Setting Dwell on 1979 Merc. 140

[TKrause]

Read the sticky multiple times. Question i have is can you get a correct dwell reading by cranking the engine using the key at the helm or do you specifically need a remote starter? I understand the convenience of the remote starter i'm just wondering if using the key will affect it in anyway if i don't have one.

Thanks in advance,
Tony

 

[achris]

Re: Setting Dwell on 1979 Merc. 140

Using the key is just fine....

 

[ziggy]

Re: Setting Dwell on 1979 Merc. 140

^agree^
just be sure and ground the coil tower wire so it isn't firing. which would be the norm anyways when setting dwell.

fwiw. them remote start buttons aren't to expensive. it sure makes it a lot easier to set dwell when ya got one. ya can do it yourself. everything ya need is back at the engine. using the key ya gotta have two people unless your going back and forth between the key and the engine, which i can't help but think is a major drag when setting dwell.

 

[TKrause]

Re: Setting Dwell on 1979 Merc. 140

^agree^
just be sure and ground the coil tower wire so it isn't firing. which would be the norm anyways when setting dwell.

fwiw. them remote start buttons aren't to expensive. it sure makes it a lot easier to set dwell when ya got one. ya can do it yourself. everything ya need is back at the engine. using the key ya gotta have two people unless your going back and forth between the key and the engine, which i can't help but think is a major drag when setting dwell.

Wasn't too bad really. It's only a 17' deck boat so there isn't a whole lot of walking or things to get around. and i could set my meter on the rear bench an monitor the reading. Either or it worked great. After fiddling around and having to start over a couple times i finally got it dialed in directly in the middle of it's spec. Now i just need to borrow the neighbors timing light and get that handled.

And yeah i will be picking up a remote starter i just didn't want to have to run back out this morn. as i had already been running all over town on other errands.

 

[achris]

Re: Setting Dwell on 1979 Merc. 140

When I bought my advance timing light it came with a 'bonus remote starter switch'.... Which makes 3 I have now... but this is the first 'proper' one, the other 2 are from bits I put together. (Basically a press button switch, a couple of wires with croc clips on and a short length of plastic pipe).

Glad you got it sorted.

 

[TKrause]

Re: Setting Dwell on 1979 Merc. 140

That's awesome achris, I've started looking for deals like that now. lol And i did think of fabricating one of my own as it would be pretty simple. So damn satisfying when you do things like this, fire an engine up, tweak the mixture screws and you can hear and feel an engine purr like a kitten.

 

[achris]

Re: Setting Dwell on 1979 Merc. 140

... I've started looking for deals like that now. ....

this is the one I got...

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/18073069...96060&_sacat=See-All-Categories&_fvi=1&_rdc=1

It's absolutely brilliant, I can even do silly little single cylinder engines with it...

Chris...