I think i might have really messed up??

[eagleuh1]

Auto Zone sells the pointers right next to the crome covers. Why they don't just put it in the box......

[chevy_mike]

Originally Posted by eagleuh1

Auto Zone sells the pointers right next to the crome covers. Why they don't just put it in the box......

Because there has been different placement of the timing marks over the years. If GM would have keep the same placement on all SBC, then it would be easy but becuase they made changes, it would be hard to know which one was for the engine you have. If you put the wrong one on, you'll never get it timed right.

[eagleuh1]

OK. I only saw one pointer. Next time I'm there I'll look again closer. But you can also do the thing with put the pointer on, and use a piston stop and rotate the engine by hand until it hits the top of #1 piston, make a mark on the balancer, go backward, rotating by hand again until it hits the piston going the other way, make a mark on the balancer where the pointer is pointing and then right in the middle of those 2 marks should be your top dead center #1. Time from there after making permanent mark for top dead center. Start with your number one wire wherever the rotor on distributor is pointing after centering you vacuum advance to allow plenty of movement for the distributor to rotate. Good luck..