Using a timing light

[mysta2]

I just tried to time my 750 with its new Pamco but either I'm defective, or my timing light is. As soon as I put power to it (clip it to the battery) it starts to flicker like mad. Not consistently, seemingly randomly. The bike is not on, and the trigger pickup is laying on the floor not near anything. Clipping on the lead doesn't stop it, starting the bike doesn't stop it. There's no intelligible reading to be had off the rotor from this flashing.

Innova 3551. Dis-conventional timing light.

Is it me?

 

[mysta2]

I just timed it by ear. Rotated the plate until the revs were basically the highest. This was almost all the way counter clockwise.

 

[mydlyfkryzis]

You are probably way too advanced...You may ruin the engine when running.

Are you using a 12V light? or a Strobe lamp?

If the trigger pickup is on the floor, how would the engine know when to fire the plugs....

Not sure what you are doing, but I am sure you are doing it wrong.....

 

[1sttimer]

Is it the induction type? I think the instructions say to have the leads around the wires before you crank the bike. Post some more details

 

[xb33bsa]

I just timed it by ear. Rotated the plate until the revs were basically the highest. This was almost all the way counter clockwise.

that shit ain't right, dont ride it like that, can you say holes in pistons :-\

 

[mysta2]

Yes. It's induction.

Innova 3551 (I'd link directly to it, but the manufacturers site does not work that way)

Again. With the bike off (not running, not acc, off) the light flickers at random when connected to the battery. Plugs are not firing, coils are not energized, pickup is not in place, the bike has no power. In this condition, the light flickers like mad.

I put the induction lead on first before hooking into the battery. But seeing as I got this flickering, I tried pulling that lead off to confirm that the light was flashing with seemingly no input. And that is the case. I also tried starting the bike to see if a pattern might emerge, it did not.

I just don't know if there is in fact something wrong with the light, or there is just something that I don't know about using it on a bike.

 

[mydlyfkryzis]

You can't time it without it running. It may just be picking up random noise. I use a cheap inductive timing light and it works fine with Mt Pamco ignition.

Sent from planet Earth using mysterious electronic devices.

 

[Big R]

Kit, it sounds like the timing light is faulty somehow.

I would try to use it on a car, lawnmower, big ol shaggin wagon van, etc. and see if it does the same thing.