idiots guide to TDC please help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Senior User
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idiots guide to TDC please help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ok i had to replace my vacuum advance and to do so i had to remove the distributor . i was gonna replace the internals but found it was cheaper to just buy a whole new distributor so i took the old one out and i have the new one and wat i need to know is the most simplest way to hit top dead center ive never really worked with the timing before . im workin on a 302 . ive been told that the rotor button needs to point towards the number one but is that the number one cylinder or the number one post in the distributor cap
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 1,462
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From: Hartford, AL
Distributor needs to point to #1 terminal on the cap with the motor at TDC of the COMPRESSION cycle. You can make sure you are on the compression cycle by taking your valve cover off and TDC on the compression cycle is when the timing marks on your balancer are lined up and the intake valve has just closed.
New User
Joined: Jan 2009
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Take the number one spark plug out and stick your finger in the hole and turn it over slowly, you will know when you are on compression stroke because it will litterally blow your finger out of the hole. Line up the rotor on the distributor up with the number one position on the cap and drop it in. It might take a little bit of playing with it to get it to drop in. Thats the easiest way I have found to find TDC.
Junior User
Joined: Nov 2007
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To make sure you are looking at #1 cylinder, do this. Stand on the side of the engine and notice which valve cover is closer to the radiator, that will be #1 cylinder. Then to get TDC do as 74F250390 says, but then add this. Once your finger gets blown off the spark plug hole (compression stroke) , stop turning the engine, disconnect the battery, then stick a screw driver into the spark plug hole until it touches the piston lightly and turn the engine over WITH A RATCHET on the crank pulley bolt. Move the ratchet back and forth slowly and watch the screw driver go up and down. Once it goes all the way up and before it comes back down, you have reached TDC. Then put the rotor on the distributor shaft and where it points to is #1 spark plug wire and it needs to go to #1 spark plug. As an added note, if you take all the spark plugs out of the engine, it will turn over eaiser witht the ratchet.
Elder User
Joined: Jun 2008
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From: Duncan B.C.
What jim4 said exept once I stop cranking because I know it's on compression stroke, I just turn it by hand until the timing mark on the balancer indicates tdc(lines up with the timing tab at tdc). You are now on tdc, compression stroke, #1 cyl. Continue as per jim4.
Posting Guru
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 1,230
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From: East Flat Rock NC
Distributor needs to point to #1 terminal on the cap with the motor at TDC of the COMPRESSION cycle. You can make sure you are on the compression cycle by taking your valve cover off and TDC on the compression cycle is when the timing marks on your balancer are lined up and the intake valve has just closed.
I think that 73fomo posted, a good way , and I like to add with the Valve cover off ,when
you reach (TDC) both ( Push rods will Rotate, Wiggle,Move Freely )
P.S. keep in mind the ( Outer Ring ) on the Balancer slips, and or moves sometimes !
I have marked them with a magic marker , from the inter to the outer, just to keep track.
Ps. All the other ways would work well also !
Wally Womack
Last edited by Pro-Street/StateTK; Apr 23, 2009 at 06:28 PM. Reason: watching my Ps and Qs
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