How To: Find Top Dead Center

Finding top dead center is a crucial step when installing a distributor, timing set, or valvetrain components and is also helpful for many other procedures! Take a break and watch as Jeremy walks us through finding TDC on this V8!
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[@charlesbradley423]

Very good video, from a ford guy. This is the best most well put together video for TDC I've seen, and it has helped me tremendously. Can wait to try it out to get my 68 falcon on road!

[@billfuller4467]

Great video, succinct and complete. Wish they were all this good!

[@gustavoesqueda9964]

Best video I’ve seen …. Made it easy to understand. Great step by step . Thank you really appreciate it got my small block tuned in !!!!

[@BestBuckingFirewood]

This is the best, most informative video I have found yet.

[@nahid1981]

I was looking for this...excellent job done...really appreciate it

[@Mistermopar]

Many thanks, from across the pond, for this excellent video. I'm installing a new crate 350 in my Nova and you've helped ease the pain! Thanks again

[@RoddyDa]

Nova’s aren’t Mopar!

[@rrichiibgooude982]

The easy way to find the number one cylinder is to look down at the engine from the front. Look at the two front pistons that are closest to you. You will notice that one is slightly closer than the other. The one that is closer to the front is the number one piston.☝️🧐

[@44special9]

That's not true on some engines like the Pontiac 350 , 389, 400 . The piston closer to the front is not number one .

[@microTrash28]

There are exceptions to this.

[@MG041987]

VERY VERY GOOD... More people like you and this video... Thanks a lot from Sweden.

[@sandyshoremann7524]

Good video, Jeremy I like your style, man! Only thing I might add, is that when measuring around the balancer to divide the two stop points in half - use a tape. F. Magellan told me that.

[@renetorres1932]

Awesome video! Thank you very much for posting this.

[@JJ-qd9fx]

Thanks, fast and clear to the point.

[@rhysharris3064]

Great video, I knew most of this but needed a refresher. Cheers mate!

[@tshepangdavid6324]

I love your channel man good video good demostration 👏 this one is worth to subscribe for.

[@rhysmurphy3631]

Well presented video! Straight to the point, easy to follow and useful visual learning aids.

[@danielparadise]

You guys really covered it all in 6 minutes👍

[@vetteseller5]

best explanation ever. great job.

[@narcisoveloz2102]

Excellent explanation.

[@concreteskydiver]

Great presentation good explanation much appreciated thank you

[@courtneypannell563]

Very useful information... thanks😊

[@marcelocabrera8342]

Good video man now I understand how it works thanks

[@bobdavis3389]

Excellent video !

[@tommyduris3044]

Great vid and explenation!

[@samansorkheh8155]

Very helpful . Thanks

[@BautistaVids]

Awesome video. Thanks much.

[@DragonflyAcres2022]

Thank you for sharing

[@HonestEvolution795]

Really appreciate the video 🎉

[@felixgarcia8393]

Hi, I watched your video and find it to be very helpful. Now, I have a question. How do I line up the crankshaft to tdc when replacing the timing chain it was sponed without having the timing chain mounted. I have a 2005 nissan pathfinder se. Please any input will be appreciated.

[@drelaw2002]

Great video dude.....

[@terrancemckee9141]

great job!

[@abemartinez8489]

Good video great help for me

[@johnthomas1680]

Killed it thank you

[@buddygibson7250]

Well done!

[@robbiewoodson2896]

Thanks for the video.Dose autozone sell that tool?

[@andiabdillah1302]

Perfecto senior

[@fireblaster5181]

Excellent.

[@johnhagan159]

Well done

[@adeyemibabatunde1814]

@Holley Thank you, Is there any way to view the inside of the engine without removing any cover? Can the inside of the engine be viewed through oil filler cap hole for the purpose of ignition timing setting?

[@thedobermangang3503]

very good video my brother

[@HolleyPerformance]

Thanks for the visit

[@benreavely4891]

Thank you

[@mikencrew8885]

Very good 🎉

[@KCadbyRacing]

I know this video is mainly for clocking distributors but I found it interesting that you didn't show setting up a degree wheel with the positive stop tool, but I work on DOHC motors that have adjustable sprockets on both cams (Bikes), plus we need to add timing marks for checking/setting Ignition Reference Angle and Inductive Delay in Holley EFI Parameters 😎

[@georgegarner1775]

great job most compete thinks

[@user-en8tf2pr6z]

Very good video, .Just remember you can blow air into the cylinder and you will either hear the air.Go through the exhaust or the intake so you don't have to remove the valve cover

[@Kristinapedia]

Do you know the correct ignition timing on a 55 bel air with a 327 and a four barrel carb?

