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[–] [S] 2 points 8 months ago* (4 children)

I'm not a clockmaker, but I did rebuild my first mechanical watch at age 17, then went on to overclocking computers and timing engines by ear and such.

Yes, I do know how the mechanisms work.

My brain doesn't necessarily work in the 'normal' sense..

And no, this isn't a throwaway account, I've kept this username since around 2003.

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  • [–] 3 points 8 months ago* (3 children)

    Wow 2003!

    You said something that made me think you're Canadian...lemme see if I can find it... Ohhh "age 17" -- like how in Canada, they say (eg) "Grade 12* whereas in the US, we say " 12th grade." Also clock-making seems esoteric enough to be Canadian.

    Over clocking computers could go any which way.

    Maybe I'm just looking to explain my own ignorance.

    Now that I've already embarrassed myself, I'll ask: is a timing engine a thing, or do you time an engine?

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  • [–] [S] 1 point 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago) (2 children)

    I'm far from Canadian, I'm from South Mississippi in the USA.

    To attempt to answer your question, adjusting timing officially requires a timing strobe light and other stuff. Well, I grew up in a junkyard and learned how to hear and feel it out.

    Different times back then, when it was as simple as twisting the distributor a few degrees ±

    It really wasn't much different than adjusting the timing on a watch, just ... different ...

    Mama's old '94 Nissan Sentra runs like a racecar after I tweaked the timing, it was probably about 1.8⁰ delayed before.

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  • [–] 2 points 8 months ago (1 child)

    Huh TIL. Cool, man. It's good to understand how stuff works -- I hope!

    Re: MS, I spent some time there growing up (I lived in TX), and I got a kick out of how ppl in Jackson would say "Do what?" if they wanted you to repeat yourself. I started saying that as a joke like thirty years ago, and I still say it out of habit.

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