Anyone tried a Nu-Rex timing wrench?

28 Special Coupe

28 Special Coupe

Member
I'm just curious about that Nu-Rex timing wrench that the vendors sell.

Supposedly you use the timing pin to find TDC, loosen the cam screw, rotate the tool a few times, stop when it touches the #4 dstributer post, tighten the screw and you're done.

Have any of you actually used one of those things? Is it accurate? It just seems to good to be true. What do you guys think?
 
I have a friend who has used it to time several Model A's. He highly recommended it, so I bought one. I have not had a chance to try it yet.
 
Carry it in my tool box. It works every time I have had to use it (including on the road a couple times.)

I swear by it.

I also carry a bamboo 'skewer' in my tool box to find top dead center.

Take out number one spark plug.

Insert the skewer so that it is resting on the top of the piston.

Take out the timing pin (as normal)

Hand crank the engine and watch the skewer rise/fall

When the timing pin drops in, the skewer should at it's highest point

I have found a couple 'sloppy' dimples (I often have sloppy dimples, especially after eating corn on the cob) on timing gears and the skewer is a good visual cue to help in locating TDC.

Then use the Nu-Rex tool as instructed.

Flawless.
 
Used one today on a 1930 standard coupe I was working on.

28 Special Coupe said:
I'm just curious about that Nu-Rex timing wrench that the vendors sell.

Supposedly you use the timing pin to find TDC, loosen the cam screw, rotate the tool a few times, stop when it touches the #4 dstributer post, tighten the screw and you're done.

Have any of you actually used one of those things? Is it accurate? It just seems to good to be true. What do you guys think?
Click to expand...
 
newshirt said:
I used it. It worked fine. But then I reverted back to Marco Tahtaras' method because I wanted the most exact timing I could get. But the wrench probably does okay.

http://www.abarnyard.com/workshop/timing.htm
Click to expand...

I just have to ask, being you control the timing advance by hand which is horribly inaccurate across the board, why does accuracy matter when setting the base setting?

I mean, as long as it starts easy and has enough advance at highway speeds is this not all that matters?

When I set ours, I used the Ford method, I then simply checked to make sure it was happiest idling with the lever around 1/8" down from the top and called it good.
 
I haven't tried one. Does it allow for the backlash rotation? I set the timing by the trailing edge of the rotor tip when the timing pin drops in place with no clockwise backlash. not by the points. I don't think that there is a more acurate method. I've never felt the need to stick anything in the spark plug hole to find tdc. actually the piston rises above deck height when at top dead center. this will vary from one engine to another.
 
MrTube said:
I just have to ask, being you control the timing advance by hand which is horribly inaccurate across the board, why does accuracy matter when setting the base setting?

I mean, as long as it starts easy and has enough advance at highway speeds is this not all that matters?

When I set ours, I used the Ford method, I then simply checked to make sure it was happiest idling with the lever around 1/8" down from the top and called it good.
Click to expand...

While the driver-controlled spark advance might be crude and "inaccurate" across the board, if the base timing is set-up carefully, then the driver should be withing fairly safe limits no matter where the lever is set.

If the base timing is set too "hot" or too "lazy", and the engine run with the lever at one extreme or the other, there is greater potential for engine damage...

My biggest frustration with setting the timing is the dealing with the backlash in the distributor drive when you go to tighten the cam screw down... :mad:


Just my mental meanderings...

With all this buzz about the Nu Rex wrench, my curiosity is piqued... I will have to check it out.
 
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Okay, went to the Nu-Rex website and saw the timing wrench... wonder if I can use the same method with the off-set dizzy cam wrench I already have from Bratton's ?
 
10.00 and it is indeed worth it. It takes all the guess work out of timing your A. Its one of the best things i have purchased for my Tudor..
 
This from Snyder's catalog:
 

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28 Special Coupe said:
I'm just curious about that Nu-Rex timing wrench that the vendors sell.

Supposedly you use the timing pin to find TDC, loosen the cam screw, rotate the tool a few times, stop when it touches the #4 dstributer post, tighten the screw and you're done.

Have any of you actually used one of those things? Is it accurate? It just seems to good to be true. What do you guys think?
Click to expand...
This is not some "new" magic wrench or procedure, it's just a more precise method of turning the distributor cam to the point where the points just break on #1 cylinder.
It's easier than turning it with your old, tired, forefinger and thumb. Even better than turning it with your favorite slip joint pliers!! ( the ones you stole from the wife's kitchen drawer )
 
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