DTI 3300 timing issues

WrenchWhore

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I'm having a hell of an issue trying to get this timing meter to work. I spent probably 5 hours in a hot 110 degree garage in AZ trying to make this thing read. I'm using the "timing with the magnetic probe" method. In the instructions it says that if you hook it up correctly it should be scrolling "0" for RPM and degree blinking "0". It is scrolling the "0" for RPM but just staying solid "0.0" for degrees. Is this normal? Does everyone elses blink before you start up the vehicle? I've seen the other videos posted on YouTube but they aren't the DTI unit so I have no way to reference. The instructions are written it a weird way in my opinion. It says you must have power to the unit before the magnetic probe is plugged in but doesn't say anything for the transducer. I've set the magnetic probe to probably 50 variations of the 1-3 business card thicknesses with no change. I've cleaned the paint off the #1 injector line and hooked up the transducer and grounded the black wire clamp to the same injector line on another spot I cleaned the paint from. Does the line have to be physically sanded to bare metal to work? Has anyone heard of these units not working in super heated garages? I find it hard to believe a tool like this is so delicate that it would be broken from hooking it up.
 

Ronw435

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Buy the timing light, it makes it so much easier. I could not get mine to work without the timing light either.
 

chicken bones

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Try setting it on low trigger. make sure the grove on harmonic dampner is clean. If that does'nt work buy the Timing Light. I never got my Probe to work , the Timing Light works.
 

Big Bart

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Wrenchhore,

Sorry you are having issues with your DTI unit. FYI these units are relatively fragile.

1) Most do not have an issue with the injector line clamp. So they can get rpm. Do sand off the paint where you clamp it.
2) Most do have issues with the damper probe. They are very picky and the line in the damper is very shallow. Some found 4 business cards worked. But the window is going to show 0 or 20 till you start the motor on your truck. Flashing is locking in and solid is locked In as I recall. After locked it should read degrees especially at higher rpms.
3) It is way easier to buy their timing light for that unit on the DTI website for $100 https://tinytach.com/timing-equipment.
4) You can call them and ask them to help you figure it out how to get the probe working.
5) If you can get the injector line clamp working you can use a regular timing light with the advance feature. Just use the metal u shaped bar in the back half of the box.
6) Now some captain obvious stuff. 1) You have all the cables hooked up right and in the right hole? Plugged in solid? 2) You are using the timing hole to the right side of the timing tab? There are two. 3) Your timing hole is clean and your probe tip is clean?

Let us know.
 

danda

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I just bought a DTI and planning to try it out soon, so I don't have any advice but will be curious to hear your further results.
 

WrenchWhore

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I will probably have to buy the timing gun when funds allow. It's just frustrating since paying $250 for a timing box then another $100 for a timing light just to check timing seems too high for me but then again I've been on the SnapOn truck before and spent that without thinking twice. I will probably just pony up.

I did set the meter on low trigger and moved the injector clamp closest to the IP with zero change. Also ran the opposite with the clamp closest to the injector and running it on high trigger with no change. with a drill and wire brush i removed all the paint off the entire balancer wear the probe reads. I took a shape screw driver and scrapped out the groove then wire brushed the groove clean. No change with the pickups.

As far as the clamp goes it seemed to intermittently read RPM in the beginning then eventually just stopped altogether. Moving the clamp around and going high/low trigger didn't affect this. I followed the instructions to make sure the probe was plugged in after the timing unit was plugged into power. Tried a bunch of different depths with no luck.

One interesting that did happen that I can't explain. When I had everything hooked up I fired up the truck. I came to look at the meter and the negative power cable popped off accidentally at the trucks battery and the meter did not shut off. Somehow the meter was finding ground through the meter, through one of the plugged in probes and kept it powered. That's when I stopped and said yep that's probably not right and that's probably my issue.

I'm thinking for safety reasons running an external power supply (12v battery) that isn't part of the trucks 12v system may be an added caution we may need to add if these little boxes are as sensitive as they seem.

