i know i may be the only one that it took this long to figure out how to use this thing but i wanted to leave a little advise for the ones that are gonna be using this thing for the first time like i did.
1. Don't let this gauge be intimidating, it is really simple to use.
2. if you are using it to find btdc, tdc, make sure you have one that is about 1/2 to an inch longer plunger on it.
3. the best way to hold this thing in the cylinder is by using a spark plug adapter.
4. when you have it all set up and ready to find btdc, start with the dial at zero.
5. watch the dial closely as you turn the flywheel clockwise to see when the piston reaches the very top of the stroke and then stop and hole the flywheel in that spot.
6.loosen set screw on dial and zero the face.
7. now turn the flywheel slowly counter-clockwise and count the revolutions on the dial face, each full revolution equals .100", in my case i had to make 4 full turns and then count down .062 to find .462 on my mercury xr4.
8. That is btdc on a 88 merc 150 xr4
i know all this sounds crazy but i had never used one of these things till i started working on my own outboard and everything i read it just said find tdc and then turn it back to .462. so i thought that the dial itself HAD to say .462 so i was going crazy trying to figure how to zero this thing so it would say that exact number on the dial.
needless to say each time i thought i had it my mark on the flywheel would be in the wrong place and then i thought look how old this thing is and someone may have dismantled the flywheel so i took it apart a couple of times myself to reset the mark, needlessly, but now its back right again.
i just hope my experience with this will help someone one day.
Thanks,
Ben
1. Don't let this gauge be intimidating, it is really simple to use.
2. if you are using it to find btdc, tdc, make sure you have one that is about 1/2 to an inch longer plunger on it.
3. the best way to hold this thing in the cylinder is by using a spark plug adapter.
4. when you have it all set up and ready to find btdc, start with the dial at zero.
5. watch the dial closely as you turn the flywheel clockwise to see when the piston reaches the very top of the stroke and then stop and hole the flywheel in that spot.
6.loosen set screw on dial and zero the face.
7. now turn the flywheel slowly counter-clockwise and count the revolutions on the dial face, each full revolution equals .100", in my case i had to make 4 full turns and then count down .062 to find .462 on my mercury xr4.
8. That is btdc on a 88 merc 150 xr4
i know all this sounds crazy but i had never used one of these things till i started working on my own outboard and everything i read it just said find tdc and then turn it back to .462. so i thought that the dial itself HAD to say .462 so i was going crazy trying to figure how to zero this thing so it would say that exact number on the dial.
needless to say each time i thought i had it my mark on the flywheel would be in the wrong place and then i thought look how old this thing is and someone may have dismantled the flywheel so i took it apart a couple of times myself to reset the mark, needlessly, but now its back right again.
i just hope my experience with this will help someone one day.
Thanks,
Ben