I read in a Haynes manual that when you install your timing set, as long as the timing marks line up every 2 revolutions, it doesnt matter which piston is at TDC. Is this true...or are they full of it? Also, if my number one cylinder builds compression, and my timing marks are 180 degrees out, how do I right the situation?
Dave

When the timing marks are lined up it's not on the firing point of #1

Set your dots @ 6 and 12 O'clock and clock the intermediate shaft and the dist so the rotor is facing rearward and is under the #6 dist cap terminal and you are good.

12 O'clock and 12 O'clock w the dampener marks @TDC then yes you are on #1 TDC compression stroke

well, thats where we leave it tonight. Its lined up, compression is good so far. Timing cover back on and we tie things up tomorrow. Fingers crossed.
Thanks for all the input, as usual, this is the place to come....

It's confusing as manuals tell you to line it up at 12 and 6 because if the crank dot was at 6 it'd be very hard to use a steel scale to line em up as the crank snout would be in the way so they all manuals state 12 & 6 but they neglect to inform you that this puts #6 on TDC compression. Why they omit that I have no idea and way back we lost a race because of that, it wouldn't fire and we couldn't get back out on the track in time & we couldn't figure out why until the next day