Rather than using cable ties to hold the dial gauge , I would make a piston stop from a piece of rod and old sparkplug wind the engine backwards from tdc insert the stop in the plug hole wing the engine forward until the stop is reached , record degree wheel , wind engine backwards until the stop is reached record the degree wheel , halve the total degrees and you hiave accurate tdc , and you only need one dial gauge to check valve lift
well explained Chris and yes they are dial guages; Id only add that perhaps clarify the piston is #1 cylinder coming up on the exhaust stroke especially for newer folks rebuilding engines........thanks for great video.
Thanks. Funnily enough I woke in the night and had exactly that thought! Also that the final reading is taken when the dial gauge stops moving as the valve is fully closed. I'll add this to the blurb - but very few will see that, unfortunately. I'll also add an intro to the next video.
As an experiment in finding true TDC on my Trident I'm going to attempt something different. Since the head is off, what I will try is putting a dial indicator set at zero directly to the piston crown as it visibly nears TDC; then swing it through clockwise until it rises then drops back to zero on the other side while noting the exact distance the needle travels. Then rotate CCW back to exactly mid point of total indicated sweep of the needle. For the purpose of finding true TDC this, I hope, does away for the need of a degree wheel. Not there yet but will let you know if it was successful when I try this method in a few weeks time. Of course a degree wheel will be needed for the cam timing.
Okay with the head off, but it is recommended to measure the actual timing at the valve top, not from the tappets, so you'll have to keep TDC exact until the head is on.
Rather than using cable ties to hold the dial gauge , I would make a piston stop from a piece of rod and old sparkplug wind the engine backwards from tdc insert the stop in the plug hole wing the engine forward until the stop is reached , record degree wheel , wind engine backwards until the stop is reached record the degree wheel , halve the total degrees and you hiave accurate tdc , and you only need one dial gauge to check valve lift
well explained Chris and yes they are dial guages; Id only add that perhaps clarify the piston is #1 cylinder coming up on the exhaust stroke especially for newer folks rebuilding engines........thanks for great video.
Thanks. Funnily enough I woke in the night and had exactly that thought! Also that the final reading is taken when the dial gauge stops moving as the valve is fully closed. I'll add this to the blurb - but very few will see that, unfortunately. I'll also add an intro to the next video.
this is like watching Russel Coight explain timing
As an experiment in finding true TDC on my Trident I'm going to attempt something different. Since the head is off, what I will try is putting a dial indicator set at zero directly to the piston crown as it visibly nears TDC; then swing it through clockwise until it rises then drops back to zero on the other side while noting the exact distance the needle travels. Then rotate CCW back to exactly mid point of total indicated sweep of the needle. For the purpose of finding true TDC this, I hope, does away for the need of a degree wheel. Not there yet but will let you know if it was successful when I try this method in a few weeks time. Of course a degree wheel will be needed for the cam timing.
Okay with the head off, but it is recommended to measure the actual timing at the valve top, not from the tappets, so you'll have to keep TDC exact until the head is on.