Setting the timing with a petronix - need help tonight

[BigBlueVW.blogspot.com]

Hey all. I'm here helping Marc (of Marc and Eliana) set his timing. He has a pertonix, so the coil is a little different than my bus/bug. If I connect the timing light to the coil, I get a constant light, no matter where the distributor is pointing. I'm a little confused on how to help him with this? Any help?
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'56 Bug - no name yet
'63 Bug "Little Blue"
'68 Bus "Big Blue"

Find bus camping friends at http://VWCamperFamily.com/

A west coast VW bus camping adventure at: http://bigbluevw.com/

Interested in VW buses and have a Facebook account? Check out Big Blue's Fan page: http://www.facebook.com/bigbluevw

[skills@eurocarsplus]

[BigBlueVW.blogspot.com]

Um. I am using a static light (test light). I'm guessing you are referring to a stobe? Is there a way to set the timing with a static timing light?
_________________
'56 Bug - no name yet
'63 Bug "Little Blue"
'68 Bus "Big Blue"

Find bus camping friends at http://VWCamperFamily.com/

A west coast VW bus camping adventure at: http://bigbluevw.com/

Interested in VW buses and have a Facebook account? Check out Big Blue's Fan page: http://www.facebook.com/bigbluevw

[whc03grady]

He's not using a strobe, he's timing it statically using a test light.
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1974 Westfalia "Ludwig"
1971 Squareback "Gertie"
Read about their adventures

[whc03grady]

Aarrgh! Beat me to it! I shouldn't've been so fancy with the links....
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1974 Westfalia "Ludwig"
1971 Squareback "Gertie"
Read about their adventures

[towd]

negative side ...aka ,, black wire from the dizzy, not the red

[BigBlueVW.blogspot.com]

whc03grady - you crack me up.

We went and bought a strobe at the parts store. Worked fine and he is back on his way...

Thanks.
_________________
'56 Bug - no name yet
'63 Bug "Little Blue"
'68 Bus "Big Blue"

Find bus camping friends at http://VWCamperFamily.com/

A west coast VW bus camping adventure at: http://bigbluevw.com/

Interested in VW buses and have a Facebook account? Check out Big Blue's Fan page: http://www.facebook.com/bigbluevw

[roger rabbit]

You should still be able to use a static test light to time a pertronix equiped distributor. Although the pertronix kit replaces the mechanical points, it still has to create an open circuit same as the points did to cause the magnetic flux created around the coil when there is power to "collapse" resulting in the high voltage output for the spark plugs. I have never tried this on a pertronix equiped distributor but have done it on GM HEI type distributor/coils. I suspect that if you hooked up the test light between the negative terminal on the coil and the black wire on the pertronix that you will see the same effect as with points. I might not be right on how the pertronix is wired, but the pertronix kit still has to do the same thing as mechanical points with regards 12 volts to the coil.