The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Where is the timing ball and pointer?

Where do I look to find my timing ball and pointer to know that cyl 1 is at TDC?

46,

If you are talking about the engine from your flickr account, there should be a hole in the engine/bell housing on the driver side with a mark on the housing/engine. The ball or line will ine up there. One of your pics labeled "engine plug" with a circle in it shows the timing.

46 IP

And as far as TDC, you can watch the valves or drop the distributor...if it is 180 off, it will back fire and not run. Spin it around again and reset the distrib.

Pull the number one plug out and stick your finger in the spark plug hole. Crank until you feel a compression stroke. Keep turning the engine in the same direction slowly until the ball lines up with the pointer. No. 1 is now on TDC. Move the distributor in the direction the rotor turns until the points close. Put the cap on and attach the spark plug to the plug wire and lay the plug on something grounded like on top of the valve cover. Turn the ignition on and slowly turn the distributor the opposite way until the plug pops a spark. You are now timed at TDC and you can go from there.

While there are holes on both sides the pointer is on the passenger side on my 38 and in Denny's pic.