I am replacing my injectors and IP this weekend and have been told i should have it dynamic timed by a diesel mechanic. I stay in San Antonio TX and was wondering if anyone knows a good, honest and reliable shop I can take my truck to. I called up a place and was quoted about 90 bucks to have it timed... Called the same shop back a few days later and the mechanic told me "our machine has been broken for years to be honest with you." WOW! Also, called up another local shop and the mechanic said that I should time it by ear that dynamic timing will retard it sometimes and it won't run as good. He told me I should just time it by ear rather than take it to a shop. I'm being told two completely different things and I don't know whether to dynamic time it and where to take it if I do. Again I'm in San antonio TX and would like to know if anyone knows of a TRUSTWORTHY shop.

 

This is the broken record of the FTE IDI forum. I searched a 50-mile radius of Los Angeles, and no shop would time my IDI van with a tool, and only a few volunteered to time it by ear (for $150!). What's your budget? You could buy a pulse-ferret kit for a few hundred bucks. Or you could rent one, but I don't have the link.

 

To be honest if timing it by ear is efficient I might just time it by ear. I'm not trying to spend a whole lot of money just getting it timed but if it's something I must do I will get it done. I found another diesel shop near me and I will give them a call and see how much it is to dynamic time it. What's the difference between timing it by ear and dynamic timing?

If I can't manage to find someone to dynamic time it will it really hurt the pump and/or truck? Should I go through the trouble to getting it dynamic timed and is it even worth the trouble?

 

It is worth it just in fuel economy alone. I lost several MPG when I changed my IP, and it's because my mechanic timed it by ear. Once I got my hands on a pulse-ferret kit, I found out my timing was over 12 degrees!

Also, there are other side effects from bad timing....

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/39...ml#post9927448

and

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/39...l#post12805393


I just learned of all this stuff recently cuz I couldn't find anyone to do the timing for me. It's not too bad of a deal really, but it's not too awesome either. Doable for the moderate amateur mechanic. Much easier if you have a truck and not a van.

Check these videos if you want the play-by-play. and .

 

I've got the equipment to actually measure the timing(luminosity probe etc), but I've ended up just timing it by ear. We'll see when I get my new pump(a RD2-110), but with all the used pumps I've swapped in, I've had to compensate for varying drivability issues -- depending on the age of the pump, you may be able to have it be properly advanced throughout the RPM range, or end up where the timing shifts and you only get a ~500RPM band where it's 'right'... so you have to adjust the timing such that you have the best performance/feel in the band you use most.

With a new pump, you should be able to use a timing device, but even so, I'd get it to the 'nominal' value you're aiming for, and then take a few test runs at a couple degrees advanced/retarded from that spot and see how your truck feels.

 

You can contact Gary @ Oilburners, he has a timing meter rental service:

Diesel Truck Forum - Oilburners.net


Or you can check the TIMING SERVICE REGISTRY and see if someone's near you.