7 replies to this topic

[crum01]

Hi,

I have been setting up the timing on my 1989 Mini 1000.

I think it's pretty close, but thought I'd check with a timing light that I've just purchased on the bay.

I marked 8BTDC and the nick on the fly wheel with tipex, connected the timing light to no.1 plug and HT lead, disconected the vacuum hose and increased the idle speed to approx 1000rpm.

The light did strobe but was not bright enough to light up the tipex on the fly wheel, I am however currently working outside as i don't have a garage and it is quite a bright day.

Do I have to do this in a darker enviroment or is the timing light not strong enough?

Thanks for your time,

James.

[THE ANORAK]

well when i was doing mine last week i found that you need to have the beam of light pointing directly at the marks. i guess the light i was using had a very thin beam of "usable" light. yours may be the same ??

[dklawson]

There is no definitive answer without knowing how old your gun is and how it connects.

The really old equipment hooks in series with the spark plug wire and these typically are not very bright. "Newer" timing lights (like within the past 20 years) almost always use inductive pickups that clamp on #1 spark plug wire and they use Xenon lights. These are quite a bit brighter.

If you're working in very bright sunlight, that might be the real problem... not the timing light.

[crum01]

well when i was doing mine last week i found that you need to have the beam of light pointing directly at the marks. i guess the light i was using had a very thin beam of "usable" light. yours may be the same ??

Thanks for your reply.

I didn't notice a thin beam of light I'll have another go tomorrow, when it was flashing I'd compare the brightness to a torch that was low on batteries.

The light in question is a pistol style Lumen neon timing light.

[crum01]

There is no definitive answer without knowing how old your gun is and how it connects.

The really old equipment hooks in series with the spark plug wire and these typically are not very bright. "Newer" timing lights (like within the past 20 years) almost always use inductive pickups that clamp on #1 spark plug wire and they use Xenon lights. These are quite a bit brighter.

If you're working in very bright sunlight, that might be the real problem... not the timing light.

Thanks for your reply. The light in question is a pistol style Lumen neon timing light yes it connects in series between number 1 plug and ht lead.

[dklawson]

Neon timing lights will be very dim compared to Xenon. You will need to shade the area around the timing mark and you'll probably have to get the light very close to the timing marks. This would be a good excuse to save your money and buy a really nice advance style timing light.

[998dave]

maybe better with car back to the sun, and bonnet up? or in a garage, or do it in the evening?

Mine's quite bright, but is new, I also connected it to a seperate battery, rather then the car, only clamping the pick up over cylinder 1 lead.

Dave

[minimender]

Remember that 8 deg is only a guide and you should use whatever setting suits your engine best. Try 8 ,10, etc and see how it runs, if it goes better and doesn't pink under load at low revs then go with that.
The last thing you need is retarded ignition.

Worn timing chain can retard ign even when you have set it correctly with a light.