Z-134 TO-35 timing

Pulled the distributor to install an O-ring under the securing clamp, and lost track of the rotor position when I blinked.
So, go to reinstall following the instructions and look in the hole for the timing marks. Not visible on the rusty flywheel. Now what?
I rotated the engine till piston #1 was at the top, but not sure whether it's on the exhaust or compression stroke.
Do I need to look at the rocker arms or is there an easier way? I just would rather not have to take the gas tank off because it's really cold these days and I only want to spend 10 minutes at a time working out in the garage. But if I have to I have to.
Then, once that's determined, how can I get close to the 6 degrees BTDC called for in the manual?
I understand all the basics, have been playing with cars and tractors for decades, but am just hoping there is some nifty shortcut my frozen brain isn't remembering.
Thanks,
Jim

You"ll have to get on to the compression stroke first. Pull all the spark plugs to make it easy on the starter. Holding your thumb on the #1 spark plug hole, Bump the starter until you feel pressure on your thumb. You"re now on the compression stroke. Using a wrench on the crank shaft pulley slowly rotate the engine so that the #1 piston rises. Keeping looking in the flywheel "window" for the timing marks stamped in the flywheel. (You say your flywheel is rusty so press a solvent soaked rag in the timing window and crank the engine to clean off the flywheel. that might make the marks easier to see.) You might want to put a small soft wooden stick in the #1 park plug hole to let you know when the piston is nearing TDC.

Assuming you find the timing marks, set the 6° BTDC mark in the notch in the window. Put a bent wire or a paper clip in the #1 spark plug boot and hold it near a good ground. Turn the key on and loosen the distributor and rotate in back and forth until you hear the spark snap. At that point you are statically timed. You may have to do it several times to get it right. Then tighten the distributor down. If the flywheel timing mark is hard to see, now is the time to mark it with a punch, a dot of paint etc., Put the plugs in, connect wires and try a start. Recheck with a timing light and adjust as necessary.

Just thinking out of the box here, the Times I
pulled the distributor on my old TO35, I marked the
direction the rotor was pointing before I pulled it
out.

Guess that is water under the bridge now.

Might pull # one plug insert a soft straw into the
hole and rotate crank until it come up on top of
stroke. Then with compression tester inserted in
hole rotate crank back and see if you have
compression or not. If compression then you should
be able to feel top dead center with the straw.

No compression you are 180 off.

My old TO leaks oil out of front of transmission,
flywheel marks have never seen any rust as the leak
keeps things well lubed.

You might also pull the plugs (be sure to mark wires
and direction of distributor cap)

Use a cleaning fluid on a pencil eraser, let some
turn crank as you clean flywheel to find the timing
numbers, then mark the timing mark with white paint.

Just some KY red neck solutions.

Pull the starter off and you can get a good view of the timing mark and mark it with chalk or soapstone. It just takes a few minutes to take it off.

(quoted from post at 00:38:59 01/29/15) Pull the starter off and you can get a good view of the timing mark and mark it with chalk or soapstone. It just takes a few minutes to take it off.

Click to expand...

Excellent

That did it. I used a Scotch Brite pad to clean off the marks on the flywheel. (Too cold for solvent!)
Set at 6 degrees, put dizzy back in, rotated till points just opened, bolted starter back on, and she fired right up.
No more oil pouring out under the distributor clamp either. By the way, if anyone needs this information which seems to be NOWHERE, the O-ring is 1-1/16" ID, and 3/32" diameter. (Found out by trial and error.)
Thanks for the suggestions.
Now on to the next thing.....
Jim