That's not really the most accurate way. Although we don't now if you are
talking about an air-cooled or water-cooled van, you can find EXACT TDC the
following way.

Assuming you are looking for #1 TDC, remove the #1 spark plug, and the
distributor cap. Roll the engine over by hand (using a wrench) until the
dist. rotor points 'roughly' at the #1 quadrant of the distributor (where
TDC should be).

Wet your right pinkie finger, and loosely jab it into the spark plug hole.
Roll the motor over in the proper direction (clockwise) with the wrench.
You will feel either pressure or suction, depending on whether the piston
is BTDC or ATDC. Roll the motor back and forth until you find the mid-point
between BTDC (pressure) and ATDC (suction). Once you find the midpoint
(your finger is still in the hole) curl your pinkie finger and attempt to
touch the piston crown.

On Type 1's, older 911's, 356's and type 4's you can feel the crown at TDC.
I've never tried on a wasserboxer, but I'd bet you can, if I were a betting
man. Move the motor slightly to confirm the piston is ALL THE WAY to the
top. Mark the pulley.

If you have fat fingers, find someone with thin pinkies.

G. Matthew Bulley
Bulley-Hewlett
Corporate Communications Counselors
www.bulley-hewlett.com
Cary, NC USA
888.468.4880 tollfree

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-----Original Message-----
From:   Jay & Kim Schmidt [SMTP:schmidt5@HSONLINE.NET]
Sent:   Wednesday, January 05, 2000 12:16 PM
To:     vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject:        finding TDC

Can someone refresh me. I know there is a trick like popping the left valve
cover and watching the valves open/close.  Something like just before #3
exhaust starts to close is TDC for #1.  Am I on the right track?
Jay