I did not see a section for "tools", so I am posting this where I visit the most...

I am considering buying some equipment (used most likely) for tuning my older vehicles with carbs.

Some things I see a lot of people talking about online are something called a Timing light with advance ****, 4-Gas Analyzer and a Wideband O2 sensor.

Have any of you ever used these tools and are they really benificial to try and find decent used stuff.

What brands are better than others?

Thanks in advance for the help.

 

I've got a Mac and Sears timing light with advance ****. Both work equally well.
A vacuum gauge is good to have, also a vacuum pump to check the vacuum advance with (you could also use a line from the engine)
I don't think you would really need an O2 sensor reader, or an analyzer for general purposes.

 

A wideband 02 gauge is only good when it has an 02 bung already installed.

The gas analyzer is helpful as a tailpipe sniffer. Kind of over the top but he who dies with the most tools wins!

A timing light (with advance) and a vacuum gauge an you're golden IMO.

 

Imo the most versatile tune-up/diagnostic tool is the humble (and inexpensive) vacuum gauge.

How to Use and Interpret a Vacuum Gauge

 

Listen to the above post. A vacuum guage can give you an amazing amount of information on your engine.

 

Thanks guys for all the responses.

I have an older (non-advance) style timing light and I already own a vacuum gauge. Looks like I'm good to go.... for a start anyway.

The Emission Testing program up here just recently was abandoned. I might post a local wanted add on craigslist and see if I can come up with a cheap analyzer just for the heck of it.

Thanks again for the info.

 

A tachometer/dwell meter is also handy. I still have my Sun tune up kit from yrs ago. Came with a meter, timing light, vac guage, compression tester, in a nice case.

 

As V10 says a Tach is very handy, as usually the timing specs are for a certain rpm. If you can get a Tach -dwell-volt-ohm-meter combo. Dwell for setting points, volts for checking charging system, ohms for checking plug wire resistance. Among other things.
foe example

 

I may have to dig through some of the stuff my grand father left behind. I know most of his and my uncle's stuff was just boxed up and put in a shed. They use to work on cars a little. I may already have some of this stuff.

 

Also, depending on your setup some service tools can be handy too, like a distributor wrench, or if you run Holleys, having a jet wrench, a jet cup and stuff like that is handy.

Are you thinking hand tools or diagnostic equipment?

 

I was mainly thinking diagnostics, but any ideas are good.

 

As far as diagnostics, pretty much what everyone said. It may also be handy having a fuel pressure gauge too.

Something else thats kind of handy too is a GoPro, one of my buddies had some secondaries that were getting stuck open until you hit a bump, and we could see it on the GoPro. Too pricey for me to justify having one, but just a thought.