Timing Light for 99 951

[JimZ]

If I wanted to check my timing on my 99XPL, I'm aware of needing to get a TDC dial indicator to set the timing mark on the pto and attaching an indicator to the block to correspond with the PTO mark. I also know that if I were to find the timing off, then I would need to take it to a dealer to have it reset, unless if I have a aftermarket rev limiter that allows timing adjustments.

My question is about the timing light. I hear that it needs to be a DC light, what makes the requirements for a timing light to be used on the seadoo different than one used on a car where you use the car's battery to supply the 12volts dc. Someone even suggested that you could use a automotive light but to power it off of an external battery not the ski's battery?

Any help on this?

Thanks
Jim

[Bill O'Neal2]

Re: Timing Light for 99 951

You can purchase a one wire inductive timing light ( they have their own battery for power) very cheap if you look around. I like them because they work on just about anything and they are very small and fit into any tool box drawer without taking up a bunch of space.

I really do not know why the regular automotive type timing light won't work, it seems to me that I have used both types in the past, but the regular type automotive timing light must have a switch to set the number of clyinders the motor has, or when the timing occurs like on a two clyinder two stroke, each 180 degrees.

Oh, and the dial indicator mounts through the sparkplug hole and that is where you measuse the degrees BTDC in thousandths of an inch, then mark the PTO back from the pointer.

[ShawnXB]

Re: Timing Light for 99 951

So if you want to check the timing, can you skip the TDC gauge and use a pencil to determine TDC? I'm reading through my service manual and it doesn't make much sense as to why you would need a special tool.

[Bill O'Neal2]

Re: Timing Light for 99 951

How will you know where .118 BTDC is if you use a pencil and not a dial indicator to measure the piston travel?

[ShawnXB]

Re: Timing Light for 99 951

That's what I was asking. Now can you explain why it needs to BTDC and not TDC?

[Bill O'Neal2]

Re: Timing Light for 99 951

Because you need to find true tdc before you can find the correct place to draw a line on the pto, which happens to be .118 BTDC on a 951. A pencil is not an accurate tool to use when setting your timing.

[ShawnXB]

Re: Timing Light for 99 951

Ok, well that's why I asked. Do you know how much those gauges usually go for? Is that type of gauge only useful on a SeaDoo, or do other ski's have a similar arrangement?

[Bill O'Neal1]

Re: Timing Light for 99 951

A simple dial indicator can be had for around $20 at a discount machine shop type store or Harbor Frieght. Once you get the dial indicator, you will need a sparkplug hole adapter to install the guage into, or you could make an adapter from an old sparkplug. Or you can buy it all from Micro Touch at www.rev-limiters.com

[ShawnXB]

Re: Timing Light for 99 951

Again, thx Bill.

http://www.revlimiters.com/