"The way I do it is to disconnect the coil and remove the number 1 spark plug, stick your finger in the spark plug hole and rotate the engine. When the compression pops your finger out of the hole you are pretty darn close to top dead center on the compression stroke. This should be close enough to TDC to get the distributer aligned close enough to start the motor.
To get a closer reading of the true top dead center, then stick a piece of wire into the spark plug hole and touch it to the piston top. Rotate the engine by hand back and forth and watch the movement of the wire. From this you should be able to tell when the piston is at the top of its stroke. This is close enough for setting your timing mark. Thousandths of an inch aren't important here."
Engine Test Stand Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwoxyUwptUcdqEb-o2ArqyiUaHW0G_C88 restoring my 1968 Firebird 400 HO convertible (Firedawg) 1965 Pontiac Catalina Safari Wagon 389 TriPower (Catwagon) 1999 JD AWS LX Lawn tractor 17hp (my daily driver) 2006 Sequoia 2017 Murano (wife's car) 202? Electric car 203? 68 Firebird /w electric engine 2007 Bayliner 175 runabout /w 3.0L Mercuiser__________________________________________________________
