Expert: Brad Sears - 9/25/2009

Question
Hi Brad,good news,I finally got spark.I pulled the distributor out of the engine early on when this first happend and I need to know how to find the #1 piston is at TDC.I think I may have messed up the timing when I reinstalled the distributor.I'm getting spark but it still won't start.Could the distrbutor timing be so far off that it would prevent it from starting?If you could explain to me how to get the #1 cyl. TDC then I could check the position of the rotor to see if it is pointing to the #1 spot on the distributor cap,right? Please explain the correct way to accomplish this .Thank you,Tom

Answer
Ok, here we go. Pull number one spark plug out. Bump the engine over in short taps while you hold your thumb over the number one spark plug holes. You will feel the various strokes of the 4 stoke cycle, intake, compression, firing, and exhaust. You want to get the piston to top dead center at the end of the compression stroke. That is when the plug fires. You can then look at the timing mark on the crankshaft pulley and line it up with the pointer. Then install the distributor so that the rotor points to where number one wire plugs into the cap. Then with the timing marks lined up, rotate the distributor until the points are just about to open and lock it down. If you were careful the timing will be within a degree or two. Let me know what happens.
Brad
Well, does it run?