93XJGreenMonster

I've read several posts on here and on the internet about how to find TDC without pulling a lot apart. When you hear the term Top Dead Center, at least to me, it sounds exact, almost science like. People say it's easy though. Anyway, never had to figure it out myself but I think I've found the way that will work best for me. Tell me if this will work.

2 man job. Jack the rear up, put the tranny in 5th. Pull the 1st plug, have one guy put a finger over the hole. The other guy rotates the rear tire, as the second guy is turning the tire the first guy is feeling compression on his finger. When it's no longer trying to blow the finger off of the hole, you have TDC.

Now then, if that all checks out, this is where I'm fuzzier. Do I then pull the distributor and twist it so that the rotor will point just before it hits first contact on the cap? And once I'm at that point, I take a screw driver to align the oil gear to fit where the spade on the bottom of the distro shaft will align.

What if I have to do some bit of twisting of the pin to get it to line up with the crank gear? Will I basically have to start over?

I think I just converted a few hours of really studying this into laymans terms, please let me know if I got this right and make corrections as necessary. Thanks Guys!

98 JeepJeep

i set the crank to TDC and adjust the dizzy to that ... there should be a Mark on the balancer for TDC. Than if your certain you are on TDC on the compression stroke than stab the dizzy on the #1 plug.

Also your method only works if you have a manual....which 98% of all XJ's arnt..........

SeriousOffroad

Do search for Indexing Distributor.

93XJGreenMonster

I guess I just don't get it. I'm trying to avoid pulling the valve cover. I don't know what a balancer is or a damper. I read the first few articles goodle returned with Indexing Distributor. I thought I had this figured out using the method described above (and my cherokee is a manual, AX-15).

I'm meeting with some fellow Jeepers on this forum today, maybe they can spell it out for me in person and pointing at things so I can see wtf everyones talking about. The more I read about this the more uncomfortable I seem to get with it.

SeriousOffroad

Post#15
https://www.cherokeeforum.com/f2/col...e-4-0-a-23233/

ol"blue

It's the thing attached to the front of the crankshaft, where the bottom pulley is.
Great info again FrankZ.
Dan

93XJGreenMonster

That's awesome Frank, I had just found that and your post when you responded.

"
I'd start by re-indexing the distributor, it won't cost you anything but a little time.

Remove the #1 Spark Plug
Remove the Dist.Cap
Remove the distributor.
Bring the #1 piston up to Top Dead Center on the Compression Stroke. Stuff your finger in the spark plug hole while someone bumps the starter. When yo feel air blowing by your finger STOP.
Use a 19mm socket and turn the harmonic balancer bolt clockwise (only) while keeping an eye on the timing marks on the timing chain cover.
Once the #1 piston is at TDC, re-install the distributor so that the rotor is pointing at the 5 O'clock position when the distributor is fully seated.

A word of caution.
Make sure that you rotate the oilpump shaft with a long screwdiver so that it lines up properly with the distributor. Failure to do so will prevent the distributor from fully seating.

Reinstall the cap
Reinstall the sparkplug
Double check the plugwires to make sure you have the correct sequence.
Fire it up. "

A few questions. "Bumping the starter", seems hit or miss if you're just turning the key, it would have to be a really quick turn I assume?

Think I understand what and where the harmonic balancer is now, and thats also known as a damper?

The timing marks are where? My I6 is filthy and I've never come across these lines. Seen pictures up close but not zoome out enough to understand where on the engine they are. But I've also read that they're on the flywheel, or they're under the water pump and you can't see them without the serpentine belt off.

I think I'm starting to understand it now that I'm thinking through my reply....Once you've got the piston at TDC, or in other words right when you feel compression on the finger, you turn the harmonic balancer to continue moving the crank, which is pushing the piston further up. The timing marks should tell you when the piston is at TDC. That's when you can reinstall the distributor with the rotor pointed just before the 1st wire which is about 5 o'clock looking at it from the front of the vehicle.

Does it sound like this is starting to sink in a bit?

ol"blue

5 o'clock when you're looking directly down at the dist. cap.