Stupid Question, Need Input

lovinspeed01 · 05-27-2003, 09:58 PM

This one is a quick question

I am going to bump/advance my timimg tomorrow or the next day. I am to cheap to buy a timing light, so I was thinking about bumping it without one. Does anyone advise against this? Has anyone done this without a light?

I don't see the point in buying a light for 15 mins of work. There is also no stores in my area that rent or lend out timimg lights.

Thanks for any help

FritzDaKat · 05-27-2003, 10:46 PM

I used to be able to tune my old Dodge by ear, but I wouldnt try to get anything dead on that way with the Mustang. Just remember 10-15 degrees goes by really fast when rotating the distributor. If your pretty sure of what point your timing is set to currently, just index the base of the distributor down to 5 degree increments. (An outside caliper and a protractor should do the trick) Or at least draw a circle of an equal diameter to the base of your distributor and get a look of how much travel the base will have when turning it a few degrees. Mabey even take a measurment of how many degrees you wish to advance / retard the timing off that circle and pre-mark the base of the distributor.

Fox Body · 05-28-2003, 12:18 AM

That's easy to do without a timing light. All you have to do is just blink your eyes REALLY fast until you can see the timing as it passes the point. ..............

OR you could just buy a timing light, keep the receipt, take it back when you're done for full refund. That should be no problem at all.

ChunkFunky · 05-28-2003, 07:12 AM

as long as the car runs and doesnt ping you dont need to be too exact... but like other said, make a mark on the block and the distro where it is now... then if it runs crappy, you'll know where to bring it back...
-as

lovinspeed01 · 05-28-2003, 07:35 AM

Thanks for the advice guys

FritzDaKat, that is a good idea, I never thought of that. I'm going to try and do it today. Thanks again for the idea.

RBatson · 05-28-2003, 09:36 AM

AHHhhhhh, I see you bought the car(I just posted in the lounge on your other thread). There should be a mark on the distributor for base timing, there's one on mine. Look for a little chisle mark. You could advance the timing without a light but the cpu is supposed to correct this unless you remove the spout, I used to do it all the time. I'd pull off on the side of the road, with my 1/2" wrench, and twist it and see what it would do. I'd add octane boost and I thought I was doing something... this was a long time ago.. heeh... HAVE FUN!!

silver_pilate · 05-30-2003, 07:43 PM

It's hit and miss, but I guess you could do it by the seat of your pants. Course, my advice is to just suck it up and buy a $30 timing light. I guarantee you that there will come a time when you wish you had one.

--nathan

lovinspeed01 · 05-31-2003, 10:21 AM

I actualy got around to it today. I did what FritzDaKat did with his old dodge and just listened. I had a little bit of a rough idle when I started. As I turned the distributer slightly clockwise I could here the engine smoothing out. I then turned it untell the idle went rough again and back it up a little bit.

I took the car for a drive and I could feel the difference with no detenation. I have no clue what I advanced it to but the weather were I live is pretty cold so I'm guessing it could be about 16 Degrees.

I mainly posted this last reply to help out anyone who is cheap like me and still wants to do this mod. Good Luck

That guys for your replies, they helped greatly.

ArtMan · 06-02-2003, 12:22 PM

Dude, I really don't recommend this. I wouldn't want your next post to be "how do I change a head gasket?". Now that you have changed it why don't you go to a service station and have the mechanic check it. Maybe he'll be reasonable or maybe he'll do it as a favor to a loyal customer.

But definitely determine what it is.

SmokinStangGT · 06-02-2003, 12:24 PM

yea its easy so do it!

ChunkFunky · 06-02-2003, 01:28 PM

go to walmart, or sears or allmost anywhere and just buy a timing light... it's like 30 bucks... you might use it once a year but it wont go bad... so it's probably worth it...
-=as=-

05-27-2003, 09:58 PM	#1
lovinspeed01 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Alberta, Canada Posts: 46	Stupid Question, Need Input This one is a quick question I am going to bump/advance my timimg tomorrow or the next day. I am to cheap to buy a timing light, so I was thinking about bumping it without one. Does anyone advise against this? Has anyone done this without a light? I don't see the point in buying a light for 15 mins of work. There is also no stores in my area that rent or lend out timimg lights. Thanks for any help

05-28-2003, 12:18 AM	#3
Fox Body Mustang Maniac Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: GA, U.S.A Posts: 2,266	That's easy to do without a timing light. All you have to do is just blink your eyes REALLY fast until you can see the timing as it passes the point. .............. OR you could just buy a timing light, keep the receipt, take it back when you're done for full refund. That should be no problem at all. __________________ 351W-powered 1979 Ford Mustang Ghia notchback '79 Video @ Idle Stock 5.8L under 4" cowl 'glass hood, C4 w/ Transgo shift kit, Holley 750 cfm, Edelbrock Performer RPM intake; Fluidyne Al radiator, Flexalite 175 electric fan, 1 5/8" MAC shorty headers, FRPP Al driveshaft; S&W 6-point cage; 2.5" Off road H-pipe, 2-chamber Flowmasters, 8.8" Rear w/ 3.55s; Weld wheels (15x6;15x8), Front: 225/60/15, Rear: 275/50/15 Nitto NT 555R Drag Radials; 14 x 4” K&N X-stream air filter. '92 GT (5-speed) Small In Car Video Stock 5.0L, 2-chamber Flowmasters, MAC CAI, Tri-Ax, Al pedals... "Red, thou art my companion. Hasten now your quickened metamorphosis to Green that I may conquer all who dare abide there beside me. May they be left thither behind burnt black." ---Fox Body

