Question regarding T.D.C.

[RWilliams]

I have searched and read various topics on " how to find TDC", but I still have a few questions and I am hoping someone can shed more light on this subject.

I am working on '65 with a 230 6 Cylinder engine. The distributor was pulled some time back, and the motor has been turned many times. Now that I am trying to place the distributor back in, I am trying to make sure its put back in correctly.

I placed a rolled up napkin in the # 1 cylinder hole and rotate the engine until it pops out. Each time I do this, I check ( with a screwdriver ) and the piston seems to be at the top of its stroke, but the timing mark is about straight up, almost 1/4 rotation from the timing mark on the harmonic balancer lining up with the time mark on the timing chain cover. The balancer has a key way, so I'm sure that it was put back correctly.

So I turn the balancer until it lines up to 0 degrees and make sure the distributor is dropped in with the rotor pointing to the # 1 cylinder hole.

Does this sound like the correct way to do this ?

I replaced the plugs, plug wires, points, condenser, rotor and distributor cap. using the original coil. Wired everything back like it was with the help of a Shop Manual and many pictures.

Still getting no spark and when turmning the engine over, seems to be spitting back through the carbuerator.

Any ideas or guesses as to what I am doing wrong ???

[Anthony Fremont]

Originally Posted by RWilliams

Still getting no spark and when turmning the engine over, seems to be spitting back through the carbuerator.

What do you mean here? If it's going kapow out the carb then you are most definitely "getting spark", it just isn't in time. It's reasonable that the paper would poof out the hole before the piston is all the way to the top. So assuming the balancer is correctly marked (and plenty aren't), you should put the dist. in with it pointing straight at the #1 post on the cap. That being whichever one happens to contain the wire going to the #1 cylinder. It should run at this point, but you might want to twist the dist. so that it's advanced a little bit. If it's doing allot of popping out the carb, you are probably 180 degrees off.

[low900rr]

What he said, the rotor needs to point at the #1 post on the cap itself not the #1 cylinder plug hole. I bet thats where your problem is.

[Bob66]

Your napkin will pop out before you reach TDC, turn the motor by hand (same direction, not far if it's far you are on the exhaust stroke) to where the timing mark is at 6 degrees before TDC. Then install the distributor with the rotor pointing at a mark you make on the top edge of the distributor (still no cap) that corresponds to the #1 plug wire tower. The points rubbing block should be on a high spot on the center cam on the distributor shaft. With the points open, turn the distributor clockwise until the points close.Now, (battery disconnected) connect a continuity tester across the points and turn the distributor to where the points just open according to the continuity tester and tighten the distributor hold down clamp snugly. put every thing back together and it'll start right up. Now check your timing mark with a light, you can fine tune this by connecting a manifold vacuum gauge (with carburetor adjustments correct) and moving a little advanced or retarded and finding highest manifold vacuum. If you're going to do your own tuneups with points a dwell meter is handy to have too. I like magnetic pickups myself......

[RWilliams]

Thanks guys for all of the great feedback !

As soon as I have a few minutes, I'll be back in the garage - trying again. It doesn't sound that complicated.

[madmatt54]

One thing to add. We always pull the valve cover and look at the rockers on the #1 cylinder. At TDC both rockers should be up so both valves are closed. You should be able to spin the pushrods. If one valve or the other is opened, either you are 180* off, or your timing mark has moved.

[RWilliams]

Following up on the suggestions I received, I was finally able to get fire to the plugs. My wife was cranking the engine while I checked for spark. I was getting spark at the plugs, but the engine still would not crank.

I'm getting gas to the carbuerator, so not sure why it won't crank. I attached an image of the coil wiring, just as it was before I took everything apart about 1 1/2 years ago.


While we were " cranking " on it, the ignition switch locked up, so I'm down for a few days until I get a replacement.

I wanted to post these images to see if anyone detected anything that looked wrong!

Thanks for any feedback.

[low900rr]

with the #1 plug out have someone crank the motor while your finger is over the plug hole. Have a plug in the #1 wire and see if that plug sparks when your finger is popped off the plug hole which would be the compression stroke.