[YNOT]

i pulled my dizzy and forgot to mark it, how do i find top dead center?

[P.O.S-GT]

line up the pointer with the zero mark on the dampner or bring #1 cylinder top dead center and then place the rotor facing #1 plug but make sure its dead on or might not catch

[Darrell]

Pull the valve cover on the passenger side. Turn the motor over until the timing pointer lines up with zero on the balancer. Verify that both valves are closed. This is TDC on the compression stroke.

[neverfastenough1]

Or pull the plugs, stick your finger over the #1 plug hole, turn the engine over (by hand) till you feel air wanting to come out the hole, thats the compression, line up the pointer, thats TDC on the compression stroke. Or if you don't want to pull the plugs, pull the #1 plug, pull the coil wire, put your finger over the hole and have someone bump the starter till you feel compression.

[MonsterSD]

There is a whistle part that they make that fits into the #1 spark plug. As you turn over the engien it whistles as the air is pushed out upon compression and when the whistling stops you know you are there.

check it out: http://www.sjdiscounttools.com/strtu17pl.html

[YNOT]

a guy at work bought a stop that you screw into spark plug #1, anyone use one of those.

summit racing calls them piston stops.

[MonsterSD]

Never heard of that but I have heard someone saying that if you take a rope and drop it into cylinder one and then turn over the engine it will stop the piston and makes it easy to remove the crank pulley.

Also, alternatively I have heard to fill the piston with fuel and then put the plug in and crank over the engine. eventually it will stop it from turnign and then you can remove the cank then just siphon out the excess fuel.

[neverfastenough1]

I've seen the stops used, never heard of the rope thing but sounds like it would work, although he's not pulling the pulley. Never heard of the fuel thing, and would never do it either. Fuel is a lot thinner than oil. If you put fuel in the chamber and compress it, it will seep right thru the pistons into the pan, if it doesn't explode.

[mikebert]

Originally Posted by MonsterSD Never heard of that but I have heard someone saying that if you take a rope and drop it into cylinder one and then turn over the engine it will stop the piston and makes it easy to remove the crank pulley.

You sure that rope trick wasn't talking about preventing valves from falling into the cylinder when removing springs without taking off the head?. . .

[semihemi428]

behind the cranckshaft pully will be a timming disc. and there will be a line on the block just behind it.

line the two lines up try to fire it if it doesn't fire its at the bottom stroke then turn the crack once more so that the two lines line up and it should be at TDC

[neverfastenough1]

Originally Posted by semihemi428 behind the cranckshaft pully will be a timming disc. and there will be a line on the block just behind it. line the two lines up try to fire it if it doesn't fire its at the bottom stroke then turn the crack once more so that the two lines line up and it should be at TDC

Close. Never mind, not even.

[semihemi428]

alright because numbnuts "neverfastenough1" doesn't think the way to find TDC is right.ill do it in tech terms mabe he'll get it


to find TDC behind the crackpulley will be the harmonic balancer. the harmonic balancer will have a mark on it. the engine block will also have a mark on it when the two marks line up it will be ether the bottom stroke (suck..like neverfastenoughs1 mom does on the corner for pennies) then turn it again till the marks line up again then it should be on the TDC or if thats not good enough heres a long ass version
Install an indicator or pointer somewhere on the block to serve as a reference point to the degree wheel. Next, rotate the crank until the No. 1 piston is close to the top of the cylinder. Adjust the degree wheel or the indicator to the zero mark on the wheel. If you’re using a plate-type stop, be sure to place the stop toward the middle of the piston, because the piston may rock in its cylinder, throwing the calibration off slightly.
Rotate the crankshaft until the piston is halfway down the cylinder, then install the piston stop. Now gently rotate the crankshaft until it hits the stop. Record the number of degrees indicated on the degree wheel. Then rotate the crankshaft in the opposite direction until the piston hits the stop again, and record that number. Top dead center (TDC) is exactly halfway between these two marks, so count the number of degrees between the two marks and divide by two.
With the harmonic balancer carefully reinstalled, mark TDC with a fine brush and paint, or use something equally as permanent.

that is an expamle from the net telling you how to do it if u have taking your block apart and have no cylinder head

[neverfastenough1]

You know I won't get into a kindergarten name calling match with you. Besides for your info my mom died the last time I was over here fighting for my country. I didn't make it home before her heart exploded after her heart attack, but hey say what you want. Now, explain the firing part to us. I am going to assume you are talking about TDC on the exhaust stroke when you say bottom stroke. My problem is with the firing. You said try to fire it. What does that mean? He was trying to set it to TDC to install his dizzy. Why would you tell someone to go thru all that trouble to find out it is on the exhaust stroke and have to pull his dizzy right back out and fix it, when he can do it either of the other ways and do it right the first time? Do you do everything twice because you can't get it right the first time? Granted some things are hard to get right the first time, but not finding TDC on the #1 cylinder on the compression stroke. Tell you what. You try my method or Darrell's method, and if you don't get TDC on the compression stroke without having to put the dizzy in, take it out, and put it back in again, on the first try, I 'll send you a lollipop to go with that elementary school mouth of yours. You can pick the flavor. Sorry didn't learn that from the internet either. I learned it from my dad, who is a SAE certified mech (if that really matters), about 30 years ago, but you are right I do find a lot of answers to questions on the net. Everybody that asks a question in a forum is getting an answer from the net. By the way look at my post history, I have never done what you did when someone said I said something wrong. Wait are you related to Stangzilla? Never mind I don't think he would stoop that low either. He keeps it man to man and not man to man to man's mom.

[neverfastenough1]

Just one more thing, for turds and grins. Say you put the dizzy in thinking its on the compression stroke and you try to fire it. This is the part that confuses me. If it is on the exhaust stroke and doesn't fire, are you going to try to stop the motor from turning more than one revolution. Wouldn't you be back at square one? Are you saying that everytime you let go of the key, the motor is going to stop at TDC on the number 1 cylinder? If not, it might be coming up to TDC on the exhaust or compression stroke. So in theory, if you don't get lucky you will never find it.

[Mountainpony76]

When I build a motor and get ready to time it I stuff a shop towel or use my compression gauge in the #1 plug hole. Step #2 bump the starter until either the towel blows out or you begin to show compression on the gauge. Step #3 use a long 3/8 extension or screw driver through the plug hole to feel the piston reach TDC while rotating the motor with the crank. It's as simple as that. When the extension or screwdriver quits rising you are there. Its really not that hard. good luck