Just some quick information to find Top Dead Center.
First remove all the plugs, so you can turn the engine easy and get a good look at them.
Get a 12" long small diameter wood rod or length of wire that fits through the spark-plug hole.
Remove the valve cover.
Rotate the engine by hand and watch in the first two rocker arms. The very first one is the exhaust valve rocker arm, the second one in line is the intake rocker arm. Go two complete turns of the engine watching as rockers move up and down. You have compression stroke (rocker arms not moving,piston coming up), power stroke (still not moving, piston going down), exhaust stroke (first one in line opening, piston coming up), and intake stroke (first one closing and second one opening, piston going down).
As the second (intake) rocker arm is opening, put your stick in the first spark-plug hole. The intake valve should be closing as the piston reaches the bottom of the cylinder. Now slowly turn the engine till the piston reaches the Top Dead Center.
You should be able to wiggle the two front rocker arms just slightly. You should also see the UDC mark in the opening.
Back the engine up 1/8 turn and return toward UDC but stop when you see the BB marking. This is the 5 degree timing mark.
Pull your distributor cap off and look to see where the rotor is pointing. Wherever its pointing is #1 spark-plug wire post.
Return the cap to the distributor and start the firing order from number one post you just found. In a counterclockwise wise direction, #1 4 2 6 3 5.
Reinstall all but number one plug and wire according to the firing order. Install the #1 plug in the wire and lay the plug across the head someplace so its grounded. Use a jumper lead if you have to, just make sure the steel body of the plug is grounded.
Turn the key to run, DON'T rotate the engine, just have key on, engine not trying to start.
Rotate the distributor in quick short turns to see if the spark-plug fires. Keep twisting in short spurts as the plug fires trying to get closer and closer to the point of intersection between firing and not turning the cap anymore.
Once you get as close as you can with the distributor and the plug firing, lock it in place semi tight and install the plug and wire.
You should now be with in a few degrees of the proper timing, on top dead center, #1 plugm and have the firing order correct.
Joe
Last edited by Joe H; 05/25/2011 4:20 PM.
