Hi All,

I am replacing my head gaskets on my RK and I accidentally spin the engine and lost my TDC point. I am reassembling and want to make sure I get each cylinder back to TDC before I install the rocker assemblies. I did turned the engine till the front cylinder piston at the top of the cylinder before I installed the head, how can I be sure that is TDC on the front cylinder ?

Thanks

 

TDC of “compression” stroke is what you’re after. Valves are closed and both pushrods and/or lifters of that cylinder are at their lowest point and even. If they are not you’re on the TDC of the exhaust stroke.
Google “Baxters garage push rod adjustment” very well explained.

 

Thank You,

Since the back cylinder is #1 and I have the cam cover off, I could line up line the timing marks it should be at TDC, would that be correct?

 

Nope . Rear cylinder will.. Go find the videos.

 

An easy way to find the compression stroke for a cylinder is to watch the intake lifter, when it comes up to open the valve and then closes, the piston is coming up on the compression stroke, feel the piston with a straw or screw driver through the plug hole and slowly rotate until it stops coming up, do not use a pencil or wooden dowel, it'll break off in the cylinder.

 

And use vise grips to hold the straw so u don't drop it in. Did that once , was about to give up but managed to get it out without pulling head. Like above it is all in the manual

 

It's pretty easy to tell which valves to adjust with sticking anything into the plug hole. Front cylinder look at the rear lifers or the pushrods siting in the lifters. . When you the exhaust closing and intake opening you know you are close to overlap on the rear cylinder. Keep turning the motor until the intake lifter / pushrod is a little bit higher than exhaust. Close enough.. For the rear adjustment, the front exhaust lifter will be higher than the front intake. You can set them so they are equal then back up the motor a little.

With that you are typically within 30 degs of TDC on the compression stroke. Way close enough..

 

Thank You All for the info