Timing strobe light strange behavior

[SuperV8]

I set my megasquirt timing the other night and my strobe light seemed to be acting weird.
It's an inductor type, clamp arround No 1 lead, made sure the arrow was the right direction and the clamp was fully closed, 12v power supply from the battery.
Pointed at the crank pulley on my idling engine, pulled the trigger and nothing.... then a couple of flashes then nothing again... then a flash again.... this carried on randomly flashing then not, more often not.
I thought maybe my light or switch is faulty so started to take it apart and investigate (fiddle!) but then thought to try on my other cart, a rover, worked perfect flashing brightly away, but put it back on the V8 kit car and intermittant again. I happened to just ease the plug lead of the plug and it started working.... So I set the timing with the lead pulled slightly off the plug which didn't make the engine missfire.

Anyone know why? most strange.

Tom.

[DaveEFI]

Are you using wasted spark? Is it a 'posh' light with an advance dial?
My Krypton inductive coupling one with advance doesn't work at all with MS and EDIS.
My basic power strobe one - direct connection to the plug - does. Had to get it back from my brother.

[SimpleSimon]

Ignore the arrow with waisted spark and just put the inductive clamp on the lead with whatever way gives a steady pulse the good strobe lamps have a switch to go between dizzy and waisted spark configs

[SuperV8]

Yes using wasted spark.
Ok i'll try with the clamp the other way around. I need to recheck the timing after changing my crank sensor.

Tom.

[DaveEFI]

Yes using wasted spark.
Ok i'll try with the clamp the other way around. I need to recheck the timing after changing my crank sensor.

Tom.

Wish you luck - makes no difference with mine.