timing problem

[steelkiwi75]

when checking timing, the mark on the balancer bounces. could this be timing light or something in the distributor? this is the second motor this has happened with. same timing light and dist.

[Racer111]

I know some lights dont work right with some wires.But i would borrow a light and check..Know 2 guys burned up engines because of bad lights..

[Matt49]

Use the most basic, dumbed-down timing light you can get your hands on. Do NOT trust the ones that have the knobs or special diagnostics. Keep it simple. Just my opinion.

[perfconn]

Some bouncing is normal unless you run a crank trigger.

[racedog]

Had an MSD that bounced a lot and the little stud that lcks it out was sloppy and allowing it to move. Took it apart and welded it. It was better but even new they aren't as good as the crank trigger,

[andy16]

2+ degrees bouncing is not normal in my humble opinion. i would check your cap to see if its locking like its supposed too, make sure rotor is tight, make sure striker is not loose on rotor, make sure when you clamp the light on the wire its not near any other wires. how much is it boucing? if you re wired or bought used dist/box make sure the positive lead from box goes to pos lead to dist. the purple and green wires hook up to the purple and orange wires but... the purple wires do not go to each other at least on my stuff they dont. if you cross those the timing will be everywhere by like ten degrees or more moving all around and WILL blow up your motor. i run the large cap msd and i have less than 1 degree bounce i actually cant see it bounce any but im sure its still not as good as a crank trigger but turns 8600 all the time w no problems w a large cap msd locked by welding and a analog 6al and a blaster 3 coil. nothing fancy.crank triggers are nice but are a little more $

[sj valley dave]

Most of the professionally built engines I've seen run a crank trigger. We run a crank trigger with 1 box and coil, then the distributor pickup has it's box and coil that's a little a little different in timing...

[andy16]

that is a great setup...just sayin i think he could maximize what he has and get by without a trigger. every nascar sprint cup or nationwide motor isn allowed to run a crank trigger and they run fine, thats alot of racecars with out them. for me it would be money waisted unless i could play w the timing map and thats illegal in most tracks and series. i believe he has a minor problem w the stuff he has and could fix it pretty cheap once he finds it. crank triggers are better but have there problems too they aren full proof. magnets fall out pickups die or come loose. they all need maintenence.

[sj valley dave]

I didn't say he needed one to fix his problem...Just showed there can be a use for one without playing with the timing mapping...Also, I meant professionally built DLM engines...not NASCAR stuff..Last I looked we are on the DLM forum...

[FlatTire]

I've had this same problem for years. I have no clue what to do either. It doesn't matter what I do its always there. I've had this probelm with
new engines, different timing lights, new distributors, new ignition boxes. I've tried my engine builders timing light and my own MSD timing light. Never really gone away.
I finally quit worrying about it. Its not causing any issues. I just try and set my timing in the center of all the bouncing. I'd say mine bounces +/- 1.5degrees.

[xxxmod]

Possibly the cam walking( pushing against the timing chain cover) a water pump with a set screw against the cam button
usually cures this.

[smirk]

On wet sumps ive heard that oil pump cavitation can cause this

[perfconn]

All of the above causes timing flutter.That plus crankshaft twist,timing chain slop,cam twist,gear slop between the cam and distributor.You will never get it all out without going to a crank trigger.Torsional twist on the camshaft is a really big factor.Thats the reason you see such big cam cores nowdays.Nascar cup engines have to run flat tappet cams and they are up to 60-62mm cores now.

[andy16]

in any dlm engine, limited, super or whatever you always have to run a rotor that is turned by either the cam or a belt off the front of cam. and i have never seen one ran off a belt of front of cam on a dirt motor. so even if you ran a trigger you would still have to run the distributor turned by the cam and spark phasing will always move, minor. its not a perfect world. bush/nationwide motors are roller cams. they went to bigger cam cores to control the cam timing not spark timing. with a proper jesel belt/ torrington bearing to preload the cam cam walk is all but eliminated. with a fiber distributor gear harmonics thru the distributor shaft is all but eliminated. and with machinable reluctor wheel you could adjust individual cylinder timing wich is not possible with a std crank trigger.distributors can perform as good as triggers if maintained properly. he said it was bouncing. i asume when he revs it, it is still moving at around at 3000+ rpms. which could be cam walk if its 2 degrees. anything more is a problem w something that i would look into.

[sj valley dave]

You need to read back through the thread...NOBODY belittled anyone...except perhaps you..Everyone was giving ideas out there...perfconn made a statement and you got on and said what you wanted...BTW when we run our box #2 through the distributor pickups, there is bouncing when setting the timing...When we switch to box #1 and go off trigger, the bouncing is minimized...still slightly there, but no where as bad...