These are adhesive tapes that adhere to the balancer and offer accurate timing numbers so that you can use a standard timing light to check maximum advance. The simplest way to compensate is to use an MSD timing tape.
But if you need to set your initial timing at a figure greater than what is offered on the timing tab, you have to guess, which is never good.
A typical timing tab offers numbers up to 14 to 16 degrees Before Top Dead Center (BTDC). This works great as long as you are only setting initial timing and only if you can line up the marks from the timing tab on the engine to the TDC mark on the balancer. A normal timing lightflashes the instant the Number One spark plug fires. Jeff Smith: What you are using is what is commonly referred to as a dial-back timing light. There’s probably an easy answer but it escapes me! Thanks When I push the button, the timing moves but I’m not sure I know exactly what’s really going on here. I just bought a new, digital timing light to replace my old original light.
