Timing light VS EDIS

[andy198712]

Hello,

Running MS1 2.2 EXTRA on my 2110, made my own trigger from drilling the flywheel, when i first fitted it, i got pinging under load so backed the timing off to 22 degrees max and no more pinging (maybe i could creep up a degree or two, i was on 26 WITH pining.

So i wanted to check that my MS was seeing what the engine was doing.

i disconnected the SAW and put on my snap on timing light, with a digi read out on the back, hooked it up to number 1 lead.

for a start the RPM reading on the light is twice what the gauge and engine are doing.

the timing would be steady at what i reckon is 14 degrees(with the gun set to ZERO), but when i brought the revs up to about 2K rpm and above the timing was all over the place on the light. and hard to read, i saw TDC,10,20,30 in random orders and maybe other numbers? changing every strobe.
but at idle it was steady 14. (with gun set at ZERO)
i also dialed in advance on the the gun until i got TDC on the case centre line and i had to dial in 7 degrees to get this (if that means anything)

i tried flipping the pickup, putting it on number 4, which did the same but at BDC.

Any thoughts? i can't see how i can change the settings in the gun.


am i doing something wrong? should i dial in 10 degrees and see what it gives me?

this is all with the SAW disconnected.

Does this mean i'm 4 degrees off, or 7 or?

Also can i just that in TunerStudio so my maps read correct?

Cheers

Andy

[Steve Arndt]

Try a non advancing timing light. Not one with a dial. That should give you a reading that you can then divide by two (waste spark) to have true readings.

Or get a DIS fancy timing light that is programmable.

The delay old style advance guns give weird results I've found.

[Piledriver]

If the light lacks a DIS or 2stroke setting, you are probably seeing double the advance (or is it half?)
Just because it says "Snap On" does not mean it's not an old POS.
Set to zero it should work, but requires an accurate timing scale on the pulley to get any useful advance info.

I have seen a lot of "Snap-On" Mig welders out there---save 50-75% and buy the Century machine it started as before paint, or better, buy something decent in red,blue,yellow or maroon for a fraction of the Snap-On marked up price.
(Actually Thermadyne renamed almost all its brands to Tweco, after their best known brand, so the new maroon is usually ~forest green)

I have an ancient Suntune metal advance timing light, and a modern fancy Actron plastic one.
(Actron bought Suntune or renamed itself ages ago, I have an Actron Automotive DVM as well, nice useful piece, duty cycle/dwell/frequency/Coldpoint compensated K-type TC in addition to the usual AC/DC/mA/A and volts settings)

The new light is a LOT more useful ...has a flashlight mode to find things safely without the disco strobe effect, DIS/2stoke, 4 stoke, reads RPM too, one-stop tool for setting up idle timing and RPM and verifying advance across the RPM range.

In any case, hit a O'Reillys/Autozone or such and they'll typically allow you to use a modern timing light with the fancy features in the parking lot. Worst case is you "rent" one...
(they have a buy/return set of tools, if it doesn't come back you just bought a well used tool for full retail..almost worth it in some cases as they sometimes come in decent blow-molded fitted cases)

Consider ditching the EDIS and go direct fire.
The VW logic controlled 4 tower//waste spark coils are ~$40.

[andy198712]

but i'm ms1 2.2 though...?

[andy198712]

Try a non advancing timing light. Not one with a dial. That should give you a reading that you can then divide by two (waste spark) to have true readings.

Or get a DIS fancy timing light that is programmable.

The delay old style advance guns give weird results I've found.

i'll dig around, i borrowed this one.
might check eBay or see if anywhere does rental of them or i can borrow one

[Dale M.]

IF you have wasted spark are you getting double hit on timing light?

Dale

[Dale M.]

Try a non advancing timing light. Not one with a dial. That should give you a reading that you can then divide by two (waste spark) to have true readings.

Or get a DIS fancy timing light that is programmable.

The delay old style advance guns give weird results I've found.

i'll dig around, i borrowed this one.
might check eBay :) or see if anywhere does rental of them or i can borrow one ;)

Check with local FLAPS, some rent them out...

Dale

[MarioVelotta]

If I can't get a good signal from the spark plug lead, I'll wrap the coil trigger wire through the inductive pickup on the timing light. There is alot more current for the pickup to sense.

[andy198712]

how do you mean Mario?

[andy198712]

Try a non advancing timing light. Not one with a dial. That should give you a reading that you can then divide by two (waste spark) to have true readings.

Or get a DIS fancy timing light that is programmable.

The delay old style advance guns give weird results I've found.

i'll dig around, i borrowed this one.
might check eBay or see if anywhere does rental of them or i can borrow one

Check with local FLAPS, some rent them out...

Dale

I'm in the UK will try a motor factors maybe

[andy198712]

IF you have wasted spark are you getting double hit on timing light?

Dale

in theory yes, but at low rpm it works ok i think...? just goes all over above about 1300rpm at a guess.

engine runs fine though

[risk]

I had the same issues with my Auto Meter advance light on my wasted spark setup.. bought a cheap $13 one from harbor freight and it worked great.

[andy198712]

you don't always get what you pay for i guess ! (even though this light is borrowed lol )

[MarioVelotta]

how do you mean Mario?

Just take one of the wires that fires the coil, the outside 2. And do one wrap around your inductive pickup.

Light4.jpg

[andy198712]

oh right, cool i think can do that (need to check the slack in the loom)

cheers