timing tech with MSD

I have always timed my cars by ear but I am trying to step up and get a little more "scientifical" on tuning.

So I went out and bought an inductive timing light and clamped it on the no.1 wire and got a random light show but nothing I could use to set the timing by.

I would guess it is because of the MSD6a I have hooked up. So how do you do it with the MSD unit?

 

Never had that problem.Even at 10,000 rpm.

I wonder if your timing actually is jumping around.

 

I doubt it- its running great. I figured since it sparks more than once per ignition the timing light doesn't know which one to react to? Maybe I am more confused than I thought? It seems like there is only one way to hook up a timing light.

 

Are the polarity connections on the power wires correct?

Do you have the inductive pick up unit clamped to one wire and lying on one or two more?
I'd bet you do and that's where your multiple light flashes are coming from.

Hang the inductive pickup off a #1 plug wire loop or wherever so the pickup is isolated from the other plug wires.

Are you using a 'dial-back' timing light?
They will register incorrectly on an MSD equipped engine.
You'll still get one flash per 720 degrees of crank revolution, but the timing will show off by 15-25 degrees.

Best to use a standard non dialback timing light on MSD engines.
They work fine.

As a small matter of interest you can time engines that do not have an on-board battery with a standard timing light.
Comp cars with mags for one, dirt bikes with mags for the other.

I used to time my TT500 dirt bike by powering the timing light with the Ranchero's battery and hang the inductive pickup off the single plug wire loop and shoot the timing.

The TT500's are easy to time statically, but the light was great for showing if the centrifugal advance was working.

 

We had a Shitty Ford electronic control module,before running the MSD.
Set the timing at idle,40 degrees,lock the distributor down.
Rev it to 3000,dead steady.
Motor was a DOG.Wouldn't pull.
Turns out,if your reved it past 6000 the timing retarded BIG TIME.
To compensate,we had to increase the initial timing to around 70 degrees,
so the timing would be correct above 6000.
Power was between 7000 and 10,500.Valve springs limited the high end.
Couldn't turn the ignition on,then hit the starter.It would destroy the starter.
Had to get it turning over with the starter,then hit the ignition.
Sounded like a gunshot when it fired up. BANG !

Eventually got an MSD,and Blue Max wires,and put the initail timing back where it should be.
Ran just as good,easier to start.