Timing light shopping

[airschooled]

Hi Folks,

My 60-year-old timing light isn't reliable anymore, so I need a new one. My priorities are:

Quality. It will be used daily at work.
Size. The smaller the better for the traveling tool box.
Advance dial would be nice but not mandatory.
I don't care if it has tach/dwell/doodads/gizmos.
I don't really care about price right now. I'm fine spending more if it will last forever.

Let me know what you think!
Robbie
_________________
Learn how your vintage VW works. And why it doesn't!
One-on-one tech help for your Volkswagen:
www.airschooled.com

[Cusser]

[airschooled]

[skills@eurocarsplus]

I would look at the snap off MT1261A or similar. yes, it's big and yes it has tach/dwell/advance etc but mine has been around long than you have with zero issues.

it's very nice to see speed and advance all in one. I have had zero issues with it.

otherwise I would just buy a cheap one if you have no need for the rest of the functions as spending good money on just a basic light is pretty stupid and chalk it up to a disposable commodity. I like my snap off for a lot of reasons, one being the wires are silicone jacketed and don't hold a memory when wound up for storage. really nice to be able to drape the wires away from stuff and not keep trying to pull back to a set memory from storage
_________________

[airschooled]

[skills@eurocarsplus]

yea...and all of their stupid waste of space blow molded cases too.

the light is rather big...for sure but pretty much shatter proof. you can find them used pretty reasonable.

the cheapie ones typically have almost stiff appliance cord for the hook ups, and a kind of flexy inductive pick up. nothing worse than moving the light to have the clips come flying off the battery. if space saving is a concern I wouldn't suggest it but like anything you can pack stuff around it for sure.
_________________

[Dwayne1m]

Research the Innova line of timing lights.

[jlrftype7]

Robbie, don't rule out used Timing Lights either. As many Techs retire or die off, their tools are being sold off since many of the younger family left with them can't use them or don't have any use for the tools.
Check Craigslist and Pawn Shops, also there are some Auto Equipment Distributors that can point you to good deal if they know of a customer who's selling off stuff.
My Mac Timing Light, TL87, is still working all these years later, but then again, so is my even older Craftsman simple timing light which lacks the Advance knob setting of my Mac.
_________________
'68 Westy- my first VW and vehicle/Bus- long gone.- sold it to a traveling Swiss couple....
'67 Type 3 Fastback, my 2nd car- gone
'69 Semi-Auto Stick Shift Beetle-gone
2017 MINI Coopers, our current DDs
‘84 Tin Top - Hilga....Auto

[grandpa red]

Now that I have a bug again my 43 year old Sears Penske timing light will come out of retirement along with its brother which is a Sears Penske dwell/tach meter.
Hope they still work.
_________________
'72 Beetle

[calvinater]

Can you post a pic or two of those sears/penske tools?
_________________
"Albatross"!

[tasb]

it's a little too big for the tool box but comes with plenty of storage

My 1949 Sun MSD distributor tester
_________________
Roads Scholar &
1957 Kombi low mileage 36 hp governor equipped M 178 Slow Drag Winner 2014, 2015, 2018

1965 hardtop Deluxe Microbus owned since 1990 M 620 factory 12 v 1500cc

1961 (October)Single Cab- Road Trip Workhorse

[grandpa red]

[grandpa red]

Here is what I bought in the late 70's....

_________________
'72 Beetle

[JBH]

Find yourself a 'self-powered' light with inductive lead. They look like a flashlight with an inductive lead attached. Simple, very effective. Here's link to one offered by Summit, for example.
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/wmr-w80578?seid...gIsD_D_BwE

[iamdonquixote]

regular sears one works fine. You can always test it against a known working one.

I also find a push button start to start car when looking at the engine is another cheap small part to put in a tool kit even a travel one.

[jeffrey8164]

Please tell us that you’ve found one so all this can be put to rest
_________________
Volkswagen!
Turning owners into mechanics since 1938.

“Let he that is without oil throw the first rod”
(Compression 8.7:1)

[Tram]

[Zundfolge1432]

Another flea market find this ones a keeper. Paid the guy 25 bucks and it works with me it will only see limited use and end up in someone else’s toolbox when I croak.

[vamram]

My Innova 5568 fancy-shmancy digital timing light w/tach, dwell and volt meter died...after 3 years.
_________________
Eventually, "we are what we pretend to be.’”
Give peace a chance - Stop Russian-Soviet Aggression!!

'74 Super 9/16 - present, in refurb process.
'73 Super - 6/18 - Present - Daily Driver!
'75 Super Le Grande...waiting it's turn in line behind '74.
Click to view image
Save the Supers!!