I found a prior post "degre wheel and stock cam" that had a downloadable degree wheel. I set the printer to high dpi and printed out a 6 inch paper degree wheel and mounted it on a circular piece of cardboard.

I inserted a nine inch ratchet extension in the #1 spark plug hole as a piston stop. Then I screwed a 3/4" - 16 thread 2 1/2 inch long bolt into the damper along with the degree wheel. I took a 1 1/16" wrench and turned the damper clockwise until it stopped at 164* (roughly at the 5:00 position on the wheel). Then I played hell and tried turning the bolt holding the damper counter-clockwise. All that did was loosen the bolt. The damper didn't turn. So I hooked up the fan blade pulley only (fan belt wouldn't turn because bolt was 2 1/2" and I think if it had been 2 1/4" it would have cleared the bolt) and the belt around the damper and alternator and pulled on the belt counterclock-wise until it stopped at 29* (roughly at the 2:00 position on the wheel).

Here's where I get lost. I added 29 plus 164 = 193 and divided by two to get 96.5*. I marked this on the wheel and tried to turn clockwise (the only direction it would go with the ratchet still in the #1 spark plug hole) the wheel to line up the 96.5* wheel with the 0* timing mark on the block above the damper. With the ratchet extension still in the hole I could not get to 96.5*.

What am I doing wrong?

Also when turning the damper how do I tell when the #1 piston is all the way up (TDC) and starting to go down? With the ratchet extension all I could feel was it going in and when it became lodged and unable to withdraw it at 29* and 164*.

Take the ratchet out when you are trying to get at 96.5. When you get there, you are at TDC, and to be helpful, you can then set the wheel to 0 degrees once you get to 96.5 degrees.

~THOR~

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1984 D100 Shorty Custom
Certified Auto Appraiser - RevItUp Classic Appraisals
President - Cherry City Bombers CC
Part of Tyrde-Browne Racing

It may seem obvious, but be sure you've removed all the spark plugs before trying to the engine. It will be alot easier if you don't have to push against the compression. Also, as Thor said, remove the piston stop after you find your TDC setting and before you try to turn the engine to TDC.

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David Kight
'62 Valiant Signet, White
'98 Dodge Dakota
'06 Jeep Liberty

Growing older is unavoidable but growing up is strictly optional.

Thanks Thor. I took out the ratchet extension and rotated it to 96.5*. After I got it there, I grapped a permanent marker to mark the damper. There was already a punch mark 1* BTDC which must have been made by the factory back in 1973. I did all this with all six spark plugs removed which I took out to verify .035 gap, and upon their removal I took off the spark plug washers as SSD recommended in previous posts.

I assume that 1* off is pretty darn good and I must have installed that new timing chain on the mark.

It's a great feeling to accomplish something for the first time! Now I have to get that broken stick out of the #1 spark plug hole. (Never use paint brush sticks as a piston stop.)

Is there anything else I need to do before putting the spark plugs back in?

I just looked at the rotor on the distributor. It is pointing to about the 10:30 position. I believe at TDC it is supposed to point to 4:30 or 5:00. What now?

Sounds like you've got the wrong TDC — the one between exhaust and intake, rather than the one between compression and power. Rotating the engine 180° will put the #1 piston back at TDC (between compression and power) and the distributor at the 4:30 #1 position.

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

Thanks Dan. I'll go out and rotate the damper clockwise until the mark on the damper comes back up on the 0* and the distributor rotor is at the correct 4:30 position.

Do you have an explanation what I did wrong using the degree wheel?

The trick is getting TDC on the compression stroke rather than the exhaust stroke. The easiest way is to pop the distributor cap and watch the rotor; when it points to the position of the #1 plug wire you're in the right neighborhood. If you've had the distributor out then you'll need to watch the valves. The intake valve opens as the piston begins to move downward then closes at approximately BDC; the exhaust valve remians closed as well while the piston travels upward on the compression stroke. The valves remain closed after the piston passes TDC and moves downward on the power stroke. Finally the exhast valve opens near BDC and remains open as the piston moves up again to push the spent gasses out to the exhaust system. If both valves are closed as you're approaching TDC then you're on the correct stroke.

_________________
David Kight
'62 Valiant Signet, White
'98 Dodge Dakota
'06 Jeep Liberty

Growing older is unavoidable but growing up is strictly optional.

I think I have it right now. The rocker has been taken apart and cleaned and I had my local slant six guru replace the springs and seats. My job is to set the valve lash, which is my next step. Right now the rockers are very loose and I don't see any valve movement while turning the damper.

Thanks for all your help. I may need help again when I tackle the valve lash.