advancing timing questions part 2

[Mantis88LX]

ok guys i picked up a timing light like u suggested, now im really unsure about checking the timing, before i advance it i want to check and see what it is set at right now. ok so i hooked the negative plug to the negative side of battery, pos to postive side of battery, plug the little spark plug thing into spark plug cylinder number 1, aim it at the hole a the fly wheel. ok thats all i really know about it so far, my questions are:

1. do i check it while the car is warm and idling at normal rpms or can i do it when i first crank it and it is idling high


2. wont the car run crappy with number 1 spark plug wire unplugged and the timing wire hook on ?

3. when i aim it at the flywheel what do i look for? my brother said i probably need to make a mark on it, what does that mean and how do i do it?

4. what else do i need to know about checking the timing??


thanx and sorry for the dumb ass questions but we have to ask questions to learn, ;)

[A20A1]

Originally posted by Mantis88LX


1. Do it after the car has fully warmed up

2. if you have the oldschool timing light you plug the little nub onto the spark plug and plug the spark pug wire onto the nub of the timing light. If you have a clip stly pick-up you just open the jaws and clamp it over the #1 spark plug wire close to the spark plug. but not on the boot.

3. there is a mark on the fly wheel... I'll tell you in a moment

4. ?

[A20A1]

You have to look for a "T" mark... if your car is automatic. I'm prety sire it's TDC when the vacuum advance lines are removed and plugged and the car has warmed up fully.

then there is 3 other marks "l | l" that should appear when you hook up the vacuum advance lines.

[Mantis88LX]

so i check the timing with vaccum advance lines plugged?

[Mantis88LX]

also how do i know what the timing is set at? do i count how many times it flickers or what, this is my first time checking the timing and i know nothing about it. how will it tell me what the timing is set on?

[shepherd79]

putt the spark wire back, and you supposed to connect to the wire. it is should just wrap around the wire.
warm up the car to normal temperature.
pull out two vacuum lines and plug them.
after that shine into the hole. you should see T mark.
plug the lines back on and shine again and you should see another mark that should look like 3 lines. it should be on middle one.

[ACCORD EX]

i lerned something for the mechanic ! you can put the plug wire in the coil wire not the first cylinder and it will give you the same resaults but would be much easier ( the light blinks faster when connected to the coil wire , so it's easier to read )
anyway in both cases DON'T REMOVE THE WIRES !

MIKE

[Mantis88LX]

what do u mean dont remove the wire?

[ACCORD EX]

i mean the following !
timing light comes with 3 wires with a clip on the end if each wire !
one is for ( - ) BAT
the other one is for ( + ) BAT
the third one you hook it the the wire it self ( coil or first cylinder wire )


hope this helps !

MIKE

[Mantis88LX]

so i hook it onto the wire and not teh spark plug?

[88accordlxcarb]

Yeah, mines got a little hook type thing and you snap it around the wire going to the first cylinder(or at least i do).

[A20A1]

Some use a magnetic pick up the others actually connect in-line with the sparkplug wire.
The one I have uses the magnet incased in a plastic clamp

[ACCORD EX]

Originally posted by Mantis88LX
so i hook it onto the wire and not teh spark plug?

yes to the wire it self ! :)

MIKE

[Mantis88LX]

thanx guys!