Pistons Lined Up?

[gcs118]

Just got the head off my 5S-FE and all 4 pistons are perfectly lined up. I was under the impression that they would all be in different spots in the block, like 1 and 4 at the top and 2 and 3 at the bottom or something along those lines. I suppose maybe after so long of sitting, maybe the crank found a "happy medium" where they would all sit in the middle...but still confuses me. Any thoughts?

[Nick]

all sitting in the middle is alright

just turn the crank to get #1 to tdc, then 2 will be up, and 2 will be down

[TRDragoon]

i dunno if you opened up a I4 before, but most of the Inline 4 out there are lined up like that an order to decrease vibration on the engine...there are other reason why they do that too but thats a long list.

on the other hand V6 are also different....2 should be at the TDC, 2 in middle, and 2 at BDC

[VVT-i Owns]

^ One piston is always on the ignition stoke?

[TRDragoon]

^ which is TDC.........

EDIT: TDC (top dead centre) can be either ignition (compression) or exhaust stroke.....

[5Sfte]

If one and four are going up, and 2 and 3 are going down, theoretically they would meet in the middle at the same time.

[gcs118]

Originally posted by 5Sfte
If one and four are going up, and 2 and 3 are going down, theoretically they would meet in the middle at the same time.

Yeah I realized but what are the chances that they would be perfectly lined up when I opened it? I was just curious because I've never gone this far before