Finding TOP DEAD CENTER on our 1964 Triumph TR4 

This week on Wegs Garage, we find "top dead center" on our 1964 Triumph TR4's engine. This point in the crankshaft's rotation is critical for precisely setting ignition timing. Top dead center (TDC) is the furthest point of a piston's travel, when it changes from an upward to a downward motion. Our lump of an engine is missing both the crank pulley timing mark (our fault) and the timing pointer on the timing cover (work performed by others).
Our timing mark has been missing since we replaced the stock pulleys and belt with a Moss Motors narrow belt conversion kit. Luckily, the Moss kit contains great directions for locating TDC and marking the new crank pulley. In fact, you should probably read them instead! But if you are bored and/or would rather watch a couple amateurs do it, why not check out our video?
The timing pointer on the timing cover has always been missing. Not sure what the story is there. We made our very own pointer and stuck it on with some 3M VHB tape. VHB stands for "Very High Bond." This tape is unbelievably strong and can even replace welding in some applications. Think it will work for our pointer? Let us know what you think in the comments!