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How do you find the top dead center on a 350 Chevy engine?
Shine a flashlight on the lower crankshaft pulley, just behind the belt. The pulley bolts to the harmonic balancer, which is directly attached to the crankshaft. A series of timing marks is scribed onto the balancer and one mark is labeled TDC. Locate this mark and highlight it with a paint pen.
How can I get TDC without timing tab?
Make a mark on the balancer using something for reference, like a bolt in the cover, you can even draw a line on the cover. Now turn it the other direction until it hits the stop and make a second mark on the balancer across from your reference point. measure the distance between the two marks. That is your TDC.
How do you find the top dead center in a small block Chevy?
Continue to turn the crankshaft slowly until the 0 line on the balancer is aligned with the 0 pointer on the timing chain cover. The distributor rotor should also be pointing to the number 1 cylinder, which is the driver’s front left side. This is TDC or top dead center for all practical purposes.
What’s the best way to find the TDC on a car?
As soon as your thumb moves it will relieve the pressure, allowing you to place it over the hole again. Look into the hole with a flashlight to find TDC. Once your thumb has been pushed off the spark plug hole, use a flashlight to peer down into the hole at how close the cylinder is to the hole itself.
What happens when the engine is set to TDC?
When the engine is set to TDC, the number one cylinder is positioned to fire the number one spark plug. That means the piston is at the top of it’s compression stroke, both the valves are closed, and the gasoline and air mixture is compressed.
What’s the best way to find the dead center of an engine?
As you keep your thumb over the spark plug hole, have a friend rotate the engine counter clockwise using a wrench of the appropriate size. Have them continue to rotate the engine until the increase in pressure pushes your thumb off the spark plug hole as it nears top dead center.
How do you install a HEI distributor on a Chevy 350?
Unless the location of TDC is known, the HEI distributor cannot be installed and timed properly. Raise the hood of the vehicle and remove the fuel pump fuse. Use a socket wrench to unscrew the number one spark plug. On the Chevy 350 engine, as you face the engine, this is the right front spark plug.