I do have a timing light with the advance feature built in. I think I'll need to bust that thing out and find out. Due to the issues I was having with the DTI unit I sent it back since it wasn't working from the get go with the magnetic probe and seemed like something was up from the start. I'll probably have to purchase another since it's the only ones available that aren't an arm and a leg.
 
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gandalf

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If I'm not mistaken this is covering pretty much the same territory as the Recent Thread on this subject. Before we go further lets be sure all have read that.
 
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Clb

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This sounds distinctly like chineezium and not operational error?
Dainty components aside, why is the gun the answer if it's designed to be used with the clamp?
Is this unit half the price?

+1 on merging the 2 threads or add a link in post 1 for those who are searching the issue.
+1 on CLEAN inj. line and mag probe hole and dampner slot.
 

WrenchWhore

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Hey wanted to give an update. I was able to get a refund on my faulty DTI unit and purchased another one. I started with running the DTI off of it's own stand alone battery on my tool box not the trucks batteries. Made sure to power up the DTI first before plugging in the magnetic prob which I set to roughly a business card distance away. and VIOLA! she's working! Found out that my timing was advanced to about the 11.5 degree mark at 2000k. So I brought it down to the 8.5 degree mark almost lining up the timing lines on the pump and engine. Still smokes a little under hard acceleration and power seems slightly down from where it was. Thinking this could be one of my injectors that's got a slight hammer. I may set the timing at 9.5 to get a little more power.
 
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WrenchWhore

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Glad you got it sorted. I haven't tried mine yet

Glad you got it sorted. I haven't tried mine yet.
My recommendation would be to used a separate battery to power the unit and just make sure it's powered BEFORE you plug in the mag prob. My previous DTI found ground through one of the leads which kept it powered even when the negative was unhooked from the battery. This is also when I had the DTI hooked to the trucks batteries I was timing.
 

ttman4

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3) It is way easier to buy their timing light for that unit on the DTI website for $100 https://tinytach.com/timing-equipment.
Last yr I got my DTI off of EBay. IIRC I BO'ed $180 or $190 & got it. Still haven't used it yet.
But I was looking on their site you posted & now I got a question. Our 6.9-7.3 use what size Clamp On Transducer?
Also anyone know what/how to time a Dodge '94 12 valve 5.9? Do these DTI 3300S work on a Dodge 12 valve? & do anyone know what size of Clamp-On Transducer it takes for the Dodge 12 valve..... that is if you time them same/similar way as our IDI??
I have some spare 6.9 & 7.3 engines, as well as a Dodge '94 12 Valve engine setting out there under a tree all wrapped up & may get round to doing something with all them if I can ever get my %&@$# shop built!!!
 

WrenchWhore

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The DTI comes with a 6.35 transducer (I'm assuming that's in mm) which fits on 5mm, 6mm, and 1/4" hard lines. I just went outside and measured my 1987 6.9 injectors hard line and it was 1/4"
 

gandalf

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Yes, the 6.35 transducer is measured in millimeters, as 6.35mm. I converted that to inches (easy conversion), and it is indeed 1/4 inch. It fit perfectly on my 7.3 IDI.

Will it fit on a Dodge? I have no idea. I have no idea what size the injector lines might be on a Dodge.
 

ttman4

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Yeah I went and looked at my DTI kit & it had a Transducer that had 6.35 stamped/printed on it.
As far as my Dodge 12 valve engine I may never get round to doing anything with it. I was curious bout Dodge 5.9 & picked up a wreck bout 10-12 yr ago that I parted out & traded stuff from it. Only thing I still got from it is the engine & tranny/transfer case.
Like I say I got to get my 40x64 shop finished then thin out bunch my projects. I'm getting old!!
Matter of fact I've aged 4-5-6 yrs in the last yr since we lost one of our sons last yr.
Ken, remember 2-3-4 yr ago when Russ lost his daughter? & you & I talked. I felt for him, wanted to help, but till a person has it happen there's no way to truly know. I was a total zombie for bout 6-8 mo last yr.
Oh well......maybe the Lounge is where it should go.
 
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