ignition timing marks

[flobble]

I just finished rebuilding my back up ignitor unit and thought before I tear off the old one I better check what the timing marks look like on the crank pulley. Upon careful examination I realized that there are no marks. The pulley rim was rusted pretty bad and apparently the marks had worn off. Short of pulling the head, is there any way to determine top dead center? I removed the spark plug and can't see, or feel (with a tool) the piston to tell, and am kind of at a loss. Does anyone have any suggestions, or should I line up the new distributor with the old one( the opening point of the points) and hope for the best?

Thanks for any ideas, I really apreciate it.
Paul

[m35gibson]

hey, paul
for the life of me i cant remember how we checked it on the truck, when i was having all those distrib problems, my buddy anthony, did all the hard
knuckle busting, but i think, i dont know for 100% sure, that he took out the plugs using his flashlight, checked the position on each cylinder that way, if i remember it took us a week to get it straight, just an idea.
how is the old fella treating you? how is the genny coming along ?
kevin

[DaveO]

Hi Flobble,

You can get pretty close by pulling the #1 plug, covering most of the hole with your thumb, and pulling the engine over with the fan (pulling all the plugs makes this much easier and less jerky). When the the air starts coming past your thumb, you're on the right stroke. When the air stops, of course, you're pretty near there. You may have to go around a few times to get a good feel for when the air has stopped flowing. Easier said than done, but you'll be close enough that it ought to start. You can set the timing using a vacuum gauge after that.

Good luck...

Dave

[Lifer]

Like Dave said.......but what's an "ignitor unit?"

[pfrederi]

I also thought my truck had no marks...but paint remover and a wire brush and voila marks.. To avoid having to clean the whole pulley get her to TDC as described above. More accurate TDC can be found by removing the the small bolt over #6 piston. The doing as described above get #1 coming up on compression stroke. (#6 will be in same position but on exhaust stoke). Put a rod in the hole on #6 and keep turning until the rod stops moving up #1 will be at TDC.

If after cleaning no marks the manual describes how to find most accurately and mark the pulley