OK I have a question about setting TDC on my 302. I know how to use the finger trick to find the compression stroke, but it seems to have little pressure. Doesn't push my finger off. Do I need to put oil in the engine and prime it ? I really can't feel enough pressure to determine what is TDC on the compression stroke... Also once I find TDC do I set my balancer at 0* or 10* before I stab in the dizzy ? I read setting it at 10* is a good starting place...
if you have a good seal with your finger...any compression at all will blow it off the hole. try another plug hole or do a compression check of all the cylinders...
at TDC the balancer should read 0 (if outer ring hasn't slipped)...put pointer at #1 on the cap and stab it. with that being said...I clocked my wires so they would run 4 out each side of the cap for a neater look...thanks Mike.
Balancer is new. I also read that TDC on compression stroke, both valves will be closed on #1 also key way on crank will be at 12 o'clock... When I changed my dizzy on my old 302 it popped my finger out with a lot of pressure, the new 302 seems very weak... I was wondering if I needed to prime it to pump up my lifters ?
ALWAYS PRIME THE SYSTEM BEFORE STARTING. you could put a small amount of oil in #1 and recheck compression. Bigger cams with heavier overlap can cause lower static compression.. but it sounds like this is a fresh motor with unseated rings? when stabbing in the distributor, you need to be one tooth back to allow for the curved gears to engage correctly and end up with rotor pointing at #1.
Yes this is a fresh motor on the stand, Being as how I'm not getting enough compression to find TDC. Can I just use the Method of rotating it around until both valves are closed on #1 and check the crank key way is at 12 o'clock ?
Timing cover is on, It was at TDC when I started but crank turned while installing my balancer... I will keep at it, just thought it would be easy to find TDC..lol.. I went out and tried to set it by the rockers IE: both closed but the web says when #1 is closed #6 should be open, #1 and #6 look closed at the same time...
Watch the valves while turning the balancer. TDC is after the intake close and before the exhaust opens.
You should prime the engine to pump the lifters up. Once that's done, TDC for #1 on the compression stroke, both valves are closed. Once you set the distributor in, align the pointer to 10*BTC then with the ignition on (not cranking it) & the #1 plug wire off the plug and held next to a ground, you can slowly rotate the distributor back and forth to watch for the spark, once it sparks, stop the rotation immediately and lock the distributor down. Checked with a timing light after the engine is running, the timing should be dead on or at least a couple degrees off using this method
That takes a special cap to do right. By looking really close at your picture, I can see the wires running across the top of the timing cover to the other side. That's a good look but takes some long wires to do it. The special cap lets you do it without the long wires. To the OP: If your engine is on the stand, you probably will not be able to turn it fast enough by hand to blow your finger off the spark plug hole. That works best with a starter turning the engine. As you turn the engine, watch the valves on that cylinder. When the balancer passes TDC, either both valves will be closed or one will be open and one closed. You want the revolution where both are closed. SPark
If you pull on the balancer bolt quick enough(1/4 turn or better) with a plug holding on by 1 thread.. you'll know full well where the compression stroke is. Did you degree this cam?
no special cap...just clocking the dist...firing order is the same. you can put the dist. in any way, just have to have the timing order correct.
I understand you clocking the distributor. Was just commenting there are caps out there that do this for you and you can use shorter wires instead of running them across the timing cover as you did. I hate long wires. SPark
The engine was built by a local machine shop so I will have to ask. This is just a everyday long block that you would buy as a replacement engine. The timing chain is a basic double roller and not one with the adjustable curve built in.. All I know for sure is that the dots on the gears were matched up properly... Thanks for all the advice, not being experienced in engine tech makes it a little harder to understand...
