fly wheel

[jerseyvixen]

hi
I a new 12 bolt steelfly and clutch for my xflow have had them balanced and come back with tdc mark
do i turn engine over till no 1 valve start to rock to find tdc
i know should have marked it when i took it of
thanks

[Justin S]

Have you not got any timing marks on the front pulley ?

[jerseyvixen]

yes have one notch

[Justin S]

some engines have an off set bolt for the line up on the crank for cars that use a crank trigger for the ignition.I am guessing that you are using a distributor, as using electronics on a x flow utilises a trigger wheel to the front pulley, so I would use the standard crank pulley and timing marks on the timing chain cover for setting up. Usually the crank, front pulley, flywheel and crank are balanced together, so it won't make any difference to how you bolt it on.

[Steve_D]

To accurately find TDC you need to make yourself a tool.
Get an old spark plug and break out all of the centre electrode and ceramic. Find a bolt that will fit through the hole in the plug with a lock nut either side. Make the bolt end that will be down inside the engine nice and rounded/smooth.

Make a nice firm reference point (bit of bent coat hanger under a bolt head) pointing at the rim of the flywheel.

With this tool screwed in number one cylinder you can very carefully rotate the engine until the piston comes up and touches the tool. Mark the flywheel where it aligns with your pointer.
Rotate the engine back the other way all the way round until the piston again touches the tool. Again mark the flywheel.

Measure between the 2 marks on the flywheel and mark half way between the two. Remove the tool and rotate the engine until your mid-point mark is aligned with your pointer. The engine is now exactly at TDC. You can now check and correct the markings on the front pulley and mark the flywheel with the TDC position where it aligns with whatever OE pointer the engine has.

Steve

[Incorrigible]

From my understading of the question, he's bolting on a flywheel so doesn't actually need accurate tdc. Just needs to bolt the new unit on with the TDC mark correct

Any pointy thing down the plug hole should be accurate enough

[Steve_D]

Incorrigible said:

From my understading of the question, he's bolting on a flywheel so doesn't actually need accurate tdc.........

You may well be right but it has been my experience down the years that the OE, and even after-market, markings for TDC are woefully inaccurate. Whilst the engine is on the bench is the ideal time to check TDC and correct any error found. It only takes a few minutes once you have made the tool.

Steve

[Justin S]

With a crossflow, you don't take any timing from the flywheel only on the front pulley, as you can't see it........