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Help finding Top Dead Center

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Old Sep 15, 2002 | 03:50 PM
  #1  
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Burning Brakes
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Default Help finding Top Dead Center

Okay,
I am changing my valve springs right now. I have been turning the crank until I feel air coming out of the spark plug hole. then I put in about 18 inches of nylon cord and continue to bring up the piston until the string will not come out. I kow that is close to TDC but not exactly.

Once I am done with the valve springs, how do I determine TDC. I want it to be at TDC before I put in the cam.

I know its an easy question but the dampner and everything else is off it and I don't want to mess up my cam change by doing something stupid at the last minute.
Thanks

Scott
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Old Sep 15, 2002 | 03:53 PM
  #2  
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Default Re: Help finding Top Dead Center (scottw)

What I did was make sure it was on the COMPRESSION stroke with the heads on. Then I took them off. I then put my timing chain cover on (not bolted just set it on) then kinda presses the balancer on with my hand. Then put my timing tab on and made the mark on the balancer dead on with the zero on the tab. That should be as close as your going to get with out an indicator and degree wheel.
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Old Sep 15, 2002 | 04:16 PM
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Default Re: Help finding Top Dead Center (scottw)

when you hold your finger over the # 1 plug hole and turn motor over your can tell TDC by the force of the air pushing against your finger, when you are on # 6 it is much less air pushing than 1. good luck. :cheers:
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Old Sep 15, 2002 | 04:34 PM
  #4  
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Default Re: Help finding Top Dead Center (scottw)

The easiest way to get it back to tdc is probably to just temporarilly reinstall the timing cover and damper and use the marks. You still need to verify that it's on compression/firing stroke but it sounds like you've already got that part down. There are other ways to get it back to tdc but it would take longer to explain them than it would to install/remove the timing cover and damper.
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Old Sep 15, 2002 | 04:50 PM
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Default Re: Help finding Top Dead Center (scottw)

Sounds to me like you got the front off the engine and the cam out allready...and so that all is meaningless about compression...just position the crank very carefully by feel throug the spark plug hole....and then that's close enough....
position the cam gear straight up, and the crank gear mark can be EITHER straight up OR straight down.....but either way it HAS TO BE IN LINE>>>>

if the cam gear mark is toward the bottom, you will be off by 90* and that will NOT WORK......

GENE
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Old Sep 15, 2002 | 05:31 PM
  #6  
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Default Re: Help finding Top Dead Center (scottw)

The best way is to use a dial indicator as shown. If the head is off, this is the best way to find TDC.

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Old Sep 15, 2002 | 06:45 PM
  #7  
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Default Re: Help finding Top Dead Center (mrvette)

Thanks guys.
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