just making sure do you have to set the engine at tdc before performing a leak down test, or would you need to do each cylinder individually at tdc( if that makes any sense)

 

Well you want the valves to be closed on each cylinder when you perform a leakdown test. So each cylinder must be a TDC compression stroke as you test each cylinder. Or, if you have the cams out, it won't matter because all valves will be closed.