Rope length for replacing valve springs.

I did a 360 van engine recently. On the first cylinder I didn't have enough rope in the hole and the engine just rolled right on around past TDC.

So then I started jamming the rope in with a screwdriver, because otherwise it's like pushing a rope uphill. That worked. I ended up with feet of rope in, not inches.

But in one cylinder I got a little too enthusiastic and had the rope caught in the hole after I replaced the springs/keepers. For a minute I thought I had managed to tie a knot in the rope that wouldn't fit back out the plug hole. If it was, it was a slipknot because with luck I eventually got it out of there.

I guess what I'm saying is, use your head and don't get carried away like I did.