I was dead wrong about those cheap timing light guns

For years I swore a $25 timing light from Harbor Freight would do the same job as a $100 one. Last weekend I spent 4 hours chasing a timing issue on my '92 F-150 and the cheap light kept flickering and giving wrong readings. Borrowed a buddy's Innova light and had the truck dialed in within 15 minutes - has anyone else found certain tools where spending a little extra actually saves time?

2 comments

2 Comments

miller.eva17d ago

Agree completely about the Innova, that's the one I grab first when something isn't firing right. Cheap tools just aren't worth it when you're fighting gremlins like that.

the_angela17d agoMost Upvoted

Has anyone else noticed that the Innova actually forces you to slow down and think through the problem (which is half the battle sometimes)? @miller.eva is spot on about cheap tools - they have a way of making you chase ghosts when you're already pulling your hair out. The way the Innova's waveform display is laid out just clicks for me, even when I'm tired and frustrated after hours of chasing a no-start. It's like the tool respects that you're already having a bad day, you know? That's worth more than any spec sheet number on a cheaper meter.