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A Tip In The Hunt For The Bouncing Ball?


GreenSwede

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I don´t think I´m the only one having trouble fitting the timing gun and my head in a manner that makes seeing the bouncing ball an illuminating it at the same time. Just saw this, which should make it easier?

 

Maybe this is old news, but I´ve never seen it before.

 

 

http://www.amazon.com/JEGS-Performance-Products-W80578-Self-Powered/dp/B007VR7KXA

 

31cAzhfQfbL.jpg

Ola Gustafson
Sweden
-------------------
1975 Taiga Euro 2002 3685483 - Weber 38/38 DGMS - Pertronix Ignitor - H&R Cup Kit - TEP headers and Simons 2" sport exhaust - 3.91 LSD.

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perhaps I have had too much coffee this morning or the "Govt. shutdown" has me thinking about politicians..and teleprompters.

 

I wonder if a small piece of window glass, perhaps 3" x 3", held at a 45 degree angle with the timing light held horizontal would work?  Aim the gun at the glass an the beam reflects down to the hole and ball.  Then just look through the glass to see the ball???  Too much coffee?  :)

'71 MGB - sold   '74 2002 - sold

'89 XR4Ti - sold  '94 Miata R Package - sold

'73 tii - restoration project - sold

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TR-- That's funny. You forget that this contortion of the body requires a timing light in the right hand and the distributor in the left hand, oh yeah, and a second person holding the rpms at 2500 in the driver's seat. You'd need a third hand to hold the glass. :-)

Once you've done the job a hundred times, it's not so bad. I do have one trick that I use. There is a return heater hose (I think) that obscures the hole on my car. I tie it to the side with a piece of string to get a good look at the hole.

I wish someone would write an article on using the crankshaft pulley marks for timing. The problem is that there is no mark for the 2500rpm position, like the optimum spot for the "ball" position.

That could solve the issue once and for all. Although, aligning the mark on the pulley while turning the distributor may be difficult unless you have very long arms.

73 Inka Tii #2762958

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crank pulley is super easy.  you just need an adjustable advance timing light.  instead of having the "ball" in a certain postion, you just dial in the advance in the timing light, aim it at the tdc mark, rev to desired rpm and spin the dizzy to match.

 

and don't need a second person. just use the idle adjust screw to raise the "idle" to desired rpm.

Edited by mlytle

2xM3

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It was just a crazy idea. Caffeine will do that and Paul you are correct it would be a chance to involve the whole family in "car stuff".

 

I have turned my engine over by hand and saw the little ball so I know it exists.  One thing I am not clear about: is the ball TDC or does it show the factory recommended advance?  TR

'71 MGB - sold   '74 2002 - sold

'89 XR4Ti - sold  '94 Miata R Package - sold

'73 tii - restoration project - sold

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One thing I am not clear about: is the ball TDC or does it show the factory recommended advance?  TR

 

Recommended advance. TDC is the line with the Z next to it, as I recall.

 

Though my european books say 1450 rpm +/- 25, I think. Non tii, that is.

Edited by GreenSwede

Ola Gustafson
Sweden
-------------------
1975 Taiga Euro 2002 3685483 - Weber 38/38 DGMS - Pertronix Ignitor - H&R Cup Kit - TEP headers and Simons 2" sport exhaust - 3.91 LSD.

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Just paint the ball, and you'll see it better.  I used red paint first (and did a sloppy job of it), so then I put a yellow spot right on the ball itself in  the center of my red blob.  Perfect!  Much easier to see than all the other shiny metal spinning around in there.

Bring a Welder

1974 2002, 1965 Datsun L320 truck, 1981 Yamaha XS400, 1983 Yamaha RX50, 1992 Miata Miata drivetrain waiting on a Locost frame, 1999 Toyota Land Cruiser

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Painted the flywheel od space between the TDC and the ball White.

Painted the flywheel of beyond the ball for an inch or two Red.

Easy to know whether more or less advance is needed and easy to find the ball.

A radiator shop is a good place to take a leak.

 

I have no idea what I'm doing but I know I'm really good at it.

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I cut a little wooden wedge that I slip in under the idle screw to set rpm at 1500.

Edited by '76Mintgrun'02

     DISCLAIMER 

I now disagree with some of the timing advice I have given in the past.  I misinterpreted the distributor curves in the Blue Book. 

I've switched from using ported-vacuum to manifold, with better results. 

I apologize for spreading misinformation.  

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TR - The ball (on the tii) is offset from TDC to show the the proper advance position at 2500rpm, 1500ish on the stock 02. Please someone clarify if I'm incorrect in my explanation.

 

Thanks Marshall.  I just have a regular timing light, but now I have a reason to borrow my buddy's digital light. 

 

I gotta say that I don't enjoy idling the engine at 2500rpms without a second person.  Somehow it's unnerving and feels unsafe.  Probably just me being paranoid.  I suppose with the digital light the process would be a lot quicker than scrambling around trying to line up the ball, turn the distributor and keep the rpms steady, all at the same time.

73 Inka Tii #2762958

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I have one of those and it is still a pain to get my knoggin and that light lined up to illuminate and see it at the same time.  I've tried other timing lights and that one makes it easier, but it's still not easy.  That one has less wires to make life easier.

 

My tii has a small notch cut at the top center at the firewall.

 

I still think someone needs to make a timing light that you can look through the middle and see what it's pointed at...  O_o

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