Diesel timing meters???

[Robyn]

I am seeing several diesel timing meters on the market place for sale.
Snapon makes/made one and I have seen one by Rotunda thats called a diesel tach/timing meter.
Has anyone here had any experience with these.
I am assuming they work off the #1 cylinder injector line pulse and either drive a timing light or use a reference sensor that plugs into the timing tab and then reads the timing on a meter/digital display

Any input here???

Once I have my fresh 6.2/6.5 with mechanical injection all ready to go back into my Burb I want to time it right on the money if possible.

I will however be able to varify the true TDC with a dial indicator during assembly.

Robyn

[john8662]

This has been discussed before, do some searches in the 6.2 forum for some good reading on the subject.

The MT480 is the popular one that works on the 6.2 well.

The Rotunda one will work on the 6.2 as well, Britannic used this method.

J

[Robyn]

Thanks john
;0)

Robyn

[NH2112]

The MT480 uses a luminosity probe and magnetic pickup to compute timing specs. Actual injection has no bearing on its results. The inductive pickup meters use only the injection pulse, and in an older engine that's getting low on compression or has retarded valve timing WRT injection timing, injection and combustion might not be all that closely related. Best results are obtained by using both types.

[Robyn]

Seems to me that the luminosity probe would be the closest way to go.

The GM manuals just say to align the scribe marks.

With a new timing chain and things fresh just aligning the marks will at least be close.

I am looking at a Rotunda unit that is for sale here locally.
The thing is new, I believe it works off the pulse from #1 cylinder and transmits the signal via a piezo device then corelates the signal with the signal from the magnetic pickup to compute the timing shown on the meter.
The local Ford garage has one and their techs seem to think its ok..

Robyn

[trbankii]

I've seen those Rotunda units for sale on flea-bay but usually they are described as "Ford" units... Couldn't figure out what made a Ford special when it came to timing a diesel but wasn't sure if they would work on ours.

[NH2112]

Rotunda is Ford's tool brand, like Kent Moore is GM's.

[trbankii]

Finally was able to pick up an MT-480 for under $100... Watching prices, I felt that was a decent deal. Unfortunately, have the truck apart at the moment so I can't try it out by using it on the truck. Any way to "try it out" to make sure it works? The guy gave me a week to return it if anything was wrong. Briefly thought about using my timing light to "flash" the pickup for the meter? Anyone local have a truck they want to try it on?

[gmctd]

Believe the main problem with trying to time the 6.2\6.5 is getting the probe down in amongst the heads and intake and IP and injector pipes for the hookup, but I think the tool would be worth having in the DB2 Diesel toolkit