Timing by ear

[am6.9idi]

How would i time my 6.9 by ear. how can i tell if my timing is advanced or retarded

 

[hesutton]

By ear, you really can't. It's just a guess. If you've got a lot of miles on the IP, more than likely it is retarded (it happens as they wear), but again, where it is and getting it where it should be will be just a wild guess without a timing device (pulse, lumy, ferret).

Heath

 

[Agnem]

Sadly if you have to ask the question, your ear is not schooled enough to be able to do it. There is no way to teach it other than by listening to lots of different trucks being timed properly.

 

[franklin2]

I have heard that if you activate the cold start advance wire on the IP after the engine is warmed up, and the engine has the "powerstroke rattle" when you put 12v on it, and that sound goes away when you take the 12v off, you are close.

 

[Black dawg]

Sadly if you have to ask the question, your ear is not schooled enough to be able to do it. There is no way to teach it other than by listening to lots of different trucks being timed properly.

this and there is more to it than just sound. Different injectors create different combustion sounds, and cam ring wear can also change the sound. When I time my trucks I use sound, how they feel while driving, and smoke to fine tune .

 

[HammerDown]

The "master Mel" Timed mine...some days it has a little 'rattle' and others it doesn't.
Can't really trust the ear.

 

[RLDSL]

IVE GOT ahold of diesels that *EXPERTS* have timed by ear and then the customers have complained that the things have never run right...... only to find out that the friggen pumps are a full 180 deg off
and , yes, an indirect injection diesel WILL run with the pump 180 deg off, although it will run like total crap and smoke like a freight train

Either get ahold of a Ferret and a decent advance timing light and time it yourself, or get together with one of us here on the board who has teh goodies who will help you out. Guessing risks all kinds of problems