And, if you turn the crank a full 360 degrees, the rotor will point to #1. Most of the posters are missing the fact that when the cam pin is at 3 o'clock (driver side), the dots are in opposition, but THE engine is at TDC-OVERLAP, and not in FIRING position. Therefore, by turning the engine an additional full turn, the cam sprocket dots will be at the top and so will the crank sprocket dots - and the distributor rotor will point towards #1!

 

BTW, it still looks like your cam timing chain is off by 1 tooth which is 16 degrees of cam retard!

 

Thanks much for the input.

Steve

 

I will definitely check that out!

Thanks Larry

 

I had done that, and I thought I observed the distributor to do one full 360 while the big cam gear did one full 360. I'll check that again.

 

Crank to cam is a 2/1 ratio. If cam dot is down, crank dot up (like in your picture), you can rotate the crank 1 full turn and the cam dot will be up (and this is firing TDC for cyl #1).

Yes, camshaft is 1:1 with the distributor.

 

Yes, but the cam dowel is at the 9 o'clock then.

 

That's ok. To prove that it is at TDC-firing, the #3 intake valve will be open. If you have that, you're good to set the distributor rotor to the #1 position.

 

The cam timing marks (dots) when aligned together do not correspond to the firing of number 1 cylinder. This is a common mistake that people make (as already stated). Turn the engine 180 degrees and then you are on number 1 firing position.

 

Really???!!

You mean dot-to-dot is just for cam-to-crankshaft alignment? And then once that's done, turn the cam gear to dot "up" and drop the distributor into #1 position?

Now that does makes sense for this motor.

But why all that?

 

Honestly Steve I don't know which manufactures are dot up and which ones are dot down, I've just read that they are not all the same. Mine is dot down.
Your dist could have been re- clocked and then the wires all moved to match. That is how the dist could be 180 out from what would be the stock config.
You make a good point on the dowel pin. I don't remember if mine is at 9 or 3 o'clock.
Where is you #1 wire connected on the dist cap? Is it where the cap is pointed now? The normal #6 position.
Correct on rotating the engine in normal direction next valve to open on # 1 is the exhaust.

 

Yes and yes. If you watch the motion of your rockers on number 1 it will show you what the cylinder is doing, drawing fuel/air, compressing/firing, exhausting/returning to TDC and drawing again. If you cover the spark plug hole with your finger while turning the engine it will tell you when it is on the compression stroke, you will feel the pressure on your finger.

 

A better picture (in more ways than one ).

 

Yes; #1 wire is exactly opposite where the rotor is pointing now. i.e. #1 tower/wire is nearest the carb, a bit to the left (which I would call normal).

And it does make sense now what the Kiwi said (mr303), about after aligning the dots & bolting on the cam gear.....and THEN rotating the cam's dot to the top position....and THEN drop in the distributor so it points to #1.

I didn't get that far in the Bible yet on distributor insertion.

I just assumed dot-to-dot was #1 TDC.

 

Yes dot to dot is TDC, but not on the firing stroke. The firing stroke is 180 degrees further around. The cam should be aligned dot to dot perfect, use a straight edge to truely confirm the alighnment.

 

To be correct, the firing stroke is 360 degrees around of the crankshaft - the cam only turns 180 degrees placing the dot at 12 o'clock.

 

Yes you are quite correct! I should have stated that I was talking about the cam position. Hope I didn't cause to much confusion.

 

Really...... do an online search, it's been confused a million times.

 

I now understand, thanks to all of those who took their time to post for my benefit. It's much appreciated.

Steve

 

So I was driving home this morning and thinking about this engine of yours and suddenly realized that I was chasing the wrong idea down the rabbit hole. And I likely just confused you and the issue. Sorry about that.
when I timed my engine in order to put the timing chain on and cam in the dots were aligned as said before. But that is only for the purpose of timing the cam to the crank for valve clearance and valve timing events.
I honestly don't remember if the cam was in the overlap period or the compression period when I did it.
It doesn't matter.
What does matter is that the piston on #1 is at TDC. That's it.

Then when it comes time to drop the dist in the hole the timing chain cover is already on so I'm not referencing the dots on the gears.

What I'm looking for is that #1 is a TDC and that the valves are on the base circle of the cam. The valves are fully closed.
This indicates to me that it is in the compression stroke not the overlap stroke.
so since I never reference the cam timing when dropping in the distributor, yours being in #6 position was at first confusing. Apparently that is when the dots are aligned.
Couldn't say for sure on mine since I didn't look. Like I said, it doesn't matter. Cam timing is about valve to piston clearances and valve events.
So on yours just insure that when the dots are aligned that #1 is at absolutely TDC. If it is off a little then so are your valve events. Which if it is retarded then your intake valve closing (the important event in this case) will be late.
Whew glad I cleared that up. At least for me.