For the longest time it was a running joke in my family that I would invariably set the timing 180 out of phase when starting a new engine. Then I figured out what I was doing wrong.

Pull out number one spark plug and put your thumb over the hole. Turn the engine over with a breaker bar or by carefully tapping the starter. You will feel it suck on your thumb and then you will feel compression starting to blow your thumb off. That is telling you number one is coming up on it's compression stroke, that is where you want to be.

Watch the timing pointer and when you feel the compression stop blowing, look at the timing mark and move it to zero or slightly advanced. Now drop your distributor down in so the rotor is pointing to number one. You might have to use a 1/4 inch drive socket the same size as your oil pump shaft to slightly turn it so it aligns and lets the distributor drop right down in alignment. Sometimes you need to do this a few times until it drops.

Now clamp the distributor just tight enough so you can turn it by hand and try to start the engine. (after reinstalling the plug and wire) Once it fires turn the distributor a little each way until the engine runs well. Then you can time it with a proper light.

Don