I put the timing belt on with the timing marks on the cam gear and the crank gear lined up with their corresponding marks at the 12 o'clock position, and I installed the distributor with the rotor pointing 180* away from #1.

I'm 99% sure that is the way it was before I disassembled everything  :-/

I remember that when the rotor was pointing to #1 the cam mark was at 6 o'clock and the crank was at 12.

Does all of that sound right?

That doesnt sound right. Why not just put the crank and cam at 12 o clock and the timing mark should be at #1.

Then again, if you rotate the engine over one revolution, wouldnt that do the same thing? So I guess that does sound right! right?

Sorry, I havent done this in a while.

Mike

Ya, that's right, for some reason the
crank at 12 and the cam at 6 are correct

Seems strange to me too tho, as there is
a small notch in the back of the timing belt
cover that looks like you would want the
cam sprocket mark to align with

I just looked at my manual page 70-71
and it said cam mark up and crank mark up,
I know it will work either way, because I
put mine together cam mark down, just
make sure the #1 is TDC firing and the dizzy
is towards the #1 wire

yes you are right I had to find out the hard way by taking it all apart and putting it all back together not once not twice but THREE f|removethispart|@#|removethispart|@#|removethispart|@#$ times before I learned.

Well, it started  

So, for my 1.6L 8v, 12 o'clock on the crank sprocket, 12 o'clock on the cam sprocket, and rotor pointing away from #1 is correct.

I checked my '90 FSM and found that it states that #4 shoud be in its compression stroke in that configuration.

Anyway, BIG relief that it started, but I do have a couple of things to check.

Well, the crank makes two revolutions for every revolution of the cam, so 6 on the cam and 12 on the crank is just one rotation of the crank away from 12 and 12.

I guess they want you to set the marks to 12 o'clock during the timing belt install because they have the corresponding marks on the block and the timing cover plate to make it easier to see and match up.

I suppose the confusion for me comes from having to set #1 at TDC to adjust the valves.  The FSM tells you that your crank pulley mark should match up with the 0* on the timing belt cover and the rotor should be pointing at #1.  They go on to say that if the rotor is pointing the other way, turn the crank 1 revolution to line it up.  At that point, the crank mark lines up at 12 o'clock, but the cam mark is at 6.

So, I guess it makes sense to me now.  Thanks for the help.

Guys I had an overheating problem so I fixed the cylinder head,,,  I'm now installing the timing belt and my cam sprocket has no marks!! My only references are the dowels on both sprockets,, what are the positions on each when is TDC #1 (image, red line is rotor)? Mine is a 1.6 8V..
Thanks

Dowel on the cam shaft, not the cam sprocket,
points at 12'O clock.

Crank, key points up, align with the mark on
the oil pump

Thanks wildgoody I hope is starts!!