Will any timing tape work or does it have to be correct for the diameter of the balancer? Where do you guys purchase yours?

It has to be correct for the exact damper diameter, and the commonly-available V8 tapes won't work on a slant-6 (there is also the issue of where to put a tape, 'cause there's no broad edge on the \6 damper as on the V8 items).

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Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

Anyone have a solution to this? I'd rather avoid buying a new timing light or finding one to borrow, if at all possible?

You can carefully measure the balancer and calculate the circumference. It boils down to just the diameter x 3.1416. Then divide it by 360 to get a per degree dimension. Or measure the circumference with something like a strip of shim stock and measure that. Clean it real goo first. I have done this on several engines. I have just marked what I plan the initial setting to be and a couple of degrees to either side and what I plan the total to be and a couple of degrees to either side. You can mark the dimensions on some sort of tape that will not stretch, like a foil or clear scotch tape, stick it on the balancer and then transfer the marks with a punch or by filing small notches in the balancer. If you are paranoid about the tape stretching you can use a strip of thin shim stock. By small I mean nothing bigger than what the factory did. Then mark then with some contrasting paint. It you do this with the engine apart it is pretty easy and you can verify TDC at the same time. Be sure to write down where you put the marks in case you forget.

This will be a pain in the car, but your best option will be from underneath.

If you wanted this for valve adjusting then you will need more marks.

I have used timing tapes on v-8s that they were made for and the ends never lined up perfectly, so they were off. No matter how clean the balancer they peeled off after awhile anyway. I hate them.

No need for a dial-type timing light, a timing tape, or anything else. Go to your local hobby supply shop and buy seven different colors of model paint -- the kind in the little tiny square bottle. Get bright, easily-distinguished colors; try for the fluorescent ones. Also get white.

Thoroughly clean the rim of your crank pulley.

Verify the pulley's timing mark does in fact correspond to TDC on the #1 cylinder.

Place a dab of white paint on the timing mark, and another on the "0" line on the timing indicator. Rotate the engine in the normal direction of rotation so that the timing mark is at the indicator's 5° after TDC line. Pick out one of your colors and place a dab on the crank pulley opposite the "0" line on the indicator. Rotate the engine until this new dab is at the 5° after TDC line. Pick out another color and place a dab on the crank pulley opposite the "0" line. Repeat until you run out of colors. Assuming you made seven colored dots plus the white one, you can now directly read up to 35° of advance plus whatever the maximum indication before TDC is on your indicator...should be a a total of around 40° to 45° overall.

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.