Piston position to install the heads
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 11,891
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From: Kansas City, MO ...I'd like to go fishing and catch a fishstick. That'd be convenient. - Mitch Hedberg
Piston position to install the heads
It's time to put the heads back on the engine. To do this, I know I want to set the #1 cylinder to TDC. As I turn the engine over by hand, I watch the lifter for the intake valve go up, then come back down and then the piston is at the top of the cylinder and the timing mark is at 0. Is this the position I want the engine in to bolt the heads on and start tightening the valves down at?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 5,691
Likes: 12
From: columbus oh
It's time to put the heads back on the engine. To do this, I know I want to set the #1 cylinder to TDC. As I turn the engine over by hand, I watch the lifter for the intake valve go up, then come back down and then the piston is at the top of the cylinder and the timing mark is at 0. Is this the position I want the engine in to bolt the heads on and start tightening the valves down at?
to set the valves, follow the sticky on how to do it cold or when assembling the engine...hope this helps, good luck....
Racer
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 317
Likes: 2
From: coral gables miami
yes its easy to time the engine that way....check to see how the lifters stack up on # 1 and # 6, they both should be even with 6 a little higher than 1 or 1 a little lower...that indicates both valves closed on #1 and the damper lined up with the timing tab.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 2,317
Likes: 111
From: St Louis MO
To set the engine to TDC firing (not overlap)...
First set #1 piston approximately near the top of its travel - don't need it exact because you will only need to know if the #3 intake lobe is up - how? - just look at its lifter. If it's up you're almost finished; if it's not, turn the crank another full turn until the #3 intake lifter is up.
Next, you will want to set exactly TDC. With the head still off, it's really easy to get #1 exactly to TDC even without a dial indicator by setting #3 and #5 pistons exactly the same distance down in their holes. Keep adjusting until they're exactly the same distance below deck. Now your exactly at TDC-firing on #1 (and TDC-overlap on #6)! Mark your balancer and/or timing tag for future reference!
Although this procedure is not required to bolt on the heads, it makes it a lot easier to know where the exact TDC position is, and whether the engine is at firing or overlap on #1.
First set #1 piston approximately near the top of its travel - don't need it exact because you will only need to know if the #3 intake lobe is up - how? - just look at its lifter. If it's up you're almost finished; if it's not, turn the crank another full turn until the #3 intake lifter is up.
Next, you will want to set exactly TDC. With the head still off, it's really easy to get #1 exactly to TDC even without a dial indicator by setting #3 and #5 pistons exactly the same distance down in their holes. Keep adjusting until they're exactly the same distance below deck. Now your exactly at TDC-firing on #1 (and TDC-overlap on #6)! Mark your balancer and/or timing tag for future reference!
Although this procedure is not required to bolt on the heads, it makes it a lot easier to know where the exact TDC position is, and whether the engine is at firing or overlap on #1.
