TDC piston tool?

[frank1966]

I am trying to find TDC, never did this before and i need to learn how to set my timing. I am not sure if i installed my distributor correctly, i just removed the old one and put in the new one in the same orientation.

1. Should i use a TDC tool? I am reading that many of them do not work.

2. Once i find TDC should i reinstall my distributor?

3. I have a timing light but never used it, once i figure out how to use it what should be my initial timing? I have an all in one distributor MSD, 440 stock engine. I can time by vacuum - finding max vacuum.

[flyinlow]

On Mopars the distributor will go in correct or 180* out of time. If it starts you did well.

A simple TDC tool is your index finger. Remove #1 plug, hold finger over the plug hole, bump starter until you feel the pressure building on the compression stroke. This gets you close to the timing marks. Adjust the crankshaft to align the marks. Install distributor at the #1 position according to the service manual. 10degrees BTDC at idle with the vacuum advance plugged is a good starting point. Adjust for best engine performance.

This assumes your #1 cylinder has normal compression. So far my index finger has not failed to work. 

Lawyer note: If you have very small fingers do not stick them into the sparkplug hole and crank the engine. Difficulty coloring could result.

[Nacho-RT74]

When assembling the engine and setting the timming gears dot to dot ( factory setup ), it allways takes me to the 6th cylinder compression stroke moment, not 1st. Never understood that!

About find the 1st cylinder compression stroke, I have allways used a paper plug LOL. Remove the spark plug and insert a paper ball into the spark plug hole. When compression stroke comes the paper ball will blow out and your hear the small explosion like a champagne bottle being opened. That will tell you where is happening the explosion and will be the starting point. Sure the dist could already pass the number 1 on cap mark by a bit ( depending on how long you kep the starter motor working ), but as mentioned is just the starting point. You can try it several times to get narrowed the point number 1 compression stroke is happening related to the distributor. Cap removed to watch out the rotor spining and get it indexed with cap.

[Kern Dog]

Setting both the cam and crank sprockets at 12:00 gets you at the #1 firing order.   

[Nacho-RT74]

Yeap I know. But is interesting all manuals takes you to set them dot to dot. ( crank 12, cam 6 )

[john108]

Nacho
Any concern that if you pass the intake stroke, the wad of paper gets sucked in?

[Nacho-RT74]

I never have got that problem. Sure I make the ball bigger than the hole able to get slightly threated in in fact. But also after the compresion stroke, when piston is going down the paper ball was already blown out no matter what, and on the previous stroke going down ( admission ), the admision valve is open, so won't get vacuum to be sucked in

[frank1966]

having trouble posting pics?

[frank1966]

trying to post pics

[frank1966]

another pic

[frank1966]

Is 1st pic TDC? I cant assume this, but when i use the piston stop i am only able to turn the balancer 1/4 of the way around or so? Without the stop the engine rotates fine. With the stop in is it correct that i will not be able to turn the balancer almost one full turn? I read that when using the stopper, turn one way until it stops, mark the balancer, then turn the other way and mark. It seems like the distance between the 2 marks would be far away since i am not rotating almost a full turn on the balancer?

[flyinlow]

Yes the first picture is TDC.

Maybe I did not understand your original question. I thought you where trying to find # 1 cylinder  TDC to install the distributor. If you are trying to confirm that the timing mark on the vibration damper and the timing marks on the timing chain cover are accurate you need to use a stop.
I have only done this during engine assembly with the heads off. Bolt a metal bar across the #1 cylinder with the head bolts. Duck tape a piece of wood ( 3/4 inch scrap plywood for example) to the under side of the bar. Gently rotate the crank until the piston contacts the wood STOP. Mark the vibration damper next to your zero mark on the timing Chain cover. Rotate the engine in the opposite direction (most of the way back around) until it contacts the stop again. Mark the vibration damper again. The original timing mark on the vibration damper should be in the middle of the two new marks. This confirms that the vibration damper has not slid on the hub and the timing chain cover marks are correct. If you stop the piston too far down if the bore, it will be a long measurement and harder to do. I think the piece of wood I used produced marks about two inches either side of the factory mark.

I have never used a screw in stop ,but the concept is the same.

[frank1966]

THanks, so should i align the balancer at the TDC mark, then insert the stop bolt screw it down until it hits the piston then rotate counterclockwise until it stops again? Or should i advance it a few degrees past TDC then put the stopper in?

[frank1966]

In my second pic the mark is more than 10 retarded timing, when i look under my distributor i see the metal connector pointing to spark plug 1 wire. also my spark plug 1 wire is at 6 o'clock when standing on the passenger side looking straight at the distributor, not sure if this position means anything.