Can someone explain timing procedures to me?
To install your timing tape you could do this. With the engine assembled you could make a piston stop from an old spark plug. Break the ceramic off and drill it out. Weld on a 5/16" nut where the ceramic was and use about a 3" 5/16" with another nut to lock it down. I would round off the end of the bolt so I does not dent the top of the piston. Install the bolt about 1" down in the #1 cylinder and lock it down. I would pull all of the spark plugs to make it easier to turn over by hand Do Not use the starter. Turn the engine clock wise slowly until it touches the stop. Make a mark on your balancer and cover. Then turn the engine counter clockwise until it hits the top again turn it back clockwise just to take up the timing chain slack and make another mark. Split the difference and that will get you pretty close to Top Dead Center and you could install your timing tape and will give you somewhere to work from.
Remove the piston stop and replace all plugs. From that point you will need an advance timing light. Disconnect the vacuum advance from the dist and plug it. Hook up the timing light to the #1 cylinder. Now you can set your base timing. If you have any cam at all your base timing will be around 15 degrees advanced while the engine is idleing. That will give you a good starting point.
To install your timing tape you could do this. With the engine assembled you could make a piston stop from an old spark plug. Break the ceramic off and drill it out. Weld on a 5/16" nut where the ceramic was and use about a 3" 5/16" with another nut to lock it down. I would round off the end of the bolt so I does not dent the top of the piston. Install the bolt about 1" down in the #1 cylinder and lock it down. I would pull all of the spark plugs to make it easier to turn over by hand Do Not use the starter. Turn the engine clock wise slowly until it touches the stop. Make a mark on your balancer and cover. Then turn the engine counter clockwise until it hits the top again turn it back clockwise just to take up the timing chain slack and make another mark. Split the difference and that will get you pretty close to Top Dead Center and you could install your timing tape and will give you somewhere to work from.
Remove the piston stop and replace all plugs. From that point you will need an advance timing light. Disconnect the vacuum advance from the dist and plug it. Hook up the timing light to the #1 cylinder. Now you can set your base timing. If you have any cam at all your base timing will be around 15 degrees advanced while the engine is idleing. That will give you a good starting point.