Why can't I read the timing?

Bad89stang · 10-30-2002, 01:43 AM

I have tried two different lights and neither one will get a reading on my 89 coupe. The runs perfectly. My father-in-law just bought a brand new Craftsman Light and it worked great on his car, but one day later it won't read anything on mine. I have a new light also and it won't read either. What the hell? Spout connector is in(not like that matters) and I have tested to make sure that I am getting power to the light.

TMASTER · 10-30-2002, 02:37 AM

Are you getting power to the light? what size are the plug wires? too thick? Maybe its not sensing the connection. I dont know heh...

IF you do have power and the light is strobeing....
Did you mark a white line at the degree that you want on the Balancer? Thats what I always do! so i can see it!.. Also try clamping a different plug wire with the timming light... shouldnt the timming retard when you rev the engine up? try moving the distributor slightly, but mark it so you know where it was when you started

... thats all i know!

Oh yeah thanks for the advise on the bushings man.. I got the bushing set today in the mail, its gonna be a pain in the *** to do them all but i have a 3 day weekend

Bad89stang · 10-30-2002, 02:41 AM

I know how to set timing, that is not the issue.

There is no light at all from the timing light. I guess the wires could be keeping it from reading. I have brand new 9mm Ford Racing wires. My father in law has 8mm Motorsport wires and we checked it perfectly.

TMASTER · 10-30-2002, 02:48 AM

Why do you want to check the timming? is there something wrong?
Try a few more other cars and see, if the light broke... try wiggling all the connections on it, scrape a good connection on the batt... heh trying to help.....

Bad89stang · 10-30-2002, 02:56 AM

I am just setting the timing back to 14 since I have good gas in there for once.

Nothing is wrong with the car it is running perfectly.

I don't have any other cars to test on... they are all new with DIS ignition.

I have already tested the power to the light. I had a DMM attached to the light at the same time to prove to myself that the light was receiving power. I am just going to use coat hangers instead of spark plug wires so that I can get a dam reading.

Glad to see you got the bushings TMASTER. The upper bushings took me about an hour and The lower ones should be fairly easy. Just take your time.

lx5091 · 10-30-2002, 07:50 AM

I don't want to offend with such a simple suggestion, but I have had this problem as I was working on mine the light would work then I'd make an adjustment and go to retest and it wouldn't work. And it was just the ground alligator clip not getting a good bite, or loosening as I'd move the gun around.

PKRWUD · 10-30-2002, 10:50 PM

Try putting an old 8mm wire on the #1 plug.

Take care,
~Chris

Bad89stang · 10-30-2002, 11:02 PM

I'll try that Chris. I may have an old Bosch wire laying around here somewhere. Thanks for the help.

red82gt · 10-31-2002, 02:58 PM

FWIW, My timing light works with my FMS 9mm wires...
It wont strobe at all? Try hooking it up to a wire on one of your other cars, even with the DIS it should still strobe to make sure the lights working.

drudis · 10-31-2002, 03:05 PM

Try hooking it up to the coil wire, and see if it fires at all.
IMOHO, sounds to me like a bad power connection to the timing light, versus something with the plugwire pickup.

Bad89stang · 10-31-2002, 10:50 PM

I'll try the coil idea.

The light is getting power. I have already tested it with a DMM as stated above.

10-30-2002, 02:37 AM	#2
TMASTER Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: TEXAS Posts: 161	look Are you getting power to the light? what size are the plug wires? too thick? Maybe its not sensing the connection. I dont know heh... IF you do have power and the light is strobeing.... Did you mark a white line at the degree that you want on the Balancer? Thats what I always do! so i can see it!.. Also try clamping a different plug wire with the timming light... shouldnt the timming retard when you rev the engine up? try moving the distributor slightly, but mark it so you know where it was when you started ... thats all i know! Oh yeah thanks for the advise on the bushings man.. I got the bushing set today in the mail, its gonna be a pain in the *** to do them all but i have a 3 day weekend Last edited by TMASTER; 10-30-2002 at 02:42 AM..

