You can use the upper TDC mark, which is a little more precise. I am over 6' tall but need a step stool to get my eye right above the opening near the crank sensors. Using a flashlight helps too. I was thinking of setting up a magnet base and mirror contraption so you see this mark while turning the crank bolt.

Lou

 

Your post is still wrong, BTW. BDC is not going to be achieved with the cam mark showing TDC. The #1 piston hits TDC twice each rev of the cam, and so in one revolution of the cam you have (Mark visible) TDC-BDC-TDC-BDC-TDC (mark visible again.) BDC is 90 degrees before and after the cam sprocket mark. TDC (exhaust) is also 180 degrees from the TDC mark.

The cam mark is great for finding the flywheel mark. It's hard to find without a good clue but yes, I do not recommend using the cam mark alone to determine TDC for, say, a cambelt change. It's fine for a retension though.

The cam mark also comes into play also if you care if you are at TDC on the compression stroke or not.

Long story short, line up the cam mark and then find the flywheel mark. It's much easier when it's close.

-Joel.

 

Well if my flywheel has no markings (Findanza) then the only thing i can go on is the cam sprocket mark right?

 

In the case of no flywheel mark I would measure TDC very carefully via a spark plug hole and then mark the crank. I use a dial guage and a long extension, find the crank degrees at X mm of piston depth before and after TDC (say 20mm or so) and TDC is then halfway between those two points. The piston seems to spend a few crank degrees at TDC so you can't just find the highest point and call it good enough.

You can bolt a piece of coathanger wire to the front of the engine and use it as a reference point to mark the balancer while finding the +/- TDC points.
-Joel.

 

Damn, I'm just all over the place then. Thanks for straightening me out! BlackNRedGT, sorry for adding wrong info to your thread!

-Darwin