i cranked over the engine by hand so my #1 cylinder is at top dead center but im not sure if its on my power stroke or my exhaust stroke, the rotor is right in between the #8 and #1 cylinder and moving towards my #1. can anyone tell me if im on the power stroke. it seems like the rotor has a long way to go to hit the #1 spot on the rotor. in the picture the bottom white mark is where the rotor is and the #1 is marked just above and to the right.

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take out the #1 spark plug, and have someone put there thumb over the hole while you crank it, and when you hear the air escape, its on top dead center.

 

What engine do you have? If it's a windsor, then the #1 will be at 1:00 O'Clock on the dizzy and the rotor will be point at it. If the rotor is pointing at 7:00 0"Clock, it is 180 degrees out. You can also take out the #1 plug and stuff a rag in the hole, then take off the dizzy wire and short over the solenoid to turn over the engine until the rag pops out. Take a screwdriver and put into the #1 plug hole and you will feel if the piston is on top.

 

If it's between 8 and 1 it only seems like a long way. It don't take much. You may be advanced in your timing also and it won't be exactly on #1.

 

My Windsor has number 1 at 10o'clock... Where number 1 is depends on if the dizzy's been removed or not. There are 8 holes that can easily accomodate being the number 1 slot...

Use the finger in the spark plug hole method or take off the valve cover. Either will work very well for finding TDC.