Dr L-88

Who makes the "best value" adjustable timing light?

MiguelsC2

I am real happy with my Craftsman. Great price.

Mine is the old red unit with analog gauge.

Frankie the Fink

Long thread on this a week or so ago.
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c1-a...ing-light.html

climbabout

I have one from Sears Hardware and am very happy with it.
http://www.sears.com/craftsman-advan...p-00914065000P

Tim

C1-Curt

For the little bit that I use one I ended up buying one from Harbor Freight. It worked great. $24.99 right now.

http://www.harborfreight.com/timing-...nce-40963.html

Old Vet

I have had a Snap On Timing light for years #MT1261.

You get what ya pay for and they are readily available on craigslist, swap meets or pawn shops for $100-$200.

TCracingCA

I put a harbor freight cheapo in the car that I can beat up and not worry about for event or roadside tweeks and I have the good one safe for Garage work (my Snap On) is a very good unit, but cost more.

SupremeDeluxe

I picked up this about 3 years ago and think very highly of it. The screen is nicely backlit and you can simultaneously view the tach and advance readings.

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_1...20Testersmv=rr

mudbone64

Mine is a Craftsman and has performed flawlessly.

Adjustable or dial-back timing lights are like DVRs. Once you have one you wonder how you ever survived without it.

Plasticman

From a previous post of mine:

Beware that the adjustable advance lights are not necessarily accurate. I have an Actron CP7528 (Inductive pickup with the advance dial). I compared it's readings with a distributor on my Sun Machine, to check it's accuracy (firing a separate ignition coil to fire the Actron strobe/circuit).

The Actron readings showed a consistent 2 degrees of error at all positions above zero, as tested @ both 500 & 1000 dist. RPM on the Sun (1000 & 2000 crank RPM). In other words, 2 separate sets of tests.

When the Actron's advance dial was set on "0", Sun agreed "0".
Actron set on 10, Sun read 4 dist. (8 crank).
Actron set on 20, Sun read 9 dist. (18 crank).
Actron set on 30, Sun read 14 dist. (28 crank).
Actron set on 40, Sun read 19 dist. (38 crank).
Actron set on 50, Sun read 24 dist. (48 crank).
Actron set on 60, Sun read 29 dist. (58 crank).

In each case, if I added 2 degrees to the Actron setting as a correction factor, it would fire at the correct point.

Examples:
Actron set at 12 deg. would actually be 10 crank deg.
Actron set at 32 deg. would actually be 30 crank deg.
Actron set at 62 deg. would actually be 60 crank deg.

While I agree that 2 deg. of error is not a lot, it still can matter.

And your results may vary......

I also tested my other 2 timing lights at the same time (both non "advance" type). An older Craftsman Inductive pickup, and a cheap Equus Inductive pickup unit. Both fired at zero, and worked fine at all RPMs.

The Actron was the brightest, and the Equus the dimmest.

Plasticman