05-28-2003, 07:12 AM	#4
ChunkFunky Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Tustin, CA Posts: 465	as long as the car runs and doesnt ping you dont need to be too exact... but like other said, make a mark on the block and the distro where it is now... then if it runs crappy, you'll know where to bring it back... -as __________________ '89 GT Convertible: TFS TW Heads, TFS Street Intake, TFS Stage 1 Cam, FMS 1.6 RRs, 24# Injectors, Pro-M 75mm MAF, No Name CAI, 3.73s, O/R H-Pipe, FlowMasters, AOD w/ Trans-Go Shift Kit

05-30-2003, 07:43 PM	#7
silver_pilate DURKA DURKA!! Join Date: Sep 1997 Location: Lubbock, TX...(TX panhandle) Posts: 1,418	It's hit and miss, but I guess you could do it by the seat of your pants. Course, my advice is to just suck it up and buy a $30 timing light. I guarantee you that there will come a time when you wish you had one. --nathan __________________ '91 GT, Coast 347, 9.5:1 compression, full intake, Wolverine 1087 cam, exhaust, Keith Craft ported Windsor Jr. Irons (235 cfm intake, 195 cfm exhaust), AOD, PI 3500 converter, Lentech valve body, 3.73's (4.10's in the works), and Yokohama ES100's out back. Daily Car: '04 Infiniti G35 Sedan 6MT

06-02-2003, 12:22 PM	#9
ArtMan Registered Member Join Date: Dec 1998 Location: Scarsdale, NY Posts: 45	Oh Brother Dude, I really don't recommend this. I wouldn't want your next post to be "how do I change a head gasket?". Now that you have changed it why don't you go to a service station and have the mechanic check it. Maybe he'll be reasonable or maybe he'll do it as a favor to a loyal customer. But definitely determine what it is. __________________ See my stang in the "Users Rides" section. Rice Hater's Club Member #225

05-27-2003, 10:46 PM	#2
FritzDaKat Registered Member Join Date: May 2003 Location: Franklin Park IL Posts: 57	I used to be able to tune my old Dodge by ear, but I wouldnt try to get anything dead on that way with the Mustang. Just remember 10-15 degrees goes by really fast when rotating the distributor. If your pretty sure of what point your timing is set to currently, just index the base of the distributor down to 5 degree increments. (An outside caliper and a protractor should do the trick) Or at least draw a circle of an equal diameter to the base of your distributor and get a look of how much travel the base will have when turning it a few degrees. Mabey even take a measurment of how many degrees you wish to advance / retard the timing off that circle and pre-mark the base of the distributor.

05-28-2003, 07:35 AM	#5
lovinspeed01 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Alberta, Canada Posts: 46	Thanks for the advice guys FritzDaKat, that is a good idea, I never thought of that. I'm going to try and do it today. Thanks again for the idea.

05-28-2003, 09:36 AM	#6
RBatson Registered Member Join Date: May 1997 Posts: 3,028	AHHhhhhh, I see you bought the car(I just posted in the lounge on your other thread). There should be a mark on the distributor for base timing, there's one on mine. Look for a little chisle mark. You could advance the timing without a light but the cpu is supposed to correct this unless you remove the spout, I used to do it all the time. I'd pull off on the side of the road, with my 1/2" wrench, and twist it and see what it would do. I'd add octane boost and I thought I was doing something... this was a long time ago.. heeh... HAVE FUN!!

05-31-2003, 10:21 AM	#8
lovinspeed01 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Alberta, Canada Posts: 46	I actualy got around to it today. I did what FritzDaKat did with his old dodge and just listened. I had a little bit of a rough idle when I started. As I turned the distributer slightly clockwise I could here the engine smoothing out. I then turned it untell the idle went rough again and back it up a little bit. I took the car for a drive and I could feel the difference with no detenation. I have no clue what I advanced it to but the weather were I live is pretty cold so I'm guessing it could be about 16 Degrees. I mainly posted this last reply to help out anyone who is cheap like me and still wants to do this mod. Good Luck That guys for your replies, they helped greatly.

06-02-2003, 12:24 PM	#10
SmokinStangGT Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: IL Posts: 105	yea its easy so do it! __________________ 89' GT with 5spd Hurst short throw, Keith Black 12:1 comp. pistons, Sealed Power drag racing rings, Fms F303 Cam, Ported and polished upper and lower intake with Ported E7TE heads that contain comp. cam double coiled springs with titainum locks and steel retainers, Fel-Pro Head Gaskets, 9mm ford racing wires, BBK chrome unequal shortys, Power Throttle bodies 70mm, Edlebrock 70mm EGR plate, 15inch K&N, Bassani X-pipe, Flowmaster 40 series, Eibach 1 1/2 lowering springs, Cobra R rims 17X9 with p235 on front and p275 on rear with Falken Zeix tires-RUNNING!

06-02-2003, 01:28 PM	#11
ChunkFunky Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Tustin, CA Posts: 465	go to walmart, or sears or allmost anywhere and just buy a timing light... it's like 30 bucks... you might use it once a year but it wont go bad... so it's probably worth it... -=as=- __________________ '89 GT Convertible: TFS TW Heads, TFS Street Intake, TFS Stage 1 Cam, FMS 1.6 RRs, 24# Injectors, Pro-M 75mm MAF, No Name CAI, 3.73s, O/R H-Pipe, FlowMasters, AOD w/ Trans-Go Shift Kit

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