Timing the 6.9 with a lumi probe.

[quickster]

Ok, so I've been going thru the searches and can't find complete info on how to time with a luminosity probe. I don't have any degree marks on the balancer , just the one groove. I warmed the truck up, put in the probe in #1, hooked up the timing light,and to my surprise it worked. The directions the came with the probe say, if I remember right, to set the advance to 20deg and at 2000 rpm I should get my reading. So what am I I lining up to? At 2000 rpm, at 0deg, it lines up with the hole for the mag pickup. At 20deg advance at 2000 rpm it lines up with the other pickup hole. I feel like I'm missing something, like this is too easy. I can't have the pump set up dead nuts on the first shot. I'm not that lucky.

 

[riphip]

Which timing meter do you have? Rotunda, Kent-Moore, etc.?

 

[quickster]

It' a Deer valley. (?) I'm going to get it from the garage. It has a loop that the clamp from the timing light goes around.

 

[quickster]

Wrong animal. Fox valley

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[riphip]

Do you have a variable offset timing light? Timing light with dial at rear that shows degrees.

 

[quickster]

I have an Innova 3568 . You can set degrees forward or back.

 

[quickster]

It has the tach too

 

[quickster]

Like the instructions in the pic states, my balancer has one notch. At 2000 rpm, the notch is at the bottom pickup hole, at 20 deg, the notch is at the second hole at 2000 rpm, if that means anything. There are no other degree marks on the balancer or probe holder.

 

[riphip]

Send a PM to:

Contact: PM or email bbjordan400 at yahoo.com

Capability: Pulse or Luminosity
Equipment: Ferret timing adapter, Fox Valley 160 timing adapter, adjustable timing light

I have the Rotunda, not the Fox. I'm not sure with way you would need to turn the pump for that one.

 

[quickster]

I just googled fox valley diesel adapter and found posts back from 2013 on OB, which is when I bought mine. A guy in Alberta had a bunch of NOS and I happened to get one. So I time from the edge of the timing plate. With 20deg offset @2000rpm I was at the second mag hole. From what I read I should add +|- 6 deg to the offset, then read off the edge off the timing plate. Going out to warm her up in a bit and see where I'm at.

 

[bbjordan]

My Haynes Techbook DIESEL Engine Repair Manual says to set the timing on the 6.9 engine @ 1400 RPM. 7.3 @ 2,000 RPM.

See below for the timing spec based on Fuel Cetane Value:

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The Luminosity timing specs are the same as the Ford manual, (which is probably where they got it), but I believe it is incorrect; it should say BTDC not ATDC. I say this because as the cetane value increases, less advanced timing is required. Using ATDC you can see the timing specs are backwards. Using BTDC the specs make sense. US diesel fuel cetane rating is minimum 42. So probably go with the middle number 2.5 degrees BTDC.

This is really just a starting point. Record your mileage and power (well, seat of the pants). Once you have a baseline, try a degee advanced or retarded and see if the mileage/power improves or not. Eventually, you will find what works best for your engine.

 

[quickster]

Thanks. I put a 7.3 pump on the 6.9, so maybe the timing may need to be advanced for burn? Probably going to have to get back to it once it's on the road--the fuel in the tank is a mix of new diesel with water remover, and 6 year old fuel. Who knows what the cetane is right now.