Timing light - which one to buy?

[Joe R.]

I threw out my Craftsman timing light several years ago (well before I inherited the Corvette). Bummer! Anyhow, should I just go to Sears and get another one or what? What are important features to look for in a timing light? I would only use it for yearly tune ups on the 'Vette.

Thanks,
Joe

[Joel F.]

Re: Timing light - which one to buy?

I have a dial back that I bought at Sears for around $50. The manufacturer is Actron and they are available at other parts stores as well. The current version of this light is the CP7528. Regardless of brand, I would recommend a dial back or digital type of light so you can better figure out your advance curve. There are a few models out there now that also will give you the dwell angle, which I think would be a useful addition if you don't already have a dwell meter.

Good luck!

[Joe R.]

Re: Timing light - which one to buy?

Joel,

Thanks for the info! What does the dial back feature do for you? As far as the dwell meter goes, I assume I don't need it since I have transistor ignition (L-72).

Joe

[Joel F.]

Re: Timing light - which one to buy?

Joe,

The dial lets you adjust how many degrees of advance the light fires at. Standard lights fire at 0*, so if you want to set your timing for 8* you need to look at the timing tab and figure out where 8* is. With a dial back, you set the dial to 8*, and adjust the timing so the balancer line lines up with the 0* mark. With the use of a tach, you can also map out your ignition curve by running the engine at various speeds and using the dial to determine what the advance is at those speeds. You can compare this info to what is in your shop manual to see if your curve has been played with at all. If you are really sharp you can then modify the curve to better suit your driving style. IMHO this feature is worth the incremental spend.

Joel

[Wayne M.]

Re: Timing light - which one to buy?

I threw out my Craftsman timing light several years ago (well before I inherited the Corvette). Bummer! Anyhow, should I just go to Sears and get another one or what? What are important features to look for in a timing light? I would only use it for yearly tune ups on the 'Vette.

Thanks,
Joe

Check out Sears -- around the end of August, they had a Craftsman Model 21023 Advance (ie. dial-back) timing light at $60 ($10 off regular price). Bought it, but haven't tried it out yet -- looks like a quality piece.

[Tim S.]

Re: Timing light - which one to buy?

Joe,

The dial lets you adjust how many degrees of advance the light fires at. Standard lights fire at 0*, so if you want to set your timing for 8* you need to look at the timing tab and figure out where 8* is. With a dial back, you set the dial to 8*, and adjust the timing so the balancer line lines up with the 0* mark. With the use of a tach, you can also map out your ignition curve by running the engine at various speeds and using the dial to determine what the advance is at those speeds. You can compare this info to what is in your shop manual to see if your curve has been played with at all. If you are really sharp you can then modify the curve to better suit your driving style. IMHO this feature is worth the incremental spend.

Joel

The dial back light is quite an advantage to determine when the timing is "all in". That feature proves to be very helpful when tuning around modern gasoline. The other suggestion I would have.....look for a light where the leads plug into the bottom of the light. You can replace them after the leads have met the fan or the inductive pick up got cozy with the manifold / header. Just my .02
Tim

[Joe R.]

Re: Timing light - which one to buy?

Thanks guys, I'm sold on the dial back feature. Time to start shoppin'!

Joe