This question pertains to my 1965 dodge dart 225 slant six engine:

*How do I tell when it's at top dead center? Shouldn't there be timing marks?

I'll be honest - I removed the distributor without marking the rotor's position, so now I need to reinstall it.

Suggestions?

If you can't find timing marks on the vibration damper and/or timing plate, you can always do it the old fashioned way....

Pull the valve cover and watch your valves. When the intake valve for the #1 cylinder is closed all the way, and just about to open, then you're at tdc on the compression stroke. You'll notice as you turn the crank, that every once in a while there's a little more resistance than at other times. That's because you're on the compression stroke. So watch the valves on the #1 cylinder, and feel for compression. You may have to go past tdc a little bit to see when the valve starts to open, simply turn the crank counter-clockwise to bring it back to tdc. Good luck!

_________________
'83 D150 225 2BBL

In a perpetual state of improvement...

www.handymanjosh.com

Is there a "timing tab" welded or bolted onto the front timing chain cover?

The indicator mark on the front vibration dampener can be covered by dirt, paint grease or ??, wire brush and look closely to find it.
DD

#1 cyl is on TDC when #6 cyl has its intake rocker depressed!

(that's if you have to remove valve cover)

anyway check for pushrods to be able to be turned by hand on cyl #1 when you're checking for TDC

_________________
Juan Ignacio Caino

Please use e-mail button istead of PM'ing. I do log in sometimes but I'll be answering quicker thru e-mail.

Before finding TDC on the power stroke "the old fashioned way" remember that the intake valve opens at about TDC on the beginning of the intake stroke, not the power stroke. There will be no valve movement at or near TDC on the power stroke.
Rotate the engine to the position on #1 cyl where the exhaust valve closes and the intake starts to open you are near TDC (but one full crank revolution away from where you want your spark to happen). Use this position to locate your TDC timing marks on the harmonic balancer / pointer, then rotate the crank one full turn, back to the timing marks to get to TDC on the compression stroke, and set your distributor in place with the rotor at #1 terminal. .... V.

P.S.
I don't know where the "super six" under my name came from, can somebody computer smart tell me how to change it. .... Thanks V.

Cylinder 1 and 6 move in tandem. #1 is at TDC on the compression/power stroke (where you want it to be fir timing purposes) when #6 is at TDC on the exhaust/intake stroke (180 dgerees off where you want it to be for timing purposes).

The "old fashioned" way to find TDC where you have no clue where your timing mark is/should be is to pull the valve cover and watch the valves on cylinder one. As you rotate the engine you will see the intake valve open (intake stroke), then close (compressions stroke) then the valves won't move for awhile (power stroke) then the exhaust will open (exhaust stroke), then the intake will open again (intake stroke) etc... You want to rotate the motor until the intake valve has closed and the exhaust valve is not moving. An easy way to check if you are near to TDC is to wiggle the rocker arms- at TDC the lifters should not be riding on any part of the camshaft lobe, so there should be no stress on the valvetrain and the rocker arms should wiggle side to side freely. When cylinder #1 is at TDC, the rocker arms on cylinder #6 should be tight and not moving.

This will ballpark TDC. To really guage this accurately you will need either a coathanger or some sort of positive stop tool that screws into the spark plug hole. When #1 gets close to TDC, stick the coathanger in the plug hole and watch when it stops moving. This is TDC. Now get a wire brush, some engine cleaner, and a high pressure water source (coin op car wash?) and blast the vibration dampener and tiing chain cover. On a 64 you should have a dinky timing tab and a little groove scratched into the outer ring of the dampener. Once you have located each, fill in the groove and the lines and numbers on the timing tab with white-out or white paint to make seeing them easier.

That is just a kind of activity level marker based on the number of times you've posted. I don't know what all of them are but they will change as you accumulate a higher post count.

_________________
David Kight
'62 Valiant Signet, White
'98 Dodge Dakota
'06 Jeep Liberty

Growing older is unavoidable but growing up is strictly optional.

David ...
Thanks for the explanation, sort of a participation merit badge eh. Someday I hope to make "Hyper pack".

Reed ...
Your way of finding #1 TDC is basically the same as mine, but mine works on Audi 5 cylinders and Geo Metro 3 cylinders, and you only have to remove one valve cover on a V8 . Thanks, V.

_________________
61 Valiant V-200 2dr 225" Hyper pak
66 A-100 pickup 440" mid engine
62 Valiant 2dr 225" drag car"
69 A-100 van 340"
76 Dodge conversion van

There is a sure way: Get piston well before perceived #1 TDC and stick a long bolt into the #1 spark plug hole until you touch the cylinder wall, pull it out just a tad and push down on the bolt head hard so its cocked in there. Now slowly run the piston up to the bolt, turning the damper clockwise with whatever means you use (I use an extension between 3 bolts run into the pulley holes, you can use the crank bolt if equipped but sometimes it unscrews when you are backing it up). A> When you have hit the bolt, you'll feel it and the crank will stop, mark under 0 with a dab of white. Rotate the crank backwards CCW slowly feeling for the next stop, it will go around at least 1/2. When you feel the next stop, mark it under 0. you'll now have 2 marks straddling the old TDC nick (or not!) on the balancer. Bisect these 2 marks to find the center, (with a measuring tape or string, protractor, etc). This is your absolute crank TDC. Mark new line and turn under 0, extending down through hub so you can monitor ring slippage. Forget the old TDC mark nick, it has spun or is the wrong damper
My crank at absolute TDC had its key pointing to left of TDC by 7.5 degrees (TDC looks straight up from crank centerline on my tab). I dont see how this can change from crank to crank but your timing tab might be in a different position than my '67 motor.

_________________
I didn' t buy it, I built it.....