440 TDC VERIFICATION

[gary h]

Ok, Timing mark on Damper lined up with Hole on Timing tab (on timing chain cover) Am I at TDC ? 100% Yes or 50% Yes? Rotor should be pointing to # 1 on Dist.Cap ?
Thanks in Advance.

 

[440Coronet500]

Are both the intake and exhaust valves of no.1 cylinder closed also? If so, yes! 440'

 

[1 Wild R/T]

Ok, Timing mark on Damper lined up with Hole on Timing tab (on timing chain cover) Am I at TDC ? 100% Yes or 50% Yes? Rotor should be pointing to # 1 on Dist.Cap ?
Thanks in Advance.

Do you trust the mark on the damper? 100% yes? NO!! 50% yes? NO!! Until the TDC is properly verified your guessing.... But most folks trust it so how accurate do you want/need it to be...

 

[turbine68rt]

Ok, Timing mark on Damper lined up with Hole on Timing tab (on timing chain cover) Am I at TDC ? 100% Yes or 50% Yes? Rotor should be pointing to # 1 on Dist.Cap ?
Thanks in Advance.

Agree with 440's post....also you could remove #1 plug and bump the starter until you feel compression building while covering hole with your finger, then mark on damper should be nearing 0 on tab, assuming the outer ring never slipped since day 1.

 

[Nacho-RT74]

I use to cover the spark plug cilinder with a piece of paper and when piston is rising on compresion stroke, will heard an explosion and paper will blow up. That makes no need for the finger covering hole to feel the compression

 

[moparedtn]

Well, that depends on if you know your timing mark on your balancer is accurate... a lot of them aren't.
One way for sure to find out - buy a piston stop tool, install it in #1 spark plug hole.
Big socket on crank bolt, spin the engine SLOWLY until #1 piston hits the stop on the compression stroke.
Mark the balancer (the dots on the one in the pic below).
Spin the engine the opposite way, then when the piston hits the piston stop tool again.
Mark the balancer again.
TRUE TDC is exactly halfway between your "dots".
In the example below, it was, fortunately. Balancer timing mark verified!

 

[MoparLeo]

moparedtn is "exactly" correct. The first post is correct in procedure just not in accuracy. True TDC must be verified first. The rag or paper test only tells you it is the compression stroke, not TDC.

 

[66Satellite47]

WildRT & moparedtn are correct. You should check the TDC on the damper & the timing location on the timing cover. The damper may slip, the timing tab may not be exactly correct.

 

[gary h]

Thanks Everyone ! I did the Finger in the #1 sparkplug hole and found the marks to be accurate.I also got the engine running.

 

[66Satellite47]

Well, you're at least close. Not off 180*.

 

[33 IMP]

I had a 440 with the factory balancer and timing tab. It never quite ran the numbers i thought it should. During a refresh, i checked the actual tdc versus the timing tab/balancer. It was retarded six degrees. So i thought i had 38 total, which was as much as i dared at 10.5 compression, and pump gas. Really had 32. I bet it would have run better with six more in it.
My point? Dont fixate on the number unless you KNOW your timing mark is accurate. Set it where it runs right.

 

[kaj750]

Well, that depends on if you know your timing mark on your balancer is accurate... a lot of them aren't.
One way for sure to find out - buy a piston stop tool, install it in #1 spark plug hole.
Big socket on crank bolt, spin the engine SLOWLY until #1 piston hits the stop on the compression stroke.
Mark the balancer (the dots on the one in the pic below).
Spin the engine the opposite way, then when the piston hits the piston stop tool again.
Mark the balancer again.
TRUE TDC is exactly halfway between your "dots".
In the example below, it was, fortunately. Balancer timing mark verified!

Reading this explains why my car has been detonating any time I try go give the beans anywhere above 2k RPM!
The guy that "helped" me (It's really hard to find help with old cars) used his finger to find the compression stroke and used THAT point to mark TDC, as opposed to stopping the piston both ways and marking the middle. Who knows WTF my timing at right now

I'm heading out to the garage right now to fix it.

 

[RemCharger]

The finger- blow-off method is not as good as the time- it- up till- it - pings and back off a c- hair.