10-30-2002, 02:41 AM	#3
Bad89stang Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Ft. Worth, TX Posts: 456	Timing I know how to set timing, that is not the issue. There is no light at all from the timing light. I guess the wires could be keeping it from reading. I have brand new 9mm Ford Racing wires. My father in law has 8mm Motorsport wires and we checked it perfectly. __________________ You're gonna need your seatbelt

10-30-2002, 02:48 AM	#4
TMASTER Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: TEXAS Posts: 161	help Why do you want to check the timming? is there something wrong? Try a few more other cars and see, if the light broke... try wiggling all the connections on it, scrape a good connection on the batt... heh trying to help.....

10-30-2002, 02:56 AM	#5
Bad89stang Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Ft. Worth, TX Posts: 456	Timing I am just setting the timing back to 14 since I have good gas in there for once. Nothing is wrong with the car it is running perfectly. I don't have any other cars to test on... they are all new with DIS ignition. I have already tested the power to the light. I had a DMM attached to the light at the same time to prove to myself that the light was receiving power. I am just going to use coat hangers instead of spark plug wires so that I can get a dam reading. Glad to see you got the bushings TMASTER. The upper bushings took me about an hour and The lower ones should be fairly easy. Just take your time. __________________ You're gonna need your seatbelt

10-30-2002, 07:50 AM	#6
lx5091 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Fall River, MA Posts: 467	I don't want to offend with such a simple suggestion, but I have had this problem as I was working on mine the light would work then I'd make an adjustment and go to retest and it wouldn't work. And it was just the ground alligator clip not getting a good bite, or loosening as I'd move the gun around. __________________ '02 Explorer XLT 4.0L --Nice Vehicle '97 Saturn SL1--Soon to be ditched for a Ford!

10-30-2002, 01:43 AM	#1
Bad89stang Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Ft. Worth, TX Posts: 456	Why can't I read the timing? I have tried two different lights and neither one will get a reading on my 89 coupe. The runs perfectly. My father-in-law just bought a brand new Craftsman Light and it worked great on his car, but one day later it won't read anything on mine. I have a new light also and it won't read either. What the hell? Spout connector is in(not like that matters) and I have tested to make sure that I am getting power to the light. __________________ You're gonna need your seatbelt

10-30-2002, 10:50 PM	#7
PKRWUD Junior Member Join Date: Mar 1999 Location: Ventura, California Posts: 8,981	Try putting an old 8mm wire on the #1 plug. Take care, ~Chris __________________ Webmaster: Rice Haters Club Jim Porter Racing Peckerwoods Pit Stop Support Your Local RED & WHITE!

10-30-2002, 11:02 PM	#8
Bad89stang Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Ft. Worth, TX Posts: 456	I'll try that Chris. I may have an old Bosch wire laying around here somewhere. Thanks for the help. __________________ You're gonna need your seatbelt

10-31-2002, 02:58 PM	#9
red82gt Sober voice of Reason Join Date: Nov 1998 Location: Kelowna, B.C., Canada Posts: 1,514	FWIW, My timing light works with my FMS 9mm wires... It wont strobe at all? Try hooking it up to a wire on one of your other cars, even with the DIS it should still strobe to make sure the lights working. __________________ 393W: AFR 205's, hydraulic roller, TKO600.

10-31-2002, 03:05 PM	#10
drudis Moderator Join Date: Dec 1999 Location: Livonia, MI, USA Posts: 1,194	Try hooking it up to the coil wire, and see if it fires at all. IMOHO, sounds to me like a bad power connection to the timing light, versus something with the plugwire pickup. __________________ Darius Rudis, Moderator Corner Carvers Delight 1989 Mustang LX - Open Track Car http://www.dariusrudis.com

10-31-2002, 10:50 PM	#11
Bad89stang Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Ft. Worth, TX Posts: 456	Timing I'll try the coil idea. The light is getting power. I have already tested it with a DMM as stated above. __________________ You're gonna need your seatbelt

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