Well I installed a new intake and the timing is way off because the distributor is not in the same spot. I need to hand crank the engine to #1 at TDC so I can reinstall the distributor with the rotor pointing to 1. I have never hand cranked an engine before so how do I go about doing it? Any tips or advice? I just dont want to break anything lol.

 

its not real hard but there are alot of ways to do it.

I usualy stick a 5/8 deep socket on a 1/2 inch ratchet and stick that on the crankshaft damper bolt and turn it that way. Alot of guys will probably tell you that is a good way to screw that bolt up but Ive never had a problem.

the other way is you could take the transmission dust shield off and you can pretty much just grab the flexplate and turn it by hand.

 

I've had to do it a few times. I just put a ratchet on the damper bolt and turned.. it might take some effort, but thats how I do it. A longer handle will make it easier though.

 

Why not just bump it with the starter, pull #1 plug stick you finger in the hole and have someone bump the starter very fast, when you feel pressure and the timing mark is close to 0 your @TDC on the compression. It should fire around there. If not twist the dizzy a little back and forth till it fires. Once it fires set the timing.

 

By "bump" you mean turning the key engaging the starter right? When I was searching I saw that term but Im not sure what it means. If it did it this way when I bump it with the starter I would have the distributor out of the engine right?

 

Yes, that's what it means.

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Is the dizzy in or out of the car now?

either way leave it. If it's in make sure it's disconnected.

Now bump it as nsimmons said to do. There will be NO mistaking the compression stroke. Your finger will shoot outta the hole like a...well....anyhow, now you've found TDC on the compression stroke. Your timing mark should also be pretty close to 0.

If the dizzy was in, is it pointing to #1? If not, replace the dizzy correctly.

....if it was out already, stab that sucker towards #1

 

Yeah the dizzy is in the car right now. It starts up but sometimes it acts up like the battery is low while starting and it knocks when I accelerate. I checked the timming today and its way off

I think I will try it this way first. Sounds easier. How long will it take to reach TDC, just a couple bumps?

 

Stop right now! You just have the timing way to advanced. Dont bump it to tdc just use a timing light and dial it back to 0 and go from there.

Mines at 22 initial and it acts the exact same way when its hot its very hard to crank over, but my crappy truck distributor only gives me 14 degrees of advance so i need to keep it there until i can fiddle with it. I just turn my fans on when im prediciting a stop soon so the engine is cool and starts fine after.

 

I cant get it back to 0 because I cant turn the distributor that much. Right now the mark is near the bottom half.

Or wait, I think I get what you are saying. If I have a timing light with the dial I can just put it back to 0? I guess now would be the time to upgrade

 

I thought when i used the word dial it might confuse you. If you cant turn the dizzy enough then turn it as much as you can, then unbolt it lift it up, return it to wear it was originally, then re seat it against the cam.

You should have plenty of room to adjust it then.

Its just "off a tooth" as some people call it.

If you want to start from scratch heres what you do. Pull the dizzy, find #1 top dead center like i explained. If the person bumping the starter is very fast you can move the timing mark 4-5 degrees at a time and get it very close to 0.

Once the engine is timed as close to 0 on TDC as you can get, drop the dizz back in making sure your orientation allows for you to adjust it a fair amount in either direction. You may have trouble seating it against the oil pump shaft, use a flash light and long flat head screw driver down the dizzy hole to turn the shaft a little to align it.

Once the dizzy is in the cap terminal the the rotor is pointing at is number 1.
It should fire instantly and you can timing it from there.

Oh and get a dial back light, way more usefull.

 

when you find tdc on #1 line up the mark on your damper with what ever your normal initial is on you pointer.So if for example you normally run 12 degree's initial set your timing mark on your damper to the 12 mark on your pointer.Then drop your dizzy in rotor pointing to the #1 on da cap.

Did i explain that ok?

 

Have to be careful with the balancer bolt. Real easy to strip the threads out in the crank.

Ive gotten so lazy that I now just use a 1/2 in. rachet on the alternator pully bolt to turn the belt line, which in turn turns the engine.

 

I used a 5/8" socket. For me it was hard to see the timing mark on the balancer though with the light so I used some whiteout marker to mark it. Make sure all of your vacuum lines are connected when setting timing. I was trying to do it with the brake booster vacuum line disconnected and was trying to figure out why the damn thing wouldn't idle right but would run at 1500RPMs

 

Well I am trying to get it in right, it will turn over fine but wont start up. Its popping a little bit through the exhaust. What is wrong? When you hand crank the engine do you have to crank it fast to fell pressure?

 

yeah i dont think you want your finger getting sucked in there when someone spins it over using the ignition hehe your probably just 180 degree's out

 

yeah that would suck lol. I pulled the distributor back out for like the 10 time today. I had my bro hand crank it till I felt pressure push my thumb out. I had him crank it till it lined up with 0. I then put the distributor back in with the rotor facing the #1 terminal on the cap. All the wires are in the correct place. I went to start it up but it wont start up. While I am trying to start it sometimes it will act there is low power then crank normally. some smoke is also coming out of the carb. I am pretty sure I got it right. If I am 180 degrees out what do I have to do

 

easy way to see if your out 180 is pull your distrubutor just enough to disangage the shaft from the pump and then turn the rotor 180 then drop it back in.if it fires you know your out 180

 

Ok I turned the rotor 180 and now the car cranks like normal but still wont start and again makes some popping noises in the exhaust. This is driving me nuts.

 

Well, it started to begin with before your started to time it again, right? The thing you need to remember is that the #1 cyl HAS to be at TDC on the compression stroke of the piston. Sounds like you are still 180 deg out. If it were me, I would remove the #1 cyl spark plug, stick my finger over the hole and hand crank it untill you feel the pressure just before it reaches TDC, then check the crank and set it to TDC by the marks and then install the dizzy. Once the dixxy is in start it up and finish it off with a timing light. Get a shop book for your car for better hands on.

 

Yeah timing has been way off since I finished the installation of my intake manifold. I probably dont have it exactly at tdc like I think I do.

 

Having it "exactly" at TDC is not your problem, you just need to make sure its at TDC on the pistons compression stroke or your car will not start and "pop" out the exhaust because its firing on the wrong stroke of the piston.

 

:shrug: I stuck a long drinking straw in my #1 cyl plug hole. Couldn't feel pressure cuz my buddy was turning it too slowly.

Since you're saying it tries to crank over but can't, or doesn't very well...it sounds like it could be an intake leak (vacuum leak). Make sure all your vacuum lines are hooked up. I was trying to start my car for a while with my brake booster vacuum line unplugged. It would run, but die if I let off the throttle for too long. If I held the throttle open by hand to hold the RPMs at around 1500-2000RPM, the timing was rock solid. As soon as I'd let off, it would start to stumble. Once I remembered unplugging that line, I plugged it back in and voila! She purred!