I'm trying to set the initial timing on my car prior to setting dwell and adjust using strobe light.
What is the easiest way to turn the engine over to static time everything?

5th gear and a slight push.

If your car isnt TOO high of compression, I have turned the motor with one of the fan bolts if I had to.

Otherwise, jack up one side, put the car in 5th, and turn the lifted wheel by hand for highest accuracy.

For static timing, I try to put the Fan at ~ 5 deg BTDC

What type of motor do you have? Also...FI or carbs?

Here's what I do on my carbed 2.0...

Assuming you've got a normal firing setup, use the 5th gear trick to line up the notch on the flywheel with the case split. You may have to push the rear tin back a bit to see it. This should hopefully mean your #1 piston is at TDC. I like to use the flywheel instead of the fan mark because it's more reliable. After all these years, a lot of fans have multiple notches.

Then use a sharpie to mark the body of the distributor just under the terminal for the #1 spark plug wire. Remove the cap. If the rotor is pointing to that mark, congratulations...you should be at or close to 0 degrees. If it's close, loosen the large adjustment nut and rotate the distributor so the rotor lines up. If it's way off, your dizzy may need to be rotated by a tooth. That's a longer answer. Just let us know.

Once the rotor is pointing to he mark, rotate the distributor counter clockwise about 10 degrees and try starting the engine. You may need to move it a few degrees more to get it to catch. It's helpful to have a friend turning the key while you adjust the dizzy.

Good luck!

On a lift I jam a wedge shape chisel into the opposite side e-brake arm for the 5th gear trick.

It's fuel injected 1.8

Removed distributor and replaced points and condenser. Now i'm trying to static set the timing using a test light on the primary distributor and rotating the distributor.
The test light does not light even when I rotate the dist. about 60 degrees.
Any answers

The test light + should be connected to the neg side of the coil opposite the IGN wire.
This is the same terminal on the coil that the points wire goes to.

The test light - is connected to engine case ground


When the points are open the light should come on
When the points are closed, the light should go off.

If you have the light connected right and it is not turning ON, then the points are closed all the time.
If you did not get the base of the points engaged correctly with the base of the dizzy, they might not be sitting correctly.
Take the cap off and watch while you do this.

You dont need the cap or any of the coil wires to do this test.

If you put the test light + on the IGN side of the coil, does it turn on?

I think I'm missing something here...Is the ignition on to provide power ? +12 volts. Sticking the test light onto the + of the battery and the points side of the coil will give you a light when the points are closed and the light goes out when the points open and no need to have the key turned on.

Finally got test light to light. Clymer manual was misleading.
Set distributer but car still not start. I think because I had setting at TDC rather than 7 degrees before TDC which believe is correct for 1.8 engine.
Would that make the difference?
I will retry tomorrow

No, that would not keep the car from starting. I think you need to find out if you are getting spark at the spark plugs. A bad condenser , or dirty points could keep you from getting spark. They make a small test light that plugs between the plug wire and the plug. If it flashes you have spark....

Just put in new points and condensor, will try the test light for the plugs

Just plug one plug into it's wire and lay it down on top of the engine.
Crank the engine, and you should see the spark.

Still not sure, just pick it up while cranking and there will be no question.

Could someone send me a picture of what their car looks like when you look in the access hole in the blower housing to check for TDC.
I rotate the engine around the area for #1 cylinder firing but I see no mark to line up with notch.

The fan probably does not have a TDC mark.
The flywheel does though.
Here's a vid to show where you can see that mark:

https://youtu.be/QtPd5qzyTk8

I use it for timing and setting my valves and never use the fan marks.