Hello everybody! I have a problem. My timing belt broke on my 90 civic si and it killed the cylinder head. Well, I was lucky enough to find a replacement cylinder head on ebay for $100, but I have a problem.
I don't know where TDC is. I understand that it's for cylinder #1 which is the one closest to the drivebelts. I understand that it's when the piston in cylinder one reaches the very top of its arc....but I don't know how to determine which revolution it's on without using a compression tester (trying to avoid purchasing). The revolutions being 1.intake 2.exhaust... I don't know how to avoid being 180 degrees off.

My main question is this. If I'm going to completely change heads it seems logical to me that I need to do three things:
1. set cylinder #1 to the top of its arc with the head off so I can actually see the piston
2. install the head with the lined up TDC marks on the cam attached to the head
3. bolt up

Basically, my thinking is pistons go up and down while the cylinder head controls the intake and exhaust...if the exhaust involved the block i wouldn't think like this, but I don't believe that's the case.

Anyone help me on this???
Sorry for the length...very tired.

 

on your crank pulley there are some marks.the three marks are your timming marks,the white single mark is your top dead center mark thats the one you use.
on you cam sprocket there is the word -up- on it.it goes- up -and at the 12 o clock postion.there are three lines on the cam gear, the one on the bottom lines up with the plastic pointer on the head below the cam gear.you really need a manual if you never done it .once you see it in a picture its cake!