Glossary / General

top dead center

15 Episode Mentions

Too Afraid to Ask

Top dead center is when the engine's piston is at its highest point. It's important for setting up the engine's timing correctly.

Technical Definition

Top dead center (TDC) refers to the position of the piston in an engine when it is at its highest point in the cylinder. This is a critical reference point for timing the ignition and valve events in the engine cycle.

Hear It Discussed

"take the covers off the front, put the engine on top dead center, cylinder one on top dead center,"
Car Talk Show Offering Tips for Affordable Vehicle Repairs Under The Hood show 44:57

"it used to be you'd fire the injector so many degrees before top that center. You know, each cylinder three degrees before..."
Ron Ananian, The Car Doctor - May 16, 2026 - Hour 2 Ron Ananian The Car Doctor 26:21

"because the piston was near top dead center. If I rotate the engine backwards, I can get down close to low bottom dead center before the engine would kind of lock up on itself again."
From Illegal Nash Ambassadors to SEMA Prep, it’s V8 Radio’s Latest Automotive Adventure! V8 Radio Podcast 30:34