Need help finding TDC during valve adjustment

[pookie]

I am in the middle of doing a valve adjustment (my second one ever) on my car, the motor is a 81 3.0. Here is the problem, When the cranshaft pulley is at the Z1 mark, the rotor for the distibutor is about 1/4 of an inch away from the TDC notch. If I turn the motor to make the rotor point at the notch then the Z1 mark is already past the notch where it is supposed to match up. The only other valve adjustment I have done was on a 2.7. When I did that one I used Wayne's book step by step and everything worked out great. So, now I have a few questions:

1. What do I do to get the rotor and the ZI to match?

2. When is it ok to adjust the valves? Is it necessary for my two notchs to match in order for me to adjust the valves? (According to Waynes book it is)

3. I am a novice at this whole thing so bear with me, if the rotor is pointing at the notch for TDC and the Z1 mark on the pulley has already gone by doesn't that mean that my timing is messed up as well? Which leads to, how do I correct the timing?

Please let me know what to do...
Thanks in advance
Ryan

[Tim L]

The notch on the distributor doesn't need to be aligned exactly just the one on the pulley, and for a valve adjustment that isn't even critical

Tim

[zuffenhausen]

The only thing the distributor is doing for you is telling you whether you're on TDC ignition or TDC overlap. The important thing is to make sure you're at the Z1 mark on the crankshaft pulley. To reassure yourself you're at the right spot, you can check to make sure both the exhaust and intake valves of cylinder 1 are closed. Unless the valves are adjusted really tight, you should be able to wiggle the rocker arm on both valves.

As for ignition timing, the right way to check that is with a timing light.

-zuff

[pookie]

Thank you so much, I was sitting in the garage having a cold one hoping someone would let me know what to do so I could finish this job. Thanks again, back out to the garage I go.
Ryan

[Decolliber]

From one novice to another:
1. If it is like a Carrera, you will see two notches about 5 degrees apart. Use the left one to align with the case seam for TDC.
2. You align the right edge (looking from the center out) of the rotor arm with the notch on the cap, not the middle of