TDC - once more with feeling..... Options

[Tdskip]

If your flywheel marks are missing / impossible to see then;

#1 both valves closed with rockers slack?
Pull # sparkplug and make sure piston at top of travel
Distributor rotor pointing at notch
Vacuum assembly on distributor over the hold down nut

Not my car, but like this, yes?

Look like the right check list?

Thanks!

[Superhawk996]

Last thing in the world I'd rely on is the distributor postion. Too many variables affect it.

The time proven method is pull spark plug, measure piston travel, and note when it is dwelling at the top of travel & then verify the intake and exhaust valve positions are both closed.

There are a number of handy TDC tools availabe too ranging from whistles, to machined piston stops that can thread into the spak plug hole, to dial indicators, or just a good old piece of soft aluminum or copper wire.

Once you know you're on TDC of compression stroke, the distributor variances can be chased down. They can go as far as having the camshaft mis-timed to the crankshaft. Can extend up to the intermediate shaft to the crank gear being mis positioned. And finally, the distributor to the intermediate shaft. Heck, I've even seen a rotor misinstalled and not seated properly on a friends Bug and he couldn't figure out why it didn't run.

[Gint]

Last thing in the world I'd rely on is the distributor postion.

The time proven method is pull spark plug, measure piston travel, and note when it is dwelling at the top of travel & then verify the intake and exhaust valve positions are both closed.

There are a number of TDC tools availabe too ranging from whistles, to machined piston stops that can thread into the spak plug hole, to dial indicators, or just a good old piece of soft aluminum or copper wire.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif) A 914 4 will run will run with the distributor 180 degrees out. If you know your distributor is not 180 out, no problem using the rotor position as a guide. BTDT

And again, don't use chopsticks down #1 spark plug hole.

Chopstick method Sammy had a great idea in post #64