How do you find the top dead center on your engine?

Answer to How do you find the T.D.C.

• • • • Make shure the key is switched off and no one is near the switch !!**

The timming mark being at 0 is one way but another way and to inshure that it is at absolute top dead center, depending on the engine and if the plug hole is straight over the piston as oposed to the side and at an angle, (in whitch case you just need to be more careful not to catch the object used in a pintch ) Anyway place a screwdriver or slim straight long object thru the opening were the no. 1 plug is (in a four cyclender that would probably be the plug nearest the belt pully on the crankshaft, oposit/furtherest from the rotor cap )((DONT USE the starter for this !!! ) and hand turn with breakerbar or via the alternator pully while continuing to hol the screwdriver/object straight up ((you decide how just get err done.)) Continue turning untill that screwdriver is at its highest point and you got it.(rock easly back and forth to find that true up position if necessary ) As for the valves being on fire and not exhaust if you know were #1 plug wire is on the distribitor and it lands there when your screw driver is up, well there it is, perfect top dead center and on #1 plug ready to fire. amen. P.S. You could also use a light or if you are rich , a fiber optic viewing device, and simply look into the Number 1 Plug hole and whatch for it to come all the way up. SpyResearch

First answer by Spyresearch. Last edit by Spyresearch. Contributor trust: 40 [recommend contributor]. Question popularity: 37 [recommend question]