I replaced timing belts, took off valve cover on left pass side, I'm at TDC on the compression stroke, valves are closed.

My question is, on the right side of the motor when you bring the dot to 12:00, how do you know if your on the right stroke for that side

I shouldn't say stroke, it's the cam dot, when it comes to 12:00 you can rotate it again 360 degrees and the valves will be in a different position on the right side

This might help 

how do you tell what stroke you are on ?

 

You need to take the rotor button direction into account and get used to describing cylinders by the number in the block casting.

 

standing looking at engine from the front, looking towards the back of the car, on your left is 1, 3 is behind it, on your right, 2 is at front, and 4 behind it

 

then 'see' the firing order, 1 fires, then its head buddy 3, sequence then sort of repeats from front to back of the other head 2 then 4

 

Most times if the engine has been put back like factory #1 terminal on the dist cap is basically at the firewall side of the dizzy so rotor points more towards firewall when #1 is on its firing near TDC position

 

hope this helps

Edited May 11, 201510 yr by jono

It does help, I'll just have to watch the valves on both sides and watch firing order, I have litterally done the whole belt procedure 5 times now, I can recite miles fox video on YouTube as I watch it word for word, and I can't get this thing to fire, I got fuel, I got spark, 150 Pound of compression in all cylinders, timing light says firing on 8 degrees BTDC, I bought new plugs, wires, cap and rotor, new distributor, new battery, checked all fuses and fuseabel links. It has to be firing order, I'm going to just watch the valves and adjust from there

To install al timing belt you need to align three lines  ||| on the flywheel with the arrow on the motor; not TDC.

 

Good luck,

Sam