Hot Tip for setting ignition timing

[Jeff Stout]

When using a stock balancer and you have 2 marks on it, one for top dead center and 1 for your desired total timing. Always know which one is which. My pathetic performance yesterday at Az S/SS event was due to setting timing at top dead center mark. I wondered why car started up so easy and I had to reset idle. Another lesson learned on how to slow a car down and lose a race. I think the heat got to me.

[nhramnl]

Originally Posted by Jeff Stout

When using a stock balancer and you have 2 marks on it, one for top dead center and 1 for your desired total timing. Always know which one is which. My pathetic performance yesterday at Az S/SS event was due to setting timing at top dead center mark. I wondered why car started up so easy and I had to reset idle. Another lesson learned on how to slow a car down and lose a race. I think the heat got to me.

Really simple solution that I've used for a long time... I clean the balancer really well (with Brakekleen), then find the timing mark I want (which, in your case, just has to NOT be the TDC mark) and I carefully "paint" the mark with White-Out. When the timing light is strobing, the painted mark just glows, and is impossible to miss. Hope that helps.

[Jeff Stout]

Originally Posted by nhramnl

Really simple solution that I've used for a long time... I clean the balancer really well (with Brakekleen), then find the timing mark I want (which, in your case, just has to NOT be the TDC mark) and I carefully "paint" the mark with White-Out. When the timing light is strobing, the painted mark just glows, and is impossible to miss. Hope that helps.

I will make tdc mark disappear today so to only have 1 mark for total timing. Your right, clean and fresh white out. I checked because of new MSD ignition was installed and wanted to double check.

[bykr]

Probably ran a little hotter than normal too.

[jim hensley]

those little white paint pens work well.

[MRE 7171]

Jeff how much slower did your car run from your normal timing

[Jeff Stout]

Originally Posted by MRE 7171

Jeff how much slower did your car run from your normal timing

.55 and 3.5 mph slower best I can guess with weather and old time slips

[nhramnl]

Originally Posted by Jeff Stout

.55 and 3.5 mph slower best I can guess with weather and old time slips

Man, that would really suck. Everybody has had things like that happen (if you've been racing for a while), which is why nobody thinks your mistake is dumb or funny. On the bright side though, at least it was an easily correctable mistake, versus something like a cam lobe ground off or broken transmission.

[Steve Stasko]

I use fluorescent paint pens. White for TDC, green for total timing, and red for 90 degree marks for valve lash.

[Jeff Stout]

Originally Posted by Steve Stasko

I use fluorescent paint pens. White for TDC, green for total timing, and red for 90 degree marks for valve lash.

Great idea. That will solve my problem