qim Posted July 20, 2017 Author Report Share Posted July 20, 2017 (edited) You've mentioned a number of times that you're not especially mechanically-inclined, and we believe you. Is setting the timing within the range of your abilities? Hi Don YES! as long as I don't have to get under the car; have the right tools; and have the help of many online friends to get me out of trouble! I used to service the car when I first bought it in the late 70s. It never ran so well. I even messed around withe carbs, although somehow in about the three years I used it as an everyday car, I never had to touch the mixture (is that normal?). Also I never touched the timing. When I left home, some three weeks ago, the car had a very high petrol consumption. As soon as I get back, I am going to: a) check the choke, in case it is partly open b-) check for vacuum leaks with a can of starting fluid I have just bought. When the car was disassembled in January the mechanic convinced me to have the manifold sand-blasted. That was a mistake; he had trouble fitting it back and now I wonder if there is a leak somewhere. c) I am going to clean the plugs and following Roger's instructions try to weaken the mixture. I bought a Synchrometer and will slowly start playing with that too. d) I will have a go at the timing e) I will buy a return ticket for one of you to go down and get the car starting again! Regards Camilo Edited July 20, 2017 by qim Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Don Elliott Posted July 23, 2017 Report Share Posted July 23, 2017 Don H - I too have been looking at the Innova Digital Timing Light. But they say it will only work if the car has negative ground. My TR3A is still positive ground. Any advice ? Some have suggested a separate battery. How is this connected ? Will this make the Innova unit work as it should? Don Elliott, Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Don H. Posted July 23, 2017 Report Share Posted July 23, 2017 (edited) Don H - I too have been looking at the Innova Digital Timing Light. But they say it will only work if the car has negative ground. My TR3A is still positive ground. Any advice ? Some have suggested a separate battery. How is this connected ? Will this make the Innova unit work as it should? Don Elliott, Boy, I gotta check on that, Don -- well spotted. I borrowed the Blue Point version of that light a few years ago (Snap-on's underbrand) and it worked just fine on my positive ground car. I liked the light's handling (including the finger guard) and that all the cables are removable with plug-in connectors at the gun handle. I never gave a thought to grounding at the time. The one I used was not the "pro" version I illustrated in the earlier post. I think it was the one below that in the line, like this: Edited July 23, 2017 by Don H. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Don H. Posted July 23, 2017 Report Share Posted July 23, 2017 (edited) I know I used this light on my car, but the current word indeed says it's a no-go. The second Q&A on the Summit Racing site is an answer from Innova about positive ground stating in the manufacturer's own words that the light won't work. https://www.summitracing.com/parts/ino-5568 Q: Can this timing light be used on positive ground vehicles? Asked by DOUGLAS on April 30, 2017 A:Thank you for your question. Unfortunately, our timing lights will not work on positive ground type vehicles. Innova Answer - May 02, 2017 Edited July 23, 2017 by Don H. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lebro Posted July 23, 2017 Report Share Posted July 23, 2017 FWIW I suspect that they will work as a basic timing light, ie connect the power leads to battery, + to + - to -, then clip the inductive pickup onto the plug lead. With no more connections the unit will not know what polarity the car is. If however you also connect other leads say to measure dwell then that may very well upset it. Bob. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
qim Posted September 23, 2017 Author Report Share Posted September 23, 2017 Hi qim ~ I bought a Gunson's Professional strobe gun. No mention of any vacuum pump? They're having a laugh! Send the bloody thing back and get a Gunson's. Regards ~ Tom. Hi Tom Which Gunson's Professional did you get? Not this one I hope... https://www.amazon.co.uk/Gunson-G4123-Supastrobe-Professional-Timing/dp/B0012MCW1U Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Fireman049 Posted September 23, 2017 Report Share Posted September 23, 2017 Hi Camilo ~ Yes, that's the one I bought. It was on a very special offer so I went for it. Regards ~ Tom. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
qim Posted September 23, 2017 Author Report Share Posted September 23, 2017 (edited) £171?!!!! You could get another TR for that! Tom, what has that gun got that cheaper Gunson's don't? Edited September 23, 2017 by qim Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Fireman049 Posted September 23, 2017 Report Share Posted September 23, 2017 (edited) Hi Camilo ~ I don't know! but it does all I want it to do. I certainly didn't pay £171 for mine believe me! Tom. Edited September 23, 2017 by Fireman049 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
qim Posted September 23, 2017 Author Report Share Posted September 23, 2017 With my "extensive" abulity and experience I came to the conclusion that the only thing I want a strobe to do is to tell me the angle (even if it is not right as long as it is stable). The idea is that if I ever get the ideal angle, then with a strobe I can check in future if it is spot on or not. Can you reccommend any? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Fireman049 Posted September 23, 2017 Report Share Posted September 23, 2017 Hi Camilo ~ I should think that any cheap strobe light would do all you want to do. Tom. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
qim Posted September 23, 2017 Author Report Share Posted September 23, 2017 Well, not the one I bought that has gone wrong, the third time I used, and is obviously not reliable. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RobH Posted September 23, 2017 Report Share Posted September 23, 2017 Before you throw the thing away Camillo - make sure its connected up correctly. The device relies on picking up the pulses from the spark plug lead and that can be affected by not having the clamp properly closed and also on not having it the correct way round. It must of course be on number 1 lead. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
qim Posted September 23, 2017 Author Report Share Posted September 23, 2017 (edited) It is on no 1 and the correct way round pointing towards the spark plug. As for not having the clamp properly closed, i will check again but there is not much to do there. One thing I am not doing is taking our the vacuum tube, but I read in another thread that it makes no difference as the vacuum only works after around 800 rpm As I wrote elsewhere, when I tried it this afternoon it suggested an angle of 60º !!! It also jumps about a lot which does not make sense as the tick-over is steady. I have written to Acuspark telling them that I will be sending the gun back as it is useless. I also decided that I don't need a gun to SET the timing, but I do need one to CHECK the timing, Edited September 23, 2017 by qim Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RobH Posted September 23, 2017 Report Share Posted September 23, 2017 If its jumping about a lot it probably means the device is having trouble in seeing a clean pulse from the plug. Are the HT leads bundled together ? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
qim Posted September 23, 2017 Author Report Share Posted September 23, 2017 Are the HT leads bundled together ? No. Quite separate. It also sometimes hangs and displays "1" or sometines "2" - They look like error codes Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RobH Posted September 23, 2017 Report Share Posted September 23, 2017 Unfortunately there is no mention of that in the user guide so the meaning is anyone's guess. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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