Questions
1) Did you want to learn how to use your tech time?
or
2) You know how to but think members would bebefit from having it reposted.
Myself or IDIBronco can tell you how to use it if you like. It is fairly straight foreward. DTI also posts the instructions but they are generic not Ford specific.
In case the videos are gone.
For members with a truck. I believe vans use a different cylinder and thus perhaps a different offset but the rest applies.
1) Timing is set off #1 cylinder. (Passenger side by radiator.)
2) Timing is set to 8.5* btdc at 2,000 rpm. Spec for both 6.9 and 7.3 motors. Some members prefer 9.5* btdc.
3) Turning pump towards passenger fender advances timing. Drivers side retards it. Read up members have discussed how to make or buy tools that make loosening the pump and lines easier. I bought a wrench and made it thinner on a grinding wheel. For instance I bought a wrench and ground it thin for one of the injector bolts.(Did not want to ruin the one from my wrench set.) I have a crows foot to help loosen some of the injector lines.
4) It is highly recommended not to set timing or leave IP loose with engine running. Loosen IP, set, tighten, start, and restart engine. Rinse and repeat till you get it set.
5) If your timing is say more than 4* off you should loosen the injector lines on the back of the pump to move the IP without stressing the lines. Tighten to snug tight, not hulk tight or you will damage them. You can always tighten more if needed. Once damage you need a néw one.
6) Sand/clean paint off injector line where you put the piezo clamp. Put it as close to injector as possible but not on the bend. If you get a rpm reading on the meter it is working.
7) You can use the meter now 3 ways. You set the knob on the meter to which method you are using.
a) Damper probe - If you bought the eBay one it comes with the probe. The probe many say is slightly to big for the damper hole. Some say pull the retaining clip off, some say taking a drill bit by hand and cleaning out the hole on the timing tab worked. Some sanded/grinded the probe tip to a smaller diameter. They probe is a little finicky. Some say the probe worked sitting off the damper at a space made by a business card other say 3-5 business cards. Also recommended is cleaning off the damper and making sure the timing line is cleaned out so it registered on the probe. If using cylinder one for the piezo clamp, you use a 20* offset because the damper hole is not at TDC.(It’s 20* off TDC, thus why you adjust the meter to 20.). If the timing probe is working you will see the timing. If not I believe it shows -20 but do not hold me to that.
b) You can buy a timing light from DTI, ~$100, that pugs in to the meter directly and no dampener probe is needed. No 20* offset is needed. It has the ability to do advance so you can figure out what the timing is but also how far off it is. This is in my opinion the easiest way to use the meter.
c) If you have a gasser timing gun with advance you can use it too. There is a u shaped bar on the meter that the spark plug clamp on the timing light hooks too. If the light is not working flip the timing lights clamp over. Some lights may not work. So you may need to buy or borrow a different brand if yours does not. But flipping and moving the clamp often makes it work. Use the timing bar setting on the meter and no offset. Use the advance to set to 8.5* and you set the timing marks on the damper to TDC. The timing tab does not have a 8.5* mark so you use the advance so you can align them to TDC but you actually are setting to 8.5*. You can use the advance to also determine how far off your timing is.
For those members without a meter of some kind today. Timing is everything on these trucks. 90% of shops do not have one and will “time by ear” but that gets close but not on the money. So wether you buy it and use it or buy it and lend to your mechanic. You should have one to make your truck run the best it can, starts easy, smokes little to none, and runs cool.
