Timing Indicator
 

I am probably just so frustrated that I am over thinking things but I replaced a set of intake gaskets on a motor and switched from a points style distributor to an HEI at that time so i never bothered to mark the distributor.

I was spinning the motor over by hand to bring it to TDC to install the distributor, well I always take my driver's side valve cover off to watch the valves open and shut. My first rotating to my TDC mark was 180* out (I saw a valve close instantly followed by a valve opening) and something didn't look right. I spun it back to the sweet spot just before the #1 cylinder would go through the exhaust stroke (where the valves are both shut at 180* out) and noticed my timing indicator was about 10* to the right of the TDC mark.

I verified my balancer isn't twisted by installing a piston stop and marking it at both sides and finding the center. It's some stupid aftermarket timing indicator on a stock timing cover; I assume some knucklehead installed the wrong indicator.


At the point of being 180* out (when the balancer shows at TDC but it would take another rotating to be correct) and both valves are closed on the #1 cylinder; can I use that spot to verify the indicator is not in the right spot?

If you already did the piston stop/marking/find center deal you can use an adjustable pointer to fix the issue.

What does the one you have now look like?

It's an adjustable Moros but it won't adjust enough. I think it's based off a different balancer diameter. I found center on the balancer based off the timing mark. How could that help me find where the indicator is supposed to be? I understand I can't soley base where the marker should line up with the marking in the balancer since my valve timing might not be 100% accurate but 8-10 degrees off doesn't seem possible without a faulty indicator.

What I did was turn the engine back and forth, making the two marks and finding the middle of the line between them. That's TDC. Then I moved the pointer to correspond with the middle mark.