[anyone ever use this from thunder racing.] The Timing Tuner is a device that is installed on LS1 and derivative engine equipped vehicles for adjusting the spark advance 'timing' to extract improved engine performance. The unit installs 'in-line' with the crankshaft sensor wiring and alters the signal that is received by the PCM (Powertrain Control Module, 'engine computer'). By shifting the crankshaft signal ahead or behind in time the spark timing in the engine is changed.

The Timing Tuner is used to adjust the Spark Advance to improve engine response and power. Assuming sufficient octane fuel is used, most production engines will make more power with a few more degrees of spark advance. However when Nitrous Oxide or superchargers/turbochargers are used to raise horsepower the spark advance must be reduced (retarded) to prevent detonation. Detonation (pinging, spark knocking) is very destructive and is to be avoided. Always run high enough octane fuel for the power levels desired.

The Timing Tuner also has a Nitrous Oxide (N2O) control feature. The unit features activation delay, timing retard, and activation controls based on RPM (programmable window switch). The setup can be optimized for non-N2O driving and when the trigger wire is energized the secondary settings are activated. This ensures the optimum setting is always available both with and without N2O.

THE TIMING TUNER KIT CONTAINS THE FOLLOWING PARTS:





• Timing Tuner control box
• Timing Tuner wiring harness (3 feet long)
• N2O connection harness (18 inches long)
• Service jumper plug
• Tie-wraps
• Instruction manual
ADJUSTMENTS AND LED'S:
The Timing Tuner has several adjustments:
• Spark Base: Adjusts the spark advance/retard at all RPMs
• Spark WOT: Adjusts the spark advance at RPMs over 3000
• RPM: Adjust the minimum RPM to activate the N2O relay
• RTD: Adjusts additional spark retard when N2O is activated
• MODE: A series of switches to set the N2O activation delay and maximum RPM
The Timing Tuner has 2 indicator LED's: Both LED's turn on for a moment when the unit is powered up, this is for checking LED operation. The Green LED will blink once when the settings are changed to indicate that the change has be recognized.

• Green: Indicates that the unit has synchronized with the crankshaft and is controlling spark advance timing.
• Red: indicates that the N2O relay has been turned on and the RTD spark advance setting is active.
The LED's also are used to indicate various detected error conditions within the Timing Tuner System.

• Green: 1 blink - Crank sensor pulses detected out of order.
• Green: 2 blinks - Noisy crank sensor signal (reroute wiring)
• Red+Green alternating - Incorect connection or operation is detected with the N2O pilot relay. The relay must be connected as shown in the Connection Diagram.
Turning the engine off resets all detected error conditions.

N2O TRIGGER AND DELAY
The Timing Tuner has several features for control of N2O:

• Activation Delay
• Minimum RPM
• Maximum RPM
Activation Delay is used to delay the activation of the N2O system so the car's suspension has a chance to react and plant the rear tires before the N2O 'hits'. The delay is adjusted by setting Mode switches 1-3, see the table below. The delay happens once in a race, if the N2O is deactivated during a race and the engine RPMs do not drop below 3000, the delay is bypassed when the N2O is retriggered. This is useful when bracket racing and trying to stay ahead of the competition without 'breaking out'. Or when traction is lost and the driver 'lifts' to stop the wheelspin.

Minimum RPM is a setting for tuning the turn-on RPM for the N2O. This setting is checked after the Activation Delay has expired. It is used in place of, or in conjunction with Activation Delay to control the point at which the N2O is triggered in relation to torque converter stall speed.

Maximum RPM is selected with the Mode 4 switch. It is used to de-activate the N2O system below the PCM rev limiter setting. If the engine hits the PCM rev limiter with the N2O activated, a backfire could occur

 

this controller hasn't let me down in 2yrs of use.Wish it came w/a progressive nitrous controller.

 

Can it be used just to retard timing on the nitrous and not mess with the timing when off the nitrous?

 

That is the real benefit of the timing tuners. The guys at Thunder racing can get you setup. They are good group of guys over there.

That timing tuner works very well and is one of only a few I would recommend. You wire it to the arming switch of system so you can run aggressive NA timing and then pull it out when it is time to spray.

Graham @ N20

 

yes. buy looking at the manual you can. i just got mine from a member here, and so far has been real easy to install. it has a good manual that i can understand.

 

Yes you can use this timing tuner to pull timing only when the nitrous is in use. Just wire it up to your activation switch. This is very simple to install, i run it on my car and it works good. Just pop off the cover to pull timing by the turn of a ****, simple.

 

I had good luck with mine till we burned up the wiring. I've switched to the MSD timing ticker and digital window switch. They work also.

 

timing tuner here... works well for me... 150 shot. It is nice because you can do a lot of other things with it. delay, window swith, timing retard, etc.

 

The timing tuner is a nice unit and i had one on my car back in the day with no problems. I do know that we have customer have problems with the units over the yr's of dealing with them. With that unit you wont be able to see the timing being pulled so you have to trust the unit. Over the last several yr's there have been better units come to the market like the Lingenfelter unit which is currently getting updated and when it's re-released will be the best one on the market for an aftermarket timing controller.

 

Good info. I had some problems with the Timing Tuner, it would not allow the car to start sometimes. I think that it wouldn't pick up the crank sensor signal.

The MSD unit doesn't show timing on my interceptor scan guage either. i don't like not being able to see the timing adv, or retarded

 

What lingenfelter are we speaking of?
the LNC-002 two step with timing retard?

 

Yes sir. They are currently revising it. Hope to have it back in the next month or so.

Graham @ N20

 

Sweet, I have the LNC-002 and it was the last model they made with the new firmware and I LOVE that device!

I wonder what improvements will be made.!!!