Technical SBC Timing/mark question

So I'm working on a SBC, it's OT, but not important as my question should pertain to anyone else doing the same thing.

I put a new distributor in and had no fire in the cylinders, I put my light on it and the balancer mark if being strobed correctly at about 6*BTDC.

SO my question is, if I effed up and stuck it in 180 out, would I still strobe correctly on the balancer while turning it over? I'm thinking no..but figured I'd ask.

Thanks

 

Yes

There are several ways to determine if you are on TDC compression. If your valve covers are off, check to see if the rocker arms are “ rocking “ if so it’s on compression, with big cams this can be a little tricky. Watch what the valves are doing while slowly turuning the engine over to TDC.
You can pull #1 plug and turn the engine over till you start feeling compression, then when TDC comes up you are at TDC compression, but you have to turn the engine faster than “ slow “. Hope this helps.
Also check to make sure your marks have not slipped on the balancer.





Bones

 

The answer is yes. 180* of distrubutor is 360* of the balancer. Phil

 

It had no fire at all or was it backfiring like a sumbitch when trying to start it? What kind of distributor? Was it running before or is it a new build/ first start up scenario?

 

Even with the timing way the hell off, 180* or even worse, it's gotta leave the dist first! The dist dictates when it fires......Not where tdc is. I'de be looking at ignition first. V8= 8 times to fire. No Fire= Ignition.

 

maybe I wasn't clear, but yes, I do have spark through the wires and to the plugs.

My question is if the distributor is 180 out, would (with light on #1) I still see the mark at 3-4 BTDC? Even if not firing on the (near) top of compression stroke?

I did pull #1 plug, ran it up till my daughter said she felt air, then rotated/lined up the mark to about 0, the put the distributor in just shy of pointing at #1 cap on the terminal.

I think Phil answered my question though, I'm wondering if she felt air pushing out or was just tired of trying to block off the hole

I gotta get me a screw in compression gauge. I'm too old to be hunkered over the engine with a ratchet in one hand and finger in the hole...mercy...