Pull all six plugs so the engine rotates easy. Tighten the fan belt really tight so you can rotate the engine with the fan blade.
With the valve cover off, rotate engine while watching the two front rocker arms. Go two or four complete crank rotations till you get a good idea of how the valves open and close. When the exhaust valve is closing, the intake should be starting to open. Keep rotating the crank till the intake valve closes. Drop a long wood dowel rod down the spark plug hole. Rotate crank till the rod quits moving out of the hole. This will be TDC.
Another good way is to hold your thumb over the #1 spark plug hole, ( coil wire removed ) and have a helper bump the starter. When your thumb is blown off the hole by compression, you are getting close to TDC. Drop dowel rod down the hole, turn engine by hand till rod quits moving.
