DTI Tech Time issues

[beanballs]

Hello, attempting to find the timing with a DTI unit and Im too dumb to figure this problem out. Using probe not light.

Have everything set up, when I turn the truck on it reads around ~8.5 for the timing at ~800rpms. When I throttle up to 2000 it just drops until it starts reading 0.0 or even into the negative numbers! If I go back to idle it reads ~8.5 again. Offset was set at 20 and then -20 which just got me a timing of ~48.00 at 2000.

Any idea what I could possibly be doing wrong here? I cleaned out the grove on HB and the injector clamp is decently bare metal and on the passenger side injector closest to front of engine. I see lots of other articles on this but they all seem to have the probe not positioned correctly, and I dont think thats whats happening here since it reads a number and doesnt ever show 20.00.

 

[BlindAmbition]

@beanballs
I wrapped a bit of aluminum tape between the spring and the magnetic probe body on mine in order to get it to have a firm seat. I use either two clean business cards or a .010 feeler gauge and bottom the probe out on that, then remove the cards/gauge, then try to slide them in again to see if the probe moved at all. On my truck it will read fine at idle but I'll get weird unsteady readings at higher RPM unless I get it placed just right.

 

[beanballs]

@beanballs
I wrapped a bit of aluminum tape between the spring and the magnetic probe body on mine in order to get it to have a firm seat. I use either two clean business cards or a .010 feeler gauge and bottom the probe out on that, then remove the cards/gauge, then try to slide them in again to see if the probe moved at all. On my truck it will read fine at idle but I'll get weird unsteady readings at higher RPM unless I get it placed just right.

ah okay had no idea it could read fine at idle and then be messy at higher RPM just because of the probe. Its probably just that! Though it does ready steady at high rpms, just gives me a bad number. Will try that, Thanks.

 

[Austin86250]

What i always do for harmonic gap is while running is just push it in til it barely scrapes the balancer and slowly back out til it likes it,
Nothing wrong with business cards or feelers but what I have noticed is that the timing tabs get bent over the years meaning most times it’s always different but that is just my experience

 

[bumblebeer]

Hello, attempting to find the timing with a DTI unit and Im too dumb to figure this problem out. Using probe not light.

Have everything set up, when I turn the truck on it reads around ~8.5 for the timing at ~800rpms. When I throttle up to 2000 it just drops until it starts reading 0.0 or even into the negative numbers! If I go back to idle it reads ~8.5 again. Offset was set at 20 and then -20 which just got me a timing of ~48.00 at 2000.

Any idea what I could possibly be doing wrong here? I cleaned out the grove on HB and the injector clamp is decently bare metal and on the passenger side injector closest to front of engine. I see lots of other articles on this but they all seem to have the probe not positioned correctly, and I dont think thats whats happening here since it reads a number and doesnt ever show 20.00.

For sure look into magnetic probe placement as other users have suggested.

But also, how close are you getting it to 2000 RPM and how long are you holding it there? My unit can be very fickle if I'm not holding the throttle very stable at 2000 +/- ~20 RPM. You could try adjusting the AVG setting. If you are having trouble holding 2000, I'd think adjusting the AVG down would help give more accurate readings. If you are dead nuts on 2000, but the meter is still acting up you could try increasing the AVG. May be able to get it to display correctly that way. I think the manual says anywhere between 1 and 2 seconds is generally acceptable.

 

[Austin86250]

For sure look into magnetic probe placement as other users have suggested.

But also, how close are you getting it to 2000 RPM and how long are you holding it there? My unit can be very fickle if I'm not holding the throttle very stable at 2000 +/- ~20 RPM. You could try adjusting the AVG setting. If you are having trouble holding 2000, I'd think adjusting the AVG down would help give more accurate readings. If you are dead nuts on 2000, but the meter is still acting up you could try increasing the AVG. May be able to get it to display correctly that way. I think the manual says anywhere between 1 and 2 seconds is generally acceptable.

It only changes about .1 degrees from 1900 to 2100 so very negligible hold it till it’s consistent timing reading