I now this sound like an easy one to you guys but I want to do it right the first time.I want to install my distributor now that the engine is back in the car. I understand I need # one to top dead center on the compression stroke. OK how do I do that? The engine rebuilder relocated the pointer for me after the engine was stroked. He had it set for me but when I bolted up the converter to the fly wheel I moved everything not even giving it a thought. So what do I do???

 

pull the #1 plug,
remove the distributor cap
put a breaker bar on the damper bolt, place your finger sealing the plug hole, and rotate the engine in its normal dirrection untill you feel compression
the rotor should be approahing TDC
if the damper and timing tab are correctly indexed, the TDC line on the damper should align with the timing tab at TDC within a few degrees
the rotor is pointing at the #1 located on the distrib cap
firing order is 1-8-4-3-6-5-7-2-
replace the plug and distributor cap
use a timing light and set the iniatial timing to about 10 degrees advance, start the engine and adjust to final

 

They also make a top dead center tool. It comes with a degree wheel kit but you should be able to buy one seprate. You install it in the #1 spark plug hole then rotate the motor till the piston hits it (pull the valve cover and make shure the valves are up). Dont spin the motor fast because you can dent a piston if it hits the tool hard.

 

Disregard this misinformation. This tool is great for degreeing your cam, but absolutely no use when it comes to drop in a distributor.

 

Another way is to lightly put a wadded up piece of paper in the #1 spark plug hole, bump the key over until the paper pops out, align TDC mark. When the distributor drops, the rotor should be aiming in the direction of #1 cylinder.

 

The problem is I dont have the distributor in yet. Or I would use it to help line up #1. If I turn the motor over till #1 is coming up and take off the valve cover which valve should be open or shut on that piston?

 

Pull the pass side valve cover. Watch cylinder #6 as you bump the motor over by hand. As the exhaust valve closes and the intake valve starts to open (on # 6) it should be approaching TDC firing on cylinder #1. Set your balancer at 8 or 10 degrees before TDC and you're ready to drop the distributor in. I would twist the oil pump driveshaft so the slot is pointing at the #5 intake valve (roughly). Set the rotor at #1 firing on the distributor, and then move it back (counter clockwise). You want to look at the distributor gear and move it one tooth back versus a reference on the housing. When you install it, it will move the rotor back to the correct #1 position after it drops all the way in. Good luck!!

 

How is it no use, it tells you when the piston is up. All you have to do is check to make shure it is on the compression stroke. Alot more accurate than putting your finger over the hole or watching another cylender.

 

I had the same problem. My engine builder didn't index the tab for me at all. I was pretty pist off after spending about 10 grand on an engine to not know how to time it. Using a piece of paper or the finger-over-the-hole trick might work for the old farm truck, but you want to know exactly where TDC is when setting your timing on your performance engine. This is critical.

Anyway, figuring out exactly where TDC is was my project this winter. Here's what I did....

Get a piston stop tool. Thread it into spark plug hole #1. Slowly rotate engine (by hand!) toward your 0 degree mark until it hits. Mark this point on the balancer. Now back up rotation and go all the way around until it hits again. Mark this point too. Now split the difference between the 2 points and this is your zero degree point. Remove the tool and rotate the engine to that point. Set your timing pointer at zero degrees and lock it down. Now install the distrib. with the rotor pointing slightly before #1. It will probably be sticking up high as it has not yet engaged the oil pump drive yet. Now just rotate the engine forward while pushing down on the distrib. It should fall down pretty darn close to where you want the #1 wire to be. Now you can set your timing with confidence that your timing marks are actually correct.

I hope this helps.

 

His timing tab is indexed correctly to the balancer. When the mark lines up with the pointer, it is at TDC and accurate. It does not tell him if it's on the firing or exhaust stroke, and that is the problem. A piston stop tool will not tell you this either. I would go back and reread the original post.

 

Just put a wadded up piece of paper in the spark plug hole snugly. Bump the engine over with the key. When the paper "POPS" out, and you will know when it does, it's on the compression stroke. No guessing, no having to wonder which valve is open or closed. So simple a caveman could do it. Then align the dampner line with the TDC notch. DONE! Then drop the distributor with the rotor facing the left side of the car. As it goes in, it will turn clockwise. When it's fully seated to the manifold the rotor should be facing #1 cylinder. If it doesn't seat fully, pull it back out and take a long screwdriver and easily turn the oil pump a little at a time until the distributor seats fully. I like the distributor to seat fully without having to bump the engine over to drop it. If the rotor doesn't point to #1 on the cap, which is the tower on the left side of the cap closest to the front of the car, which basically points to #1 cylinder, pull the distributor out until it's not touching gears and rotate the rotor slightly the direction it needs to go. When at last it seats all the way and it's pointing to #1 tower your DONE! Then start the engine and adjust initial timing.

 

OK Guys I think I got it. Thanks for the help.I always say better to ask first then wish I did later after it is screwed up.