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roccaas · 12-26-2011, 08:28 PM

Only once ever two trips. 4 stroke engine. TDC is both ignition (what you want), and the top of the exhaust stroke.

Pull off the distributor cap. When you crank the engine around and see #1 TDC, see if the rotor is pointing in the direction of about 4:00 as seen from the passenger side of the engine. That's TDC ignition as the rotor is set to send the current down to the #1 plug. If the rotor is at 10:00, you are looking at TDC on exhaust stroke.

Once you find the real TDC ignition, take a steel chisel and make a small nick in the top rear edge of the crankshaft pulley while looking straight down on the pulley (no parallax from looking from the side of the engine). Now you always know TDC ignition. Some folks put a dab of paint or WhiteOut on the crank pulley edge so they can wipe it away before a show or judging. I have a flat steel pointer mounted to the front of the engine lined up with the nick.

You will probably also be able to find the dimple in the gear at this point, and a quick twist through the hole with a drill bit will ensure you have two references for TDC ignition (sort of like wearing suspenders and a belt.)

Good luck!

12-26-2011, 08:28 PM	#10
roccaas Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Savannah, GA Posts: 1,300	Re: Timing the model a.... Only once ever two trips. 4 stroke engine. TDC is both ignition (what you want), and the top of the exhaust stroke. Pull off the distributor cap. When you crank the engine around and see #1 TDC, see if the rotor is pointing in the direction of about 4:00 as seen from the passenger side of the engine. That's TDC ignition as the rotor is set to send the current down to the #1 plug. If the rotor is at 10:00, you are looking at TDC on exhaust stroke. Once you find the real TDC ignition, take a steel chisel and make a small nick in the top rear edge of the crankshaft pulley while looking straight down on the pulley (no parallax from looking from the side of the engine). Now you always know TDC ignition. Some folks put a dab of paint or WhiteOut on the crank pulley edge so they can wipe it away before a show or judging. I have a flat steel pointer mounted to the front of the engine lined up with the nick. You will probably also be able to find the dimple in the gear at this point, and a quick twist through the hole with a drill bit will ensure you have two references for TDC ignition (sort of like wearing suspenders and a belt.) Good luck! __________________ 20 years ago we had Johnny Cash, Steve Jobs, and Bob Hope. Now we have no Cash, no Jobs, and no Hope...please don't let Kevin Bacon die!