Reason Im asking is because 1. I havent seen my motor runnin in over a year, so I forgot which direction the crank turned (counter clock or clockwise), and 2. Im degreeing in my cam right now, and it seems that the balancer and degree wheel suggest that the crank goes counter clock. HOWEVER, by watching the valve events in relation to the #1 cylinder, it looks as if it should be turning clockwise

If I turn it clockwise, all the valve events are normal. IVO, IVC, compression, combustion, EVO, EVC. Maybe Im just not "learned" enough yet in cam/crank degrees, but I just get the cam to give me the same specs that came on my card. I highly doubt comp ground a cam a$$ backwards. Can someone tell me where Im goin wrong? I found TDC and set the pointer to TDC on the degree wheel.

 

Clockwise when you're standing in front of the engine looking at the crank.

 

ok, thats actually a relief. Somebody at my shop said he thought it went counter clock.

And if it does go clockwise, then somethings up with degree wheel. You know the areas where it suggest about when the valves should open and close? Well, if I go clockwise, the events are as follows. EVC, EVO, IVC, IVO. Should I pay any attention to those, or just go by the numbers on the wheel, and not the suggested timing event frames?

 

Be careful going off the stock pointer. You will want to calibrate it. I've seen more than a couple that were off by 4* or more, but some are dead on. Pull #1 up to TDC and just check to make sure that 0* on the pointer is looking at the 0* line on the balancer. If not you'll have to cut the tab off the timing cover and weld it in the correct spot or buy and aftermarket adjustable pointer.

But to answer your question, Aperion is right, clockwise.

 

What degree wheel are you using?

Remember that the cam will be turning clockwise relative to the engine, but the pointer on the degree wheel will be turning counterclockwise relative to the wheel.

 

Im using the cheaper wheel from Comp. What do you mean that the "pointer on the degree wheel will be turning counterclockwise relative to the wheel". I figured the crank is moving the same direction as the degree wheel, so they should me the same

 

Well, the crank turns clockwise when the block is sitting still. But imagine if you held the crank still, and turned the block around it. The block would be turning counterclockwise then, and so the markings on the degree wheel might seem backwards.

 

It's hard to describe let alone understand without someone showing you but Aperion described it pretty well.

 

How eould you go about calibrating your timing pointer w/o pulling the heads on an assembled motor?

 

Use a piston stop.

 

Thanks, ordering one today. None of the parts houses around here even know what I'm asking for.....

 

You want the kind that threads into the spark plug hole, of course. Not the kind that bolts to the deck

 

Yep, got that part already figured out, but Thanks for making sure I didn't mess it up!!! (I've been known to on easier stuff, that's for sure!)

 

lol, I did the same thing! For some reason I decided to bolt down the driver side head first, not thinkin that the balancer and pointer arent even adjsuted yet