Timing light for multiple spark Ignition??

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mopar65

mopar65

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Well seems like every time I think I am getting closer to getting my 96 dakota race ready, I take a step back. Lol pluse I can't believe it's something as simple as a tool. Lol well any way I need to set the timing on my 360 and went to grab my trusty over 20 year old crafstman timing light. Which some how I missed placed the cable leads to. So i looks like i am going to have to buy a new one. I am running the new pertronics Digital HP multiple spark box. I haven't bought a new timing light in over 20 years and this might sound Dumb. But looking to see what every one is using on there race car?
 
AJ/FormS said:
I had to purchase a MSD compatible light as my Mac dial-back wouldn't read right.
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My craftsman pro dial back timing light worked great with diffrent msd ingtion set ups. I think hot rod magazine did a test on diffrent timing lights and the craftsman one was one of the better ones to use. I am really mad at my self for losing the cable. Also I don't think they are making mine anymore and not buying one in over 20 years just not sure which ones are good or not
 
I got an MSD timing light that is compatible with multiple spark. They have a couple models to choose from.
I have three vintage craftsman timing lights I need to sell. I think one may be unused. Its still in the box and looks great.
 
The thing with timing lights reading incorrectly with multi spark ignitions is....... you often have no clue they aren’t reading right.
Sometimes the strobe is inconsistent and jumping around, so you know it’s not reading correctly.
But I can tell you from personal experience........ sometimes everything appears to be working normally....... when in fact it’s not...... at all.

I only trust lights with no dial-back type features.
 
Friends old timing light just hit 3-6 times per rev off MSD6, we just timed of the first one. Not sure what kind it was..MSD-6AL has a standard square wave timing lug on the side. Is that whats not working?
 
mopar65 said:
Well seems like every time I think I am getting closer to getting my 96 dakota race ready, I take a step back. Lol pluse I can't believe it's something as simple as a tool. Lol well any way I need to set the timing on my 360 and went to grab my trusty over 20 year old crafstman timing light. Which some how I missed placed the cable leads to. So i looks like i am going to have to buy a new one. I am running the new pertronics Digital HP multiple spark box. I haven't bought a new timing light in over 20 years and this might sound Dumb. But looking to see what every one is using on there race car?
Click to expand...


I bought a MSD timing light from Summit. It's fixed with no dial back. I used it to verify that my vintage dial back light was accurate. It is. I've also had an old dial back light that would not read correctly, so I tossed it.

I ended up locking out my MSD Pro-billet distributor, and verified the timing with both lights. The combination of the two lights also allowed me to verify that both lights were accurate and also to double check the etched timing marks on my dampner.
 
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You don't want a new one, you want an old one. No "dial up" just an old timing light. I have a Penske I bought new from Sears? in the 19SEVENTIES and bought "it's twin" lately on CL/ garage sale. I have a couple of other newer ones 80?s that work as well. A simple light. No fancy knobs. Use your head, measure and degree the balancer, use Crackedback's "tape" method, or buy "timing tape." Easy
 
PRH said:
But I can tell you from personal experience........ sometimes everything appears to be working normally....... when in fact it’s not...... at all.
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Exactly.
I didn't need the light to tell me the timing was off tho,lol . My ancient non d-back told the truth . Over 3000 the multi-strikes ( at least the ones I have seen) revert to single hit so I could still use the Db to set the power timing. Or so I thought.....
 
I have had the same light not read some cars and read fine on others, all with MSD.

Make sure everything wired clean and grounded well.
 
I remember back in high school I was fighting the timing on a 340 with an MSD. I could not get the timing right using the light so I set it by ear, test drove and repeat until it was right. Found out 20 years later that standard lights dont work with msd. Another rookie mistake I was making back then is setting the timing to the specs in the chiltons manual :(
 
My crafstman was bought around 1990/91 if I remember right. So you all are saying that a inductive non dial back timing light will work.
pishta said:
Friends old timing light just hit 3-6 times per rev off MSD6, we just timed of the first one. Not sure what kind it was..MSD-6AL has a standard square wave timing lug on the side. Is that whats not working?
Click to expand...
Some how I missed placed the cable that plugged into my timing light.
 
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