As Peter the Piper and Tony have stated. Another way is to turn the engine manually until the distributors rotor arm corresponds with the segment / lead in its cap for the No1 spark plug. This will mean the piston is near or at the top of its compression stroke for the No1 cylinder.

Take the rocker cover off, and with Number 1 at TDC look at the position of the valves. If they are both closed that cylinder is on the compression stroke.

Ok?

Easy way?

take all the plugs out,

put it in reverse on flat ground and push the car back while your thumb is over the plug hole on the left.

Or jack up the offside and

then put it in first gear then use the road wheel to turn the engine over.

The differential means that the near side wheel is on the ground so it won't turn.

so once you feel the compression pushing past your thumb you can put a screwdriver down the plug hole and keep turning the road wheel until the screwdriver stops rising then begins to go back down,

you can rock the road wheel back and forward until you find the point of "rock".

Remove the spark plug and put your thumb over the opening. If the piston tries to blow your thumb off of the opening then the piston is rising in the compression stroke. If you can't put your finger there then use a compression gauge to check. If you find it all happening too fast to tell, use a rubber hose and put one end by your ear as you or your friend rotates the crank by hand. During intake, or exhaust you won't detect much movement of air. But during compression or combustion you'll be able to detect the movement of air MUCH more so. If air is blowing out then it's in the compression phase. Watch the timing mark to get it to TDC (Top Dead Center).

Hope this helps.

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