I am going to order the sp500 snap on kit to check and adjust my timing, but I have not been able to find any talk about how to do it once I get the kit. Does it come with directions or is there a place I can find them on line??
Does 16 sound like a good safe starting point?? What was my original timing?
Thanks

1996 RAM 2500, #10 PLATE, 5" EXHAUST, ATS TRANS.

 

16 is good
instructions http://dodgeram.info/tsb/1994/18-10-94a.htm

 

The data plate on the driver's side of the front gear case will have the stock timing specs. Mine says 14 deg., but had slipped to less than 11

 

Does it make a difference what the stock timing was, or is 16* always the sweet spot?

-Jon

 

Jon, 15-16 works great on all 12 valves. Some people like to go a couple degrees higher on 94 - 96 but not me

 

Whats the cost of the sp500 kit?

 

The kit is $215 from SnapOn and includes everything but the Barring tool. Anyone know what the Miller tool kit runs?

-Jon

 

When I bought the snap on kit I also priced the miller kit.
The miller kit was a good bit more expensive than the snap on.

 

So on a 12 Valve CTD adusting the timing is not as easy as a gas motor???? Please explain the procedure???

 

The instructions are in the link that Infidel posted at the top of this thread. 12 valve timing is all mechanical as opposed to timing a gasser. With the right tools it should take you no more than an hour. One point that cannot be emphasized enough is before the timing gear is re-seated is to thoroughly clean the area with electronics parts cleaner so that the gear seats tight and will not slip when re-torqued. Oil on the cam shaft and not the proper amount of torque on the timing gear is just asking for the timing to slip back again.

John (DH)

 

Is it an absolute necessity to clean the surface of the injector pump shaft? Unless oil has been on the shaft from the factory, which I'm sure it hasn't, simply loosening the gear enough to turn it on the shaft isn't going to introduce oil to the area, is it?

 

Yes

John (DH)

 

Oil runs down the gear onto the shaft. Guess you could try to get away not cleaning the shaft and gear hole if you let the truck sit for a few days before popping the gear off. Even then I feel it would be a foolish move not to clean things up. There was a guy a few years back whose timing kept on slipping after an injection pump rebuild, problem was traced to a chalk mark on the shaft used for lineup. Doesn't take much.

 

do you have to take the whole timing cover plate off and if you dont how do you keep cleaner from getting all in your oil

 

No. See the instructions. The timing gear is accessed by removing the oil filler tube that screws into the timing cover. A little squirt of electronics cleaner from an aerosol can on the shaft and gear hub is not going to contaminate the oil.

John (DH)