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I am having some serious trouble getting my engine started for the first time. I think it has to do with me setting the distributor, etc. TDC is with both intake valve and exhaust valve closed, correct? I was using the TDC mark on my ATI damper, is this correct? I went through the tech archives and tried the method listed on there and the damper is no where close to the TDC mark on the damper, this method states to watch #1 intake valve open and as it closes will be TDC. This is my first time doing this and I am having some trouble.

Also when I place the distributor in, how do I know the rotor is pointing in the right direction for #1?

And my last question is, is the degree the cam was installed correspond with the numbers on teh damper?

Sorry for the long post, just trying to learn how to do this correctly and understand what I am doing.



There are actually two TDC's. One where the piston is up on compression stroke and the other at the end of the cycle(exhaust). When setting up your distributor, compression is the one you have to be concerned with. Both valves should be closed. That is provided you don't have something screwed up to hang the valves open. Do you happen to be using a crank that has two keyways?? If so and you have it on the wrong key, your index will be way off. Did you verify TDC with the mark on the damper and cover/pointer?? This is best accomplished with the head off, but you can still get it close with a piston stop.

The #1 position on the cap is immaterial. You can start in any spot provided you follow the firing order in the proper direction (CW=small block and CCW =BB), and the piston is at TDC compression for #1.

MB