DIY Timing Pointer to confirm timing for your LS

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Nov 3, 2019 | 11:24 AM

CasperCasper

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DIY Timing Pointer to confirm timing for your LS

Hey guys,

Here's a quick and cheap method for finding TDC and making a timing pointer for your LS Engine.

Video here, Pictures and description below:

Required:

Timing Pointer - I used the Spectre 4237 ($5.26 CAD)

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/spe-4237

TDC Indicator - I used the Innovative 7880 ($30.04 CAD)

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/ipa-7880

How to:

Begin by mounting the timing pointer. I used a stud in the timing cover with a coupling nut to attached the pointer. I orginally intended to use this pointer once and then take it off the engine as soon as I confirmed my timing. Procrastination got the best of me and I kept it on the car all year for thousands of miles and surprisingly it didn't move! If you see my marks there you'll see I mark the outside of the pointer (to ensure it doesnt move) as well as the timing marks. If they all line up then it hasn't moved.

Heres the TDC Indicator I used. All it does is thread into the cylinder 1 spark plug hole and as the piston reaches TDC the indicator moves. When the indicator is at it's maximum extension you know you've got TDC. It takes a bit of time and playing around to ensure you've got TDC but make sure you get it right as this is the most critical part. If you were really crazy about it you could just keep using calipers on the indicator to ensure that the measurement is at a maxmium.Once you find TDC all you've got to do is scribe the marks!

I was also curious on the accuracy of this method and think that for most people this can be done to within 1 degree of accuracy. Based on the circumference of the balancer every degree is just over 1.6mm of circumference. I think it's fairly straightforward to get your marks within 1.6mm.

I hope this helps some of you out. This is just a simple tool for confirming your timing and not an extremely accurate one, but for most of us it should suffice and will definately help you get in the ballpark!

Last edited by CasperCasper; Nov 3, 2019 at 11:31 AM.