Ok I need to find TDC on the intake stroke. I want to do it right the first time - so I'm pulling the valve cover to watch the rockers. Where should the #1 rockers be when I'm at TDC on the intake stroke? I know I can just feel for compression but I want it to be exact. Thanks a lot.

------------------
89 Iroc-Z LB9 305 TPI auto 2.73 posi:
3" Dynomax "cat" back,K&N filters, TB bypass, 3" pipe in place of cat, cleaned and flow-matched injectors, 180' thermo, mild ignition mods, synthetic oil, kicker sound system, soon to attempt engine swap...

 

TDC on the #1 cylinder occurs when the timing mark on the harmonic damper lines up with the 0* mark on the pointer scale. With the valve covers off, look for the valves on the #1 cylinder to be open when the timing marks are aligned. This means that the rockers on that cylinder should be tilted/actuated.

------------------
'88 IROC 305 TPI
Crappy 700R4 slushbox
Gutted airboxes
180 degree T-stat
Advanced base TPS voltage
Relocated IAT sensor
Momo steering wheel (gotta luv it)
Ram-air setup coming soon
Flowmaster muffler (puke)
Taylor SpiroPro wires
Accel cap and rotor
Kills: '94 Z28, Olds Aurora V8, bunch of Mustangs, T-birds, ricers, and others who assumed a 12 year-old car would be too slow.

 

you can feel for compression, look at the valves and make sure they're closed, look at the timing pointer, and look at the rotor inside the distributor.

------------------
ICON Motorsports
1st & 3rd

 

Thanks guys. I'd heard that the balancer was inaccurate and I think I've got the rotor wrong (that's the reason for finding tdc) so I figured using both compression and watching the rockers would be a good idea.

------------------
89 Iroc-Z LB9 305 TPI auto 2.73 posi:
3" Dynomax "cat" back,K&N filters, TB bypass, 3" pipe in place of cat, cleaned and flow-matched injectors, 180' thermo, mild ignition mods, synthetic oil, kicker sound system, soon to attempt engine swap...

 

i wouldn't trust the balancer as 100% accurate but if it's within a few degrees and everything else looks good then i'd go with it.

------------------
ICON Motorsports
1st & 3rd

 

F*** the rockers and the timing mark. Neither is accurate enough to be bothered with.

Pull the #1 spark plug; bump the motor over with the starter until you get compresion out of the hole; then look in the hole until you see the piston come to TDC. Too easy. If you want better precision than the eyeball, you could use a dial indicator in the spark plug hole.

------------------
"So many Mustangs, so little time..."

 

What do I look for? Just use a light and when I see the piston start to go back down turn it back until it's at the top? I didn't know there was enough space to actually look down into the hole but I'll give it a shot. Thanks.

------------------
89 Iroc-Z LB9 305 TPI auto 2.73 posi:
3" Dynomax "cat" back,K&N filters, TB bypass, 3" pipe in place of cat, cleaned and flow-matched injectors, 180' thermo, mild ignition mods, synthetic oil, kicker sound system, soon to attempt engine swap...