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| | | Forums66 Topics128,162 Posts1,057,068 Members48,463 | | Most Online14,466 Apr 26th, 2026 | | AD Chevy Trucks Over 6,000 pictures Brad Allen has an awesome collection of Chevrolet factory pictures that he has set up from film strips. Check them out!
Lots of work on Brad's part ... pure enjoyment (and references) for you!
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For helping keep this great
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on the Internet for over 30 years! and not clogged down with Ads! Again, thanks! | | | | Joined: Jan 2009 Posts: 69 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Jan 2009 Posts: 69 | I have a 1941 216 engine. I just want to make sure I am going to do this the right way. Could someone please take a picture of what the steel ball looks like on the flywheel. I have a triangle followed by what I think is the steel ball that is just beyond the triangle. I want to make sure I have TDC so I can put the plug wires on the right way. | | | | | Joined: Jan 2000 Posts: 2,074 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Jan 2000 Posts: 2,074 | Yeah, you found it just past the triangle. Best way to find TDC is bring #1 up on compression stroke (all plugs out, thumb in the spark plug hole) then I like to fine tune TDC by pulling the fan blade up watching the piston. I have seen flywheels put on wrong so the ball may not be in the correct position. | | | | | Joined: Mar 2002 Posts: 9,115 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Mar 2002 Posts: 9,115 | The triangle should have some letters saying something like "UDC" which is upper dead center. The steel ball is really small and is just past the triangle. | | | | | Joined: Sep 2001 Posts: 29,270 Bubba - Curmudgeon | | Bubba - Curmudgeon Joined: Sep 2001 Posts: 29,270 | As truckernix describes, the steel ball is the timing mark and the triangle is the TDC mark.
It has been a while since I've taken a 216 apart, can the flywheel be installed in an incorrect orientation? I recall that there are three dowel pins on the crankshaft flange - are this symmetrically located or do they prevent an incorrect orientation?
| | | | | Joined: Mar 2002 Posts: 9,115 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Mar 2002 Posts: 9,115 | I believe that the flywheel only fits in one orientation. | | | | | Joined: Nov 2005 Posts: 1,048 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Nov 2005 Posts: 1,048 | It only fit in one position on my '41 the 3 pins are not spaced the same. The ball is about 3/16" in diameter and mostly sunk into the flywheel. If you clean it well you will find it is shinny like chrome or stainless | | | | | Joined: Jan 2000 Posts: 2,074 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Jan 2000 Posts: 2,074 | I'm telling you guys, I helped a buddy one time with his Chevy, and some previous owner must have put that flywheel on with an impact wrench. It had pushed the alignment pins through the flange of the crank, but we fixed it. Needless to say, the timing marks were WAY OFF! | | | | | Joined: Jan 2009 Posts: 69 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Jan 2009 Posts: 69 | Thanks for all the pics.
I cleaned my flywheel and found the ball. | | |
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