Ok so ive been wanting to learn how to do a head gasket job for a while and tonight i just walked over and started tearing my 20r apart. I'm using a Chilton manual as a guide, it says to set the #1 piston to TDC on the compression stroke, how do i know if its on the compression stroke or exhaust stroke? How do i rotate the crankshaft by hand? I'm pretty sure when the groove is lined up with TDC it's at TDC but is there more to it than that, like determing which stoke its on?
Much appreciated
Al

 

Pull the valve cover off and see if both valves are shut or open. Open=between intake and exhaust, Closed=between compression and expansion.

Put a ratchet on the crank pulley w/ the plugs out?

 

sweet thanks ill probly be back with another question pretty soon

 

Socket + breaker bar on the bolt for the clutch pulley. It's 19mm, plugs in or out doesn't matter if you're using a breaker bar.

 

Ok ive got everything off now except the head i cant get the damn thing off there, any suggestions?

 

Did you remove the bolt that threads into the top of the timing cover? If you've got that and all the head bolts out it should come right up, I can't imagine it being stuck down to the head gasket very well.

And on a completely unrelated topic, what's with the obnoxious signature?

 

I did remove that bolt, i guess 243k makes it a little difficult i just pryed on it a bit and it popped off.

Why is my sig. obnoxious?

 

How bout that.. nice and clean

 

FYI: Weather it's on the intake or exhaust stroke won't matter too much. As long as it's on TDC, just make sure you mark which plug the coil is facing. Worst case, you're 180* off, it's a simple task of moving the rotor 180*