some stuff I bought this weekend, still in the box and appears to be unused. Interesting conversation piece.

Wow....90 day warranty...lol.
when did Sears drop the Roebuck name?

 

[CoogarXR]

All the cars I buy and sell are old, so my timing light doesn't gather much dust.

On the other hand, I had a nice dwell meter that I picked up years ago and never got to use it. Until my wife wanted a 65 Fury. I had to replace the points on that car, and I finally got to use the dwell meter! Then I sold the car, and the dwell meter went back into the cabinet, probably never to see the light of day again, lol.

 

[gungatim]

I've got half a dozen of them, they are available at yard sales for nothing all the time.

that said, 2 of mine are HF units, one is a dial back. both work as well as the old sun's and pentrons's, so for $10 just pick up on of their cheapies...they don't feel as nice as a vintage one but work just fine.

 

[Jlbc212]

I have a couple of timing lights. A friend of mine came by last year with a 50's vintage car that wasn't running smooth. We timed it to spec and then fine adjusted by ear.

 

[MShaw]

I had a Kal for years. Had it repaired in about 1970. It died again in about 1995 and my son bought me a Mac inductive with the dial set. I only used it once or twice until we got vehicles where you had to be a computer technician to adjust the timing. Still have it.

 

[Fender1325]

harbor freight has them. Mine suits me fine. I admitedly dont use it often. But like I said, it gets the job done.

 

[FergusonTO35]

My cheapo Sears (not even Craftsman) is as basic as it gets but has always served me well. I bought it new in 1997 with my employee discount so I could squeeze every last little bit of power out of my 1987 Mustang with it's awe inspiring 2.3L four banger. Used it the other day on my 1955 Ferguson TO-35 and it worked just great.

 

[OldToolMan]

I have a sun timing light, tested, it works. Let me know if you want, or off to ebay.

 

[robalmal]

I haven't actually tried it myself, but I believe a timing light with an inductive pickup can be used to detect if an ECU is pulsing a fuel injector. You need to be able to access the wires to the injectors.
That said, i haven't used mine for a long time.

 

[Super Mech]

I've still got a Craftsman advance timing light I bought new probably 30 or more years ago. Used the **** out of that thing in a commercial environment and never skipped a beat. Last time I used it was probably close to a year ago on a 68 Dart. Worked perfectly. Who made the old chrome craftsman units?

 

[Superbec]

I ordered one to check an engine, fixed it before I got the package, never used it since, I don't even know where it is

 

[redwrench60]

Last week at work I was checking/setting timing on an 1983 four eyes Mustang GT and the porter (18 years old) walked by and upon seeing me crouched down aiming my old chrome Craftsman advance knob timing light, pointed and said "what the hell is that!" I told him it was a gamma ray gun and that's what it took to make fords run right. Blew his mind lol!