The manual says a jumper wire must be put on in order to set the timing. Is this something you make yourself and if so, what size wire and connection type?

 

Get some bare copper wire about 20ga. Just push the ends of the wire into the two holes in the plug. You will know the connection is made OK when the check engine light comes on steady when you restart the engine. This means the ECU is in test mode-- it will not vary the spark timing like it does in normal operation. So then you can set the basic mechanical timing with a timing light.

 

Thanks. I hope my 1968 Snap-On will work on this modern car.

 

If it's the kind that requires you to make a hard connection to the wire (rather than an inductive pick up), be careful that your connection is secure. Do not crank or run the engine with a spark wire disconnected, that is prone to blow the coil.

 

Nah, it is the kind with the very wide alligator clip. Worked very well for '60s era cars and what we would now probably call "quaint" ignition systems. At some point I tried it on a more modern car and it wouldn't work and I was told it was because modern electronic ignition systems shoot much more juice to the sparkplug.
Thanks for the replies, Mk378

Jock