Help! can't get SBC swap to start

[jrm81bu]

That paper clip still ain't gonna tell you if it is on the compression stroke or the exhaust stroke.

And if it's compressing while getting to TDC then...

:?:
It's gonna shoot air out the spark plug hole wether its on the compression or exhaust stroke. It's just a difference on how much air. Obviously there will be more air coming out on the compression stroke cause it has no where else to go. The paper clip doesn't really matter cause the piston is gonna be at the top wether its the compression or exhaust stroke.

 

[custom442]

That paper clip still ain't gonna tell you if it is on the compression stroke or the exhaust stroke.

And if it's compressing while getting to TDC then...

:?:
It's gonna shoot air out the spark plug hole wether its on the compression or exhaust stroke. It's just a difference on how much air. Obviously there will be more air coming out on the compression stroke cause it has no where else to go. The paper clip doesn't really matter cause the piston is gonna be at the top wether its the compression or exhaust stroke.

okay.

Maybe yall are right I haven't done this over and over. It seems pretty damn simple when I do it. Turn the engine to TDC and if it's compressing then it's where it needs to be

 

[jrm81bu]

That paper clip still ain't gonna tell you if it is on the compression stroke or the exhaust stroke.

And if it's compressing while getting to TDC then...

:?:
It's gonna shoot air out the spark plug hole wether its on the compression or exhaust stroke. It's just a difference on how much air. Obviously there will be more air coming out on the compression stroke cause it has no where else to go. The paper clip doesn't really matter cause the piston is gonna be at the top wether its the compression or exhaust stroke.

okay.

Maybe yall are right I haven't done this over and over. It seems pretty damn simple when I do it. Turn the engine to TDC and if it's compressing then it's where it needs to be

And so far you've gotten lucky. It is pretty simple but a lot of peolpe make the mistake of thinking that the air that comes out is from compression and not exhaust( i think you guys know what i mean).

Another common mistake for first time builders is that when you put the timing chain on and you have the timing marks lined up dot to dot, you are actually making that tdc on the exhaust stoke. Most people assume that its on the compression stroke and don't move it while finishing building the motor. Then they drop the dizzy in thinking its where it needs to be and surprise its on the exhaust.

 

[custom442]

Guess thats 2 of 2 I got lucky on, I do read books before I do these things...

 

[megaladon6]

sometimes people just set the engine to zero on the balancer, forgetting that it could be the exhaust or the intake stroke.

 

[Blake442]

sometimes people just set the engine to zero on the balancer, forgetting that it could be the exhaust or the intake stroke.

That's how it got me when I did my sbc swap in my 442 when I was 18...
I chased my tail for a few days before I finally figured it out... 😳

 

[Doober]

sometimes people just set the engine to zero on the balancer, forgetting that it could be the exhaust or the intake stroke.

Exhaust/intake TDC are the same, compression/firing is the other location for TDC.