timing light problem

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May 25, 2008 | 09:57 PM

meb9796

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timing light problem

hey guys, trying to adjust my timing, and the light is giving me fits. It will only stay on for 2-3 seconds when you pull the trigger. It's an Inductive advance timing light (advance dial is set on 0) from sears that connects to the pos battery terminal, ground, and the #1 spark plug wire. I've only used it once before and it worked fine, but I did only use it for about 10-20 seconds.

It's a 78 F-150 XLT and it's idling way high (1800 rpm) and hoping the timing will help. When the light kept going out, I think I turned the distributor cap too far and #4 plug started smoking. At least I thought it was the #4 plug, but it could've been old oil burning off the motor. I took out the plug and it looked fine.

May 25, 2008 | 10:03 PM

77Explorer

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Joined: Jan 2008

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my craftsman timing light gives me fits also..

try wiggling the connector at the bottom of the handle

May 25, 2008 | 11:49 PM

fmc400

MSEE

Joined: Apr 2004

Posts: 10,386

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From: Austin, TX

Make sure you've got the positive and negative clamps on there good; and then make sure you have no dirt or grime on the magnet on the plug wire clamp. If that still doesn't work and you know the plug is firing, then something is wrong with the light. I had that happen to me one time and I had to replace the negative clamp; timing light was old.

May 26, 2008 | 06:57 AM

Supercab

Lead Driver

Joined: Feb 2000

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From: Palm Bay, Florida

Forget the timing lights!!!!! (you've got to get the idle down to normal, though) start engine and warm up to normal operating temp, turn distributor clockwise until engine starts to not like it, back off just a hair, test drive & if engine pings on hard accelleration back it off just a hair at a time until it doesn't ping, then your timing is set properly.
Go to Carburetor, Carburetors, Carbs, Carb Parts. Pony Carburetors - Your Ford Carburetor Restoration and Part Sales Specialist and read about timing there.

May 26, 2008 | 10:35 AM

OldMetal

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Joined: Feb 2008

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From: US/Baja border

Supercab is right! You can't set the timing like that.
I've also seen bad plug wires/weak spark cause a timing light to not work right.

May 26, 2008 | 12:19 PM

Blue Bomber

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Joined: Jun 2007

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From: Memphis, TN

Quote:

Originally Posted by OldMetal

Supercab is right! You can't set the timing like that.
I've also seen bad plug wires/weak spark cause a timing light to not work right.

x2 seen that on an old chebby

May 26, 2008 | 01:23 PM

meb9796

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Supercab. I had it up to normal temp last night and since the light was on the fritz, I tried just what you explained, but when I tried to turn it clockwise the rpm's went way up (meter only goes to 2,000 and I"m already at 1800). I tried turning it counter clockwise, but it died after I'd moved it less than an inch.

Think I'm going to check tdc, and pull the fuel pump this evening and see if the timing chain is loose. If it is, I'm tearing this