TOPIC:

Timing lights :  On my timing light the inductive "clamp" that goes on the spark-plug lead is ( for lack of a better word) polarity sensitive.  Mine will exhibit intermittent function as you describe if I don't pay attention to the "Arrow" on the clamp !   

scotch wrote:

Timing lights :  On my timing light the inductive "clamp" that goes on the spark-plug lead is ( for lack of a better word) polarity sensitive.  Mine will exhibit intermittent function as you describe if I don't pay attention to the "Arrow" on the clamp !   

Now THAT raises an interesting question. If the spark travels down one lead of a coil and back up the other lead of the same coil and who's to say which lead goes to say plug #1 or #6 , now what?? Do you put the inductive clamp on one way and if no visual indication in the light , then flip the inductive clamp over???

Well I didn’t flip the clamp over but I did get the indicator light showing 

Update, I’ve just checked again and there is no directional arrow on the induction clamp and also no mention of it in the instructions. I’ve also run the motor and tried putting the clamp on each lead in turn and the strobe behaves exactly the same on all six cylinders. It doesn’t make any difference which way round the clamp is attached to the lead

The other problem, and this is just a bad design is:  If you allow the spring-loaded clamp to SNAP closed it can ( in my case DID) break the U-shaped Ferrite pick-up.  I was able to epoxy mine back together but it should be noted that the two parts (Broken ends) MUST be clamped tightly together until the epoxy is fully hardened.
   
 

My Gunsons strobe is quite old (25yrs+) and is totally different to yours?
on the plus side I’ve found someone willing to lend me a good igniter unit which will rule out mine being faulty. I’ll report back when it arrives