A zero-dimensional spark ignition engine model was used to conduct a systematic study of combustion dynamics at the top dead center (TDC) position of a 5.734 liter, V8 spark-ignition engine. The model captures all the experimentally observed essential features concerning combustion at the TDC. The combustion dynamics at compression ratios, r c = 9.5, 10.5, 11.5 and 15.5 and fuel-air equivalence ratio, ϕ = 1.0 were investigated with the numerical model. The results show that for r c = 15.5, the fueloxidizer charge was consumed almost instantaneously. Furthermore, the data shows that it took about 153.0, 52.6, 21.0 and 1.43 ms at compression ratios, r c of 9.5, 10.5, 11.5 and 15.5 respectively for the in-cylinder combustion dynamics to reach a value T * = 1.0. In the last 0.01 ms, for all compression ratios, the rate of change of pressure, dp/dt lies in the range 10 8 < dp/dt < 10 14 Pa/s while the corresponding temperature varies from 2230 ≤ T ≤ 2700 K. The study also shows that as the compression ratio increases both the adiabatic flame temperature and heat of combustion at the top dead center increases monotonically as well.