I'm replacing the water pump and timing belt. I have not removed the timing belt but that's the next step. I have located the timing marks on the Intake and exhaust cams and on the crankshaft. When I line up the timing marks on the two camshafts with the notches in the top of the timing cover, it looks like the timing marks on the crankshaft are off by one notch.

I put some white fingernail polish near the timing marks on the cams. Here are photos of the cams lined up with the notches on the top of the timing housing.

The photo below is of the camshaft timing marks. I painted the timing mark on the crankshaft pulley with white fingernail polish. The timing mark on the engine is the protruding portion of the casting at the right edge of the photo.

It looks to me like I'm off one notch. Am I off? Do I have a problem? If so, how do I fix it?

Here's my theory: it is unlikely that the timing belt jumped one notch. The car was running fine before the water pump started leaking. The timing marks are critical, but not precise. If I put it back together lined up the way it is now, it should run like it did before.

I just don't know whether my theory holds water any better than the water pump did!

 

Photo of timing mark on cam

 

Second cam photo

 

here's the same photo showing the timing marks and their alignment. Thanks for any advice.