keep the glow plug in it. Put a prop on it....have the prop at a "horizontal" location. Meaning the prop is horizontal and the cylinder head is vertical. Turn the prop slowly against compression...if you turn it so the prop is about vertical up and down and in the middle of compression it will kind of notch into place and sit there....It will have compression to turn backward and compression to turn forward. It makes a kind of notched into place feel. This is the point at which the valves are closed and the pushrods are at their lowest point...

You can also watch the tappets.....You want the tappets to be "at rest" when you make your adjustments....If they are being pushed down onto the valve stem you can't set them.

Try the compression this.....Looking into the glow plug hole can be tough...if the engine has time on it the oil can look a little glassy in there and you can't see whats going on.

You could stick a probe in there like a small wood dowel....but why...with the glow plug in it...you can find the compression...bring the prop up against compression and then go slowly a little further and it will notch into place...leave the crank in this spot and set both valves.

As soon as you turn past this spot the exhaust valve will start to open...

Its easy to see with the engine in hand.

Troy Newman
Team YS