1G Help with AEM adjustable cam gears

[NeMiZiS]

I am doing a timing belt on a freinds 1g and he has these AEM true time adjustable cam gears.
I'm not sure exactly how to set these any help would be awesome.
I've done a plenty of timing belts but these things are making me nervous!

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[RvlutionMtrsprt]

The gears appear to be zero'd out. You set them just like normal cam gears. Dowel pins up, marks lined up across the head. Even if they are not zero'd out, you set them just the same with the pins up and marks lined up across the head.

 

[NeMiZiS]

Ok I wasn't sure if it was going to be that simple.
Now both marks are going to be on the tooth of the gear, not the groove?

 

[Justin_l_]

On mine there is one on the peak and one in the valley where the two makes line up with each other.
This is at TDC

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[NeMiZiS]

Thanks man that is a great picture!
I ended up working on it last Friday and all the timing marks lined up perfect!

Ran into a new problem though with all the plugs out the motor is hard as hell to turn over.
I thought this motor had jumped a tooth, but obviously something else is messed up...
I guess time to pull the head!

 

[mercaholik]

And maybe a piston or four. Sometimes a broken or pinched ring land isn't noticeable from only the top view i.e sill in block. If timing did jump and bent a valve or so it might not close all the way and is hung open n piston is coming into contact? It's a long shot, but without being there it's hard, does it feel like it's hitting something hard that stops it, or is it just more difficult than normal? Did you upgrade to stronger valve springs, on bump up compression? These are the more obscure possibilities, do check the normal stiff first. Let me know if your unsure where to start. Def occams razor when diagnosing. Not always true, but it helps alot, good luck and please update when you know what what happened, it really helps the community.