Quote:
Originally posted by Cyclemut:
Not really, as with the cam and crank not connected by the belt any more, the crank only really has two positions at this time, up and down.

The cam position for the #1 cylinder will determine the stroke now, as the cam will determine which valve is opening, closing or if both are closed. If the timing mark is lined up on the passenger's side cam (#1 cylinder side), then the cam is on compression. If the crank timing mark is lined up, then the cylinder is all the way up. And then the driver's side cam just needs to be lined up with the marks, and then the distributor rotor will be automatically lined up with the firing of the #1 cylinder.

Without the cams and crank connected, then the ball game changes a bit.

Great question though.
My mistake. I thought that the distributor was timed by the crank not the cams. The distributor and the cams do have to be in time don't they (i.e. the valve openings have to be timed with the distributor as so the spark plugs will fire at the top of the compression strokes and not the top of the exhaust strokes)? (Page EM-78 of The 2001 Nissan Xterra ESM says "Confirm that no. 1 piston is set at TDC on it's compression stroke")
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