Setting the Valves, JD 950

[Scare Crow]

I want to set the valves on a JD 950 three cylinder diesel. I have the clearance specs and found the cylinder marks on the crankshaft pulley but I have a few questions. How do you rotate the engine to get the marks to align? Bumping the starter is not very accurate. I tried jacking up the rear wheels putting it in 2wd and rotating the rear wheel to spin the engine but that didn't work so now I am eyeing up the possibility of removing the battery and getting a socket and breaker bar on the crank pulley nut to spin the motor. Is that the way to go?

Also how do I know when the piston is at TDC on the compression stroke with this motor?

 

[DLTTrekkers]

Remember that after opening and closing of a valve the rest of that lope on the camshaft is all round and clearance can be set on any place of that round on that one valve.

 

[TimberHole]

Remove the battery and you can get on the crank bolt with a long extension and socket. There are marks for each cylinder on the pulley. There are two marks for the number one cylinder. One is twenty something degrees before TDC and one is TDC. The mark before TDC is marked "I" and is the start of injection. I don't remember the exact number but it is approximately 25 degrees before TDC. Should all be pretty self explanatory if you watch the rockers.

 

[DLTTrekkers]

No 1 is at flywheelside

 

[Scare Crow]

The cam has a ramp up from the round spot. Without having an indicator of some sort it is a little difficult to know when you are on the low spot and when you are on the ramp. There's more of a chance of getting a wrong clearance setting doing it that way