timing light question

[BobJones]

Hello folks, it's been awhile sense I have done any work on the Rover but i'm back to it now. I have never used a timing light before, it seems simple enough. But, the rover is positive ground. Is it still possible to use the light on it, and do I hook it to the negative battery terminal?

thanks in advance...pun intended!

[antichrist]

I'm feeling sort of retarded, I can't remember if I ever used it on a positive earth rover.
My '62 I always just set statically, then adjust to where it runs well.

[stomper]

Using a timing light will get you in the ballpark, but don't think it will run perfectly with it set to the settings availible in the green bible. With the increased Ethanol and changes in octane ratings, you will need to time it by ear once you use the timing light.

Since it is just a light bulb with a strobe sensor hooked to the spark plug wire, I don't think it matters if you hook it up one way or the other. Regardless, the timing light doesn't care how the grounding on the vehicle is. Just hook it up black to negative, red to positive.

[Andrew IIA]

Using a timing light will get you in the ballpark, but don't think it will run perfectly with it set to the settings availible in the green bible. With the increased Ethanol and changes in octane ratings, you will need to time it by ear once you use the timing light.

Since it is just a light bulb with a strobe sensor hooked to the spark plug wire, I don't think it matters if you hook it up one way or the other. Regardless, the timing light doesn't care how the grounding on the vehicle is. Just hook it up black to negative, red to positive.

Yes, agreed.

[Donnie]

Hello, using timing specs that were written 50 years ago are useless now with the panther piss fuel that we are being forced to use.
Leave your advance connected, run your engine at the rpm that you usually run at, connect a vacuum gauge, dial it in & lock it down......done.......if you want to advance it a bit more, do so until you get a ping on hill's, then back it off until you lose the ping, or increase the octane..............Donnie

[LR Max]

Don't forget to modulate your idle screw. Get it right for running, then tinker with the idle screw to get it to idle properly.

[BobJones]

Thank you all for your assistance. It is running much better now.

But of course now I have a new problem! That's for a new thread.