[@tedtalour6414]

Does this work with the intake manifold removed?

[@lookanlike2]

can the car be in gear or in neutral in order to spin the engine properly?

[@alanmanquero]

Once I am on TDC I have to put the distributor rotor pointing to spark #1?

[@pmd7771969]

You can do it with the cylinder on the engine and use a push rod

[@ZeGermanHam]

For instances where you need to mark/confirm TDC on the harmonic balancer and are using an adjustable piston stop tool, how do you determine the correct stop depth of the tool?

[@5ertified]

That's why you have to rotate back the other way, mark both stops and then centre the 2 marks. It doesn't matter how deep it is. If you make it deeper or shallower the centre between the 2 marks will still be the same.

[@kungfujiujitsufliptrick4832]

Is there tdc for each piston?

[@jokly1264]

Wouldn't the whistle tool by itself confirm if it's approaching top dead center? Since it would only whistle on the compression stroke?

[@bdubberz]

it would whistle on the exhaust stroke also since its pushing air up out of the open exhaust valve

[@LucasAutoHoldingsLLC]

It shouldn’t whistle on the exhaust stroke. Correct?

[@elbuho6704]

U the best

[@hunnybeezm1338]

I took all of these classes plus woods & shop class. From 7th-12th graduated 1994. They need to bring it back! But its not lookn good and kids are suffering from it. I prefer to homeschool for alot of these reasons.

[@sarahm.2053]

I have an issue. How to you find TDC if the harmonic balancer has been replaced and it doesn't have a mark on it? There's no mark on the harmonic balance in order to align with the indicator on the engine. What's the simplest way to get it to TDC? The vehicle is a 2006 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited 4.0 engine

[@myfatcow4416]

Yup been looking for a vid on the rod method. I new it i need to be positive

[@kermitsuicide4369]

Does cam effect? Is my top dead zero?

[@sandyshoremann7524]

Important Correction: The Buick Nailhead cylinder numbering is incorrect. #1 is passenger side (left) front, and the distributor is at firewall - not at the timing cover. The Firing order shown IS correct though. My first car was a 1965 Buick Electra 225 with a 401 (445) in 1971 and I learned a bunch about working on cars with that beast. Thank You, Mom, for the beautiful hand-me -down! The '65 Buick was one of the five best cars I've owned, and I've owned over 70. Yes I am old :) Happy Trails! - Sandy

[@03mm24]

It's a few that I see on there wrong

[@DUDE23139]

So if you find top dead center of the first piston, it’s TDC for all pistons? Or just one at a time?

[@HolleyPerformance]

just one at a time. in this case, cylinder number one is the only one that is relevant.

[@thomaswild9044]

Great

[@dntlss]

Screw the timing, lets talk about that engine you have !!! man what a beauty, true classic.

[@ZeffyZ]

Great video, although when saying the rocker arms should be at their highest point, you point to the opposite end of one of the rocker arms (the exhaust one), which is confusing as that will be at its lowest point..

[@Jus3000]

What if my valves/ rockers ain’t going up and down when I rotate the crankshaft what does that mean

[@Charles-ui4rx]

great

[@rudydaberry122]

What about on a dd15 engine?

[@vezina808]

What's the name of that tool that you used to measure the distance between the two marks?

[@adewaleabdulsalam5317]

You can use a bolt of same sparkplug thread diameter..a little longer than spark plug..enough to go down past the actual TDC ..if it's a hollow piston..you will need a longer threaded bolt..meanwhile, attach bolt to a rod for installation convenience..

[@phaloxx]

The stop tool is cool and all but their adjustable. Meaning you can screw it in or out. So if you’ve got it screwed in to far, won’t that give you a false TDC????

[@yourmom705]

Yes

[@frankdavidson9675]

i have a flat head 6ix 1953 i set 4 deg befor tdc simple i remove plugs i can rotate eng with fan blade line up pointer wih 4th mark before tdc remove dist cap rotor is pointing # 6cy. spin eng with starter use timing light to ck # 4 if slowly twist dist slow lock down when #4 this is 2-3 min operation she will crank now

[@MusieyMajid-tq9dj]

👍

[@chrissimmons9927]

A Mazda b2000 timing marks and top dead center

[@markemery49]

