I need to know how to bump my engine over so that a given cylinder is at Top Dead Center. Iam putting the distributor into my new motor and I think cylinder #1 has to be at TDC. How do I do this? thanks in advance.

 

I don't remember exactly, but I think I read it has something to do with takeing the plugs out so it doesn't start and turnign the car over until something in the distributor lines up with the somethin else for the number one cylinder lol. . do an archive search and you can prolly find it, I have found almost anything I need to know doint hat

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1987 Pontiac Firebird Formula 350
1 of 2,384 made, Black with Silver decals
350 TPI
700R-4 Tranny with TCI shift kit and Corvette servo with TV boost sleeve
TCI saturday night special 2200-2500 stall converter
WS6 supsension
SLP headers with full 3" exhaust exiting through an SLP dual 2.5" tip muffler
SLP airfoil
180 degree thermostat
hypertech "performance" chip
3.73 rear
Viper talkin alarm with remote start
My 383 is in the process of being built right now, hopefully to make it's debut by middle December. . . many more mods to come in the summer. . maybe some experimentations with juice. . have some track times my independence day.

 

you can turn the engine with a 5/8 socket on the crank pulley if you can get a socket wrench in between there and the radiator. then you can turn it by hand and remove the #1 plug so you can stick a wire or something in there to see when its at TDC,

 

You don't need to take out the spark plugs to turn it by hand, it just makes it turn easier. But I can turn a brand new engine over by hand with all the sparkies installed, and I'm just a wussy girl. Turn it as 88305tpi said to, with a 5/8 socket on the balancer bolt. A really long breaker bar will make this easier. Anyway, line up the mark on the balancer to the timing tab. Then you're at either #1 or #6 TDC. Pull off the driver side valve cover and see if both rockers are in the closed position. If they are then you are at #1. If they're open, then you're at #6, in which case you should turn the engine one more revolution. This will set the engine to #1. Then line up the slot on the oil pump shaft and drop in the dist. Then rotate the dist so your rotor is pointing slightly after (clockwise from) the post you're using as your #1 cylinder wire.

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91 Z28
Come see The Vicious...

 

The issue with turning over the engine with the plugs in, is that you risk stripping off the bolt in the crank.

My advice is spend the extra time and pull the plugs.

 

Thanks guys!. Now my car might actually run before the snow comes.

 

You could even take the inspection cover off the tranny and turn the flywheel by hand. (Assuming it's an automatic.)