(TDC). I can't find top dead center #1

[jerry73]

I can't find too dead center so I have a few questions
#1 I don't have a crank pulley center bolt so how do I turn the engine?
#2 I can turn it with the flexplate but only backwards because there is no leverage with a pry bar unless I use the starter to pry off of
#3 I was told I can figure it out by watching the valves,how do I do that?



Feel free to tell me any methods you can,keep In Mind I'm doing this by myself because my little sis or my girlfriend are the only help I have and they just get frustrated when they can't do what I told them
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[nheller76]

U will see the exist go down then the intake. When the intake comes back up u are on compression stroke. Do u have a timing tab and balancer marks?
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[Redcap]

Pull the plugs. Slide the balancer on (should be keyway'd). Turn easily by hand.

[jerry73]

Well the outside of the balancer has rotated itself so basically I can't do it based of the balancer. I will try taking the valve covers off and watching the valves. Just to make sure which valve would be the intake valve? Also does it matter if I turn the motor backwards to TDC?
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[BigBlocksRule]

Exhaust valve will line up straight with the exhaust port.
Doesn't matter which way you turn it to reach TDC.
See if you can find a piston stop that threads into the spark plug hole. Turn 'till it stops, mark the balancer, reverse direction 'till it stops again, mark balancer again, TDC is the point exactly between the two. TDC occurs twice each 4-stroke cycle, as said above, you want the one after the intake valve drops, that's compression.

[nheller76]

U can shine a flash light into the spark plug hole and watch it go up. See if u can get your sis or girlfriend to move it wile u watch. U can use a screw driver too, u will be able to feel when it starts going down.
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[Desert1957]

Originally Posted by jerry73

Well the outside of the balancer has rotated itself so basically I can't do it based of the balancer. I will try taking the valve covers off and watching the valves. Just to make sure which valve would be the intake valve? Also does it matter if I turn the motor backwards to TDC?
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Do yourself a huge favor. If the outside of the balance has spun, REPLACE it.

I know most people will not agree with this but, a harmonic balancer coming apart will create a lot of damage, maybe even come through the hood. If it spun on the rubber isolator ring it can come apart.

You will never get the timing close without the mark lined up anyway. Used ones are cheap, replace it.

Desert

[chengny]

Screw a bolt into each of the tapped holes on the inner hub spider legs (maybe 3/8" - 24 NF). Use bolts long enough to get deep into the tapped holes and still have about 3/4" sticking out. Then you can use a bar (or a big screwdriver, piece of angle, etc.) on the bolt heads to jack the engine over.

Or, since your outer mass is off, the OD of the inner hub might be small enough to get a strap wrench around it.

To determine TDC compression when working alone you can make a special tool. I made this years ago and use it all the time:

Steal (or borrow) the whistle off one of your wife's tea kettles (whatever those pots are called that everyone has on the back burner of their stove - to boil water). Tape it to a length of rubber hose. The OD of the hose should be such that it is a tight fit into a spark plug hole.

Put the rig in #1 spark plug hole and crank away. When the #1 piston begins it's rise on the compression stroke, the whistle will tweet nice and loud. It will continue to whistle as long as the piston is rising. As soon as it stops, you have passed TDC and are headed back down.

Dial TDC in with a screwdriver. Stick it in the plug hole and watch the handle. Handle goes up, piston is going down. Handle goes down, piston is going up.

Not exact by any means, but close enough to get initial timing.

[jerry73]

Excellent,ill try theses abit later and see what I come up with...then when it's running I gotta sell the thing
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[geezer#99]

Make a whistle out of an old spark plug. Knock the porcelain off it and drill an 1/8" hole through the centre. THen it just screws right in. Easy Peazy!

[jerry73]

Ok I found TDC but the problem now is I can't get the distributor to go all the way down WITH the rotor pointing toward the #1 cylinder. Any suggestions? I can get it to go in the intake but it just won't go all the way unless I turn the rotor towards #2 or #7
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[geezer#99]

You need to line up the slot in the oil pump drive with the tang on the end of the distributor. Two ways to do that.
1. Use a long screwdriver and reach down inside the hole and turn the slot enough to line up or
2. Set your rotor pointing at #1 and bump your motor over till it drops down in to the slot.
Method #2 is easiest.

[jerry73]

Originally Posted by geezer#99

You need to line up the slot in the oil pump drive with the tang on the end of the distributor. Two ways to do that.
1. Use a long screwdriver and reach down inside the hole and turn the slot enough to line up or
2. Set your rotor pointing at #1 and bump your motor over till it drops down in to the slot.
Method #2 is easiest.

Wouldn't bumping the motor throw it off TDC? Ill try the screw driver first
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[jerry73]

Originally Posted by geezer#99

You need to line up the slot in the oil pump drive with the tang on the end of the distributor. Two ways to do that.
1. Use a long screwdriver and reach down inside the hole and turn the slot enough to line up or
2. Set your rotor pointing at #1 and bump your motor over till it drops down in to the slot.
Method #2 is easiest.

Wouldn't bumping the motor throw it off TDC? Ill try the screw driver first
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[geezer#99]

No it doesn't. THe gear on the cam stays meshed with the gear on the distributor.
THe rotor turns till the dist drops in the tang. Just crank it the rest of the way back around so the rotor points at #1 on the cap. THen move the dist about 1/2 inch advanced and lock it down. Put the cap and wires back on and it should fire up.

[jerry73]

I did the screw driver method and it worked...put it all back together and it started right up. Thanks for all the help guys I appreciate it
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[jerry73]

Anyone have a wiring diagram for a 78 Chevy 454 for the alternator? I can't find why but my alternator isn't charging my battery and it's a wiring problem for sure
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[chengny]