Timing mark

[Olegs855R]

Without rotating anything, I’ve taken a bright flashlight, brake clean and a bottle brush, and I’ve cleaned the crank gear and I still cannot find a single mark. No little V in the valley of the gear teeth. No groove on the top of a tooth. Idk.
If the camshafts marks are aligned properly, how far can I rotate the crank I asked because I cannot see the bottom of the gear so it might be 180 out or something else I don’t know.
Short or pulling head off and replacing all of the new gaskets, head bolts and my time, is there anything else I can do?

[Sveedy]

The marks are stupid hard to see. My '96 has the two really really small notches on the teeth. Looking at the bolt pattern on the crank, compared to a picture when everything is lined, up also helps.
If your cams are on their marks, then you can rotate the crank without hitting a valve.

[Olegs855R]

Thanks for the reply. So if the cams are lined up, I can remove the cam belt and freely rotate the crankshaft 360 deg + without touching the valves? Any of them?

[Sveedy]

Yes.
I'm guessing that you're replacing the timing belt ? If so, get your cam marks lined up correctly, and then look for the crank marks. Reference any picture regarding the crank bolt pattern to help narrow things down. You can even use a long pick to feel for the marks.
Then remove your belt.

[jmartin919]

Can't you check TDC by pulling spark plugs #1?

[Sveedy]

From what I understand, the crank mark isn't exactly TDC on these engines.
Basically it's just a timing mark.

[Olegs855R]

While assembling the motor, apparently my son may or may not have turned the crankshaft before I put on the belt so I don’t know for a fact that the crank was still lined up when I installed the belt. I can not see, even though I used a brush and brake clean and scrubbed the part of the crank gear that I can see and I cannot see any timing marks so I assume they’re gonna be down at the bottom somewhere around 180° I don’t know. I have no idea how much he turned it other than his explanation of “just a little bit maybe” so what should I do? I can lock the camshafts with the proper tools and rotate the crankshaft to see if I can find the mark which I assume I will be able to, but I can only do that if the Pistons are not gonna contact any valves as I’m rotating it with the camshaft locked so there we are that’s where I’m at. I don’t wanna take it apart

[Sveedy]

You're not going to have to take anything apart. Set the cams and if you have a locking tool, fine. But not needed at this point.
You can rotate your crank at that point and not hit any valves. Just don't rotate it till you have the cams lined up. Even if you did, and you made contact with a valve, you won't hurt anything even if you're the Arnold type.
The plugs are still out while you're doing all of this.

[Olegs855R]

Ok. Awesome!! Ima go out and do it and finish up the job. Thank you SO much!!!

[Olegs855R]

Your GLH reminds me of my 80s.
I had a 1987 Dodge Shelby GLH turbo with a whopping 174 hp doesn’t sound like much but it was pretty quick back then. I really miss that car it was fun!