TDC on compression stroke

[D1SR240]

Ok i just got done doing the whole timing chain rattle but now my car wont starts. How do i know when the engine is at TDC on the compression stroke, and not on the exhaust stroke. I know its the second knotch from the left, so i went to start it once and it started but ran really bad, barley at 500 rpm and it wouldn't rev. so i thought that i had it on the exhaust stroke, so i took out the distributor and turned the pulley one rotation so that i would be at the second knotch again, put the distributor back in (while it was on the #1 cylinder) and went to start it but she didn't start. So how do i know if #1 cylinder is at TDC on the compression stroke? not the exhaust stroke? BTW: its on a 95 KA24DE thats in a 91 240sx.

Thanks for any help

[crzycav86]

The way I did it was put a broken clothes hanger through the sparkplug, and turn the motor manually. Then, with the valve cover off, look for when the hanger stops moving up, and starts descending. If it's at TDC on compression, the intake valve should be pointing to the left, and the exhaust valve should be pointing to the right.(IIRC) If you take off the valve cover, just think in your head what the engine is doing with the valves, and you'll find out where TDC is. Keep a close eye on that hanger though.

It's possible to mess with the timing until it's running, but it's kinda risky. You might ruin your engine by going too advanced

[D1SR240]

ok i got it, i followed the fsm. All you have to do is look on the crank pulley for the second mark, and then when its on the second mark put the distributor in with it being set on #1. but i just wasn't sure if it was on the compression stroke or not?