I am installing a new cam in my motor; heads are off and distributor are out already. I set the motor to 0 degrees on the timing marker for top dead center. Unfortunately I didn't do this till I had the distributor out so I couldn't see if it was pointing to cylinder 1 or 6.
So what I am wondering is how can I tell which it is? I think I may be over thinking it and they are the same for the purpose of installing the cam and once the cam is in and controlling how the lifts rise and fall moving the valves open then it becomes different.
So am I safe to just remove the old timing chain and gears, throw on the new crank gear, as it has a key way so it can only go on one way. Or is there still a difference between TDC 1 and 6 with just the crank and rotating assembly in?

 

1 & 6 are at TDC at the same time. So, no difference until the cam is associated with the crank.

When you assemble the motor, it's easier to see the timing set alignment with the crank dot @ 12:00 and the cam one @ 6:00. That's the opposite instance of TDC though; #6 firing, and #1 end of exh stroke (exh valve closing) & start of int stroke (int valve opening). Both dots @ 12:00 is #1 firing and #6 the other.

So yes, you should be able Turn the engine off, remove the timing set intact, and put another one on, no matter where the engine is. Not that you'd WANT to, but you could.

 

thank you very much. So I am at top dead on cylinder 1 at the moment then. Now I know I am safe to proceed with the swap, I was just worried that 1 and 6 were extremely different and could hurt the motor.