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Old Aug 15, 2009 | 12:20 PM
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Timing issue

Hey guys--

I have a new engine which you can see on my thread, 390 to 300 swap. I originally timed it with a vacuum gauge, but checked it with a light. When I put the light on it, I could see the mark dancing around. It would stay put for a few seconds, then hop over a few degrees, then hop back to the original spot.

That really alarmed me because it was running great, without misfire or sputter or backfire. Sometimes the mark would hop about 10 degrees. I checked my wiring on the MSD box, and it was okay.

When I contacted my distributor rebuilder, he said he had seen that happen before with a cheap inductive timimg light. Somehow they can misread the MSD signal. Today I am going to try the old fashioned type light with the spring on the spark plug. I don't think there can be any misread with that system.

Has anyone come across this before?


 
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Old Aug 15, 2009 | 04:32 PM
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problem solved!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The problem was the timing light. I used the old spring-on-the-plug type, and it worked fine, showing a steady reading.

My inductive timing light was misreading the MSD signal.
 
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Old Aug 15, 2009 | 05:21 PM
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Thanks for posting that; that's good information to know. I have the inductive clamp-style light.
 
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