Golden Jubilee
Posts: 8946
Joined: Thu Dec 27, 2012 12:45 pm
Location: Canada's left Coast
Re: 233CI-No1 position on cap?
1) Adapt a vacuum/pressure gauge to the modified compression gauge flex hose. rotate the engine, with a socket and flex/breaker bar at the front crank pulley until the gauge shows pressure. Now reverse the rotation of the engine until the gauge shows vacuum. Once again rotate the engine slowly until maximum pressure is showing on the gauge. This is TDC.
2) I like to adapt a clear plastic hose to the compression test hose. Put one end of the hose into a bucket of water that is set on the floor. Rotate the engine CW until the water rises to the maximum height in the clear hose and just starts to fall. This is TDC.
The timing sequence does not have to be off TDC on number one cylinder. Rather than wrestling the engine around, I like to start with the cylinder the distributor rotor points toward. Use the same method to find TDC on the alternate cylinder. From there a person can break into the Zundfolge (firing order) Standard 1-5-3-6-2-4 or 6-2-4-1-5-3 as the alternate starting point. Or 4-1-5-3-6-2 etc.
Sometimes it is necessary to place the distributor into a different orientation because of a conflict with an external vacuum advance. This could place number one position of the distributor rotor in a different position. Work with what you have and know.