Help finding TDC

[carlj75]

I'm taking my motor apart. According to my manual, my motor has to be at Top Dead Center when I take it apart. When I rotate the crank to the "T" mark, there is no play in the rocker arms or valves. When I rotate the crank around again, there still is no play. So how do I find the true TDC? And, yes I have been rotating the crank counter clockwise.

[ridered86]

whaen your taking your motor apart it does not need to be at TDC or top dead center, only when you are putting it together do you need to do this to time the vlaves correctly.

[carlj75]

Ok, thanks.

[Silverfox@C&DRacing]

We always put the motor in TDC during the tear down

[jerry-89-250R]

sounds like your valves are too tight

[carlj75]

Can I just take off the head and then rotate the crank until the cam lobes are pointing down? That should be TDC right? How much play should there be in the rocker arms when the motor is at TDC? Should I be able to feel it by pushing/pulling on the arms? It runs really good so I'm not sure about the valves being too tight, but who knows.

[skemp]

Originally posted by carlj75
Should I be able to feel it by pushing/pulling on the arms?
Yes. If it is at the "T" mark and there is no play, the valves are most likely too tight. This could be from incorrect timing. Rotate the crankshaft, and feel for slack in the rockers. It doesn't realy matter when taking it apart (except to have the pressure off the rocker arms, by having the cam lobes down) to have the motor at true TDC. Do be very careful when putting it back together to get the timing marks lined up.