A few technical points if I may: With any multiple cylinder engine, # 1 cylinder is always the furthest cylinder forward....i.e., furthest from the flywheel end. Automotive, Industrial or Marine engine rotation is always determined when viewed from the flywheel end. In other words, a standard LH Rotation engine turns CCW when viewed from the flywheel end..... in other words, CW if viewed from the harmonic balancer end. 1.... Never assume that your harmonic balancer ZERO marking and your timing tab ZERO indicate true TDC. Outer rings can slip, and timing tabs can become damaged. 2.....Try to NOT view this as if overly complex.... it is not. Just follow these simple steps, and you will find true # 1 cylinder TDC. When locating TRUE # 1 cylinder Top Dead Center, we use a PPS procedure.... (positive piston stop). By using the PPS procedure, we eliminate any crankshaft dwell that occurs when a piston has theoretically reached top of stroke. (there will be some crankshaft movement while the piston appears to be stationary at theoretical top of stroke) Ideally, we want to stop the piston at approximately 30 degrees before theoretical top of stroke. 30 degrees is a suggestion only. You can use 25, 28, 32 or 35 degrees, as longs as it is the same angle in either direction towards the "stop". Once the 30ish degrees has been established, the PPS tool must be locked into position. Most will offer a jam nut. First, we rotate the crankshaft until the piston is gently stopped by the PPS tool. Then we make a mark on the harmonic balancer (or on the flywheel) that aligns with a stationary pointer. Next, we then rotate the crankshaft in the opposite direction (no need to worry about camshaft drive chain/sprocket slack) until once again the piston is gently stopped by the PPS tool. Now we make another mark that aligns with a stationary pointer. This leaves us with two new marks that have aligned with the pointer while the crankshaft/piston had been stopped at approximately 30 degrees at either side of the two rotational directions. Next, we accurately and equally "split" the distance between these two new marks. At this point, we mark the "split" location. With the PPS tool now removed, we rotate the crankshaft to the location whereby the pointer now aligns with the new "split" marking. (it does not matter which direction we rotate the crankshaft) This is True # 1 TDC. This procedure is used by many profresional High Performance Engine builders.

[@44special9]

#1 cylinder is not always the furthest forward ; i.e. Pontiac 400

[@markemery49]

@@44special9 I respectfully challenge you to show us information that would verify that!

[@44special9]

On Pontiac engines i.e. 326, 350, 389,400,455 the passenger cylinder head / front cylinder is the furthest forward but the # 1 cylinder is on the drivers side ; strange but true . @@markemery49

[@44special9]

You can check out the Pontiac 400 or 455 engine blocks online for verification .

[@tthams73]

Removing the manifold is not required and just a dumb idea. Your whistle tool will tell you when you’re close to TDC. But not exact TDC. You want exact TDC. Remove your distributor cap, look through the spark plug hole and get an idea when the piston hits the point. Then reference the distributor. Continue until the distributor is pointing to the # 1 cylinder wire and piston is at its highest point. Done

[@mohamedshaheen]

i was changing the head of my mercrusier 7.4 vertoc 454 1996 : 2000 i changed the head and saw a video to prime the engine using an old distributor .. i did that but when i put the engine together i messed up the distribution timing the engine want start and it is back firing kzbin.infoQdiEJcoGeWk

[@jeanvaljean126]

They make a mistake when measuring distance between marks to find true tdc… you can’t measure distance like that. You don’t measure the balancer curve…. This procedure isn’t accurate at all…..

[@dntlss]

I have never seen so much work to find top dead center,i recently installed a distributor in a buddys car and i hadn't done it about 6 years or so,took me about 3 minutes and we had the car going however i got interested in the subject and started watching some YT videos, my word, wish i hadn't,lol, its really not that hard,definitely dont need to take any exhaust off and you dont need any special tools, if the car doesn't start and you think you have it perfect then your off 180, turn it around and try it again,chances are it will fire right up. Not sure how the old timers knew but they did, using that finger in the hole method and it always fired on the first try, ha ha ha ha

[@kevinwaddell8720]

Thank god all of this will be by the wayside with electric motors that have only two moving parts and good for one million miles. It will suck to be an expert on these combustion engines, fuel and exhaust systems in 12 years where you will find them at renaissance fairs

[@HolleyPerformance]

maybe so!

[@robertbeckman2054]

You really drank the koolaid. So, in now 10 years, everyone on the planet will have afforded to purchase an electric vehicle? Where did you get the 1 million miles from? AOC? I’d also rather be at a Renaissance than at one of those kindergarten drag shows. Mr Biden and his agenda, along with WEP, can stick it where the sun don’t shine.

[@dntlss]

Strange comment from someone watching a video about a engine being timed. 99.9 percent of all vehicles being made these days have no distributors so if anyone is watching a video like this where there is something vintage being worked on is because= they enjoy working on their cars and to them its not a "Thank God" situation like yours, let others enjoy real cars, we dont care for high powered overpriced Golf carts.

[@ballzzinyourmouth8]

Aw my guy said compwete 😭