timing problem

[96tsiaddict]

okay so the moron that owned the car before me decided to cross thread one of the head bolts so after getting my arp head studs in and putting everything back together it won't torque so I yanked everything apart and will be putting a helicoil in tomorrow. However I took off the timing belt tensioner and got everything to the supposed allignment marks but I thought if the crank was set to the mark it would have the number one piston at top dead center. but it's got the outside pistons at the bottom and the middle ones at the top. Anyone know what's going on?

 

[NOSLO2PT0]

Keep turning the crank until the outside pistons line up and the timing mark on the crank pulley lines up with the mark on the timing cover. If it don't happen, then it's quite possible the crank pulley has been off the car and when it was re-installed, it wasn't installed with the motor at TDC and the pulley lined up correctly. Just set the motor to TDC, remove crank pulley, and then align the marks on the pulley and cover. Bolt holes should line right up.

 

[96tsiaddict]

yah, I'm going to have another look at it then and make sure the mark I'm looking at isn't one from a previous mech. or something. So far 2 bolts have been cross threaded by the prev. mech. one into the turbo from the exhaust mani. that snapped off. bi*** to drill out. 10 drill bits approx. thanks for the advice