Timing light adapter tool

[Patsplat]

Finished my engine overhaul and have a few questions regaurding timing. First, does anyone know how to rig an adapter, or make one so I can adjust my timing, its not workin out too well by ear. Its an all OE 24v system. Second, is there a differnce between which bolt I loosen to adjust?

 

[clinto]

The bolt question I can't answer, but to make a 12V timing light work for a 24V system, simply feed the light 12V from either a separate battery or pull 12V off just one of the vehicle's batteries, then connect the clip to the ignition wire as you normally would.

 

[Patsplat]

Its a steel/rubber sheilded water proof wire/plug, my $300 snap on timing light cant pick it and it barely fits over the wire. My e-manual shows an adaptor

 

[Crazyguyla]

Here is a picture of the ignition test set. The wire second from the bottom, center is the adapter for timing lights. It screws inline with the spark plug wire. It's basicly a plug wire with threaded atachments at either end.

 

[70deuce]

My old Craftsman inductive (clamp-on) light came with a spring that I insert on to the open plug and in to the shielded wire then clamp on te spring and it works. Its just a spring about two inches long and about 3/8" in diameter.

 

[hndrsonj]

Midwest Military sells the adapter.

 

[majorhitt]

If you could pickup TM 9-2330-212-20, and check out Pg. 2-28 and 2-29 they cover timing and show the adapter previously mention in another reply. As for the screws I'll let that one alone, what I did may not work for you or be the proper method. May be some one else is more informed.

 

[Mike_L]

When I time my engine, I run jumper cables from my first battery out the window and to the engine bay. At the live ends I lay a piece of plywood under to keep them from shorting to the sheet metal with a spring clamp on the insulated part of each lead of the cable clamping it to the board. Clamping each lead keeps them separate from each other. I hook the timing light to them and any other 12V gauges I have out there that day.

For an adapter, somebody told me that they took a piece of civilian spark plug wire, put a tack in each end for contacts and put it in between the stock spark plug wire and the plug. Then they put their inductive pickup on the "adapter" wire. I've never tried it but I suppose it would work but I don't know how he got the plug wires to stay connected to each other for the test (tape?). This is one areas where I think the right tool would be the best for the job. I've seen the timing adapters sold separate from the complete kits but if you plan on doing any maintenance/troubleshooting with the OE wiring, you might as well get a complete kit now.

I've loosened both bolts at the base to adjust my timing. I know the one that bolts the plate to the engine block is the preferred adjusting point but I had a distributor on once that I couldn't get the range for timing with it alone. I've replaced my distributor since but I still use both to adjust, whichever I feel like fiddling with that day.

 

[Barrman]

Yes, just cut up a civilian spark plug wire, strip about 1 inch of insulation off at both ends. Fold the core back to the side. Then unscrew the #1 wire from the cap. You can now stick your civilian wire in there and it will work for the timing light.

I have the above pictured adaptor and it works fine. However, the civi wire is just about as easy to use and cost a lot less. You might need to use zip ties to hold the shielded wire in place with either way as well.