jvog

So I searched for how to locate TDC and I found some mixed results so I am asking you guys. How do I find TDC?

jrherald420

buy the tool from summit

SVTeeshirt

find number 1 cylinder, pull plug put something in the hole, something long, turn crankshaft, when the piston reaches peak of its rotation you are at TDC.

blee69mustang

SCREW DRIVER haha carefull you don't bend valves. once you find the first cylinder TDC just turn the crank 45 degrees to find the other pistons.

P.s. make sure your on the compression stroke and not the exhaust/intake stroke, for TDC

SVTeeshirt

^ i use one of those extendable magents you use to pick up screws + bolts that fall into crevases, well i have before.

mustangman281

Depends on what your doing that you need to find TDC. There are fast and easy ways and there are exact complicated ways.

jvog

I am swapping my heads/cams/timing stuff over to my forged shortblock. I need to find TDC on my old motor, take everything off, and put it on the new shortblock which would also need to be at TDC.

mustangman281

Just take the stuff off no need to put anything at TDC. The only time you need to put the engine at TDC is if you are degreeing the cams with a degree wheel.

jvog

Really? Doesn't the new engine have to be at tdc when I put the stuff on? Now I am confused lol. If you could explain to be what I have to do that would be great.

Xemeth

The mark on the crank has to be pointing up. Matching the old engine and new engine's piston positions isn't going to help anything. As soon as you take the timing chains off the cams are going to pop to the closest position where there isn't and pressure on the springs, so you'll have to re-time the cams regardless of where the pistons are.

I think Ox has a writeup of assembling a 2v. Pretty sure it's a sticky.