Help with timing light

[sterlingM]

I can't get my timing light to fire. First time DTA and all standalone EMS user. I have coil on plug, so I set up the timing light on the #1 Coil and I can't get it to fire when it's clamped to the wires going to the COP connector. I also removed the COP and plug and grounded the plug on chassis and put the plug in the timing light clamp and nothing. No spark on chassis either.

I'm sure i have a setting wrong. I have One coil per plug box checked (they are coils with built in ignitors, Denso from a Toyota 1ZZ) and nothing else checked in the General box in the General engine configuration screen.

When I got to Test injectors, coils, and auxiliaries -- the timing light starts flashing and the spark plug arcs as it should, but I can't get it to work when cranking with the oscilloscope, therefore I can't calibrate the crank sensor.

Any help is appreciated!

[SMR]

If you've got individual COPs, but not running a CAM sensor, you need to tick "Twin spark" in Engine Config / General engine settings. This allows the COPs to run wasted spark with no CAM sensor trigger.
And un-tick "One coil per plug" in Coil per plug settings.

[Alex DTA]

Timing lights won't work on COP signal wires. The only way to make them work is fit an HT lead between the coil and spark plug.

If you have Toyota 1ZZ/2ZZ coils, they are externally amplified, so you must tick Externally Amplified Coils in General Engine Settings. If not, you will burn out your coils.

If you have One Coil Per Plug ticked, you must also have a working cam sensor.

Post a crankshaft oscilloscope so we can see the crank/cam signal.

[katana]

Timing lights won't work on COP signal wires. The only way to make them work is fit an HT lead between the coil and spark plug.

I did wonder about that - a short stubby HT lead extension between COP and plug isn't the end of the world!

[sterlingM]

Thanks for the replies. I'll do the best I can to answer and help me cause. I've attached a pic of what I did to get the timing light to work:

I do have a cam sensor on the motor, although I can always unplug it to get this working and I'm on the fence as to whether or not I want to use it. I do not wish to run wasted spark and the cam sensor was a bolt on mod from another motor so it was easy to implement. I did not have externally amplified box checked during my crank cycles, I thought these had built in igniters and I probably confused the two. Below is an crank oscilloscope. I'm running a 36-2 Mag trigger wheel but I'll admit I'm having a little trouble understanding how to decipher the oscilloscope.

[stevieturbo]

Timing lights won't work on COP signal wires. The only way to make them work is fit an HT lead between the coil and spark plug.

If you have Toyota 1ZZ/2ZZ coils, they are externally amplified, so you must tick Externally Amplified Coils in General Engine Settings. If not, you will burn out your coils.

If you have One Coil Per Plug ticked, you must also have a working cam sensor.

Post a crankshaft oscilloscope so we can see the crank/cam signal.

I've used my Snap On light on the LT wires on COP. But it isnt always reliable. It is best with an HT lead in use...and of course the coil needs to be firing, which he seems to suggest is not happening.

[sterlingM]

Here is another crank scope with the external amplified coils box ticked. Still no timing light while cranking though. Is the HT lead required or will the pic I posted of how I put a plug in the coil boot do the trick?

IMG_3802.jpg (26.58 KiB) Viewed 5742 times

[Alex DTA]

Here is another crank scope with the external amplified coils box ticked. Still no timing light while cranking though. Is the HT lead required or will the pic I posted of how I put a plug in the coil boot do the trick?

IMG_3802.jpg

That's a good clean signal.
Go to General Engine Settings, make sure flywheel mode is 0, number of teeth is 36, missing is two.
Then open the Diagnostic Display. Crank the engine and make sure the ECU syncs.
Here's a video guide:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Epogi4Y ... dex=4&t=0s

[sterlingM]

Hi Alex,
Yes, engine configuration is set up as you mentioned and the engine does sync. Is the timing light supposed to work when using the crank scope test? I can tell that it’s a clean signal compared to others I’ve seen but in all honesty I have no clue how to read the crank scope and adjust offset angle accordingly.

So I still have no timing light function (although it does work when I test the coils) and no idea how to finalize the calibration. Thanks in advance

Dave

[stevieturbo]

Shove an HT lead into the coil to get a more reliable setup.

And the threads of the plug must be earthed in order to get a spark.