Timing Light Recommendation

I need to get a timing light and am looking for advise. I don't mind spending money on a good tool, but I'm not sure what I should be looking for. Some help would be much appreciated.

 

I've seen a few on fleabay.

 

I love my old Penske timing light, vacuum guage, and dwell meter.
Got an adapter for the 24V on the M38A1 but I haven't tried it yet.

Dave

 

X2 on the sears, penske light

 

This is another "you get what you pay for".
I bought a Harbor Freight timing light a few weeks back - it worked for about 5 minutes.
Got another at NAPA that seems good.

Lots of places you used to find them (including some auto parts stores) don't even carry them anymore.

 

as with all electric tools from there, if it makes it five minutes it will probably last five years...

 

Interesting. Is the adaptor for the voltage, or the shielded HT wires? Where did you find it?

I just run the timing light off an independent 12volt source. For the induction sensor, I remove one end of a waterproof plug wire and insert a short section of conventional wire.

 

Iv'e gsot to read the instructions. As I understand it since the plug wires are shielded to be waterproof, you screw the adaptor on to #1 sparkplug and clip the lead on to it. It has in the kit a spark plug adapter and a wire for the dwell meter. I got it from a member of the local Military Vehicle Club.
He was having a yard sale and offered things to members first. They are military surplus, he such good prices, I bought a lot of things.

I will have to read the instructions, the engine is torn down, so I haven't tried to use it yet. I will take some pics today.

Dave

 

X2 , or a thrift shop, etc...if it works it works, no need to spend a bunch of money

 

Okay, here is the kit:


Looks like it will be very usefull.

Dave

 

wow. great score!

 

Speak of the devil. I was at a thrift store yesterday and spotted these...

 

I have a couple of sunpro lights that work really well as long as you keep the wires out of the fan.

 

Yup. There is a reason a lot of those lights had rubber armor on the nose....

 

Did you obtain one yet?

 

I did, an old Penske.

 

nice... I had two, and tossed em after cleaning out the shed last year. Just got my jeep in Oct and needed a new one, along with a dwell meter, kept it, but it was broken. Bought a new type timing light from NAPA for around 50 bucks... shoulda kept one of them, but that's my luck

 

The one I use most is a cheap old style inductive light, plastic body, may be a Sun, the neighbors' kid ran it thru a fan on a running engine, cut the wires in several pieces, so I soldered and heat shrunk? it back together, still works. My back up is a Snap On made about the time electricity was discovered, the type that plugs in between the plug wire and the plug.