Timing Lights

[tsm1@domain.elided (Tom Mandera)]

>The mark should stay perfectly still - assuming you have a quality timing
>light, etc.  If the timing mark appears to randomly jump, this usually
>means you have the spark arcing or "jumping" inside the distributor cap.  A
>slowly wandering mark can mean worn distributor bushings or other problems.

I wouldn't put it past that I have arcing in the dist... but I'll know more
when the Pertronix goes in next week... That aftermarket magnetic pickup is
an unknown...

(BTW, anyone want to replace their points with a magnetic pickup system?
I'll have one for sale.. real reasonable.. next week. <g>)

I checked the shaft for any play.. it has a little "bearing slop" like
everything that uses bearings typically has... I ran over to my parts-racer,
and checked the shaft on the distributor in it... same "slop"... not really
slop, but an equal amount of movement .. just a short "tick" when you wiggle it.

What I was seeing was the yellow chalk mark I placed on the balancer in
about 3 places... none of which were "solid"... it wasn't *moving*.

My guess was that maybe the light was flashing too MUCH.  too often.

I tried moving the pickup away from the distributor (and other spark plug
leads... all are new Beldon 7mm wires) just in case it was picking up
"noise" from the other plugs... didn't help.

I tried, as Jim mentioned, bracing my arm and sighting along the light as
much as I could... but the upper radiator hose, compressor belt, and hood
were causing me grief.  ;-)

>But it could simply be you need to invest in a newer generation timing
>light with a nice bright output.  I have several and I can definitely tell
>the difference in brightness with the newer generation lights.

That could be... the timing light was part of an "Auto Tune-up Kit" that my
grandfather *eventually* passed on to me (it took a very great deal of
persuasion.. and even so, if he had anything that was in any worse shape, he
would've given it to me instead) that included a compression tester with a
"wedge" fitting on it... 

So the timing light is probably about the same vintage as my Scout! :-)

Maybe I'll try for a new light before long...

Thanks, John.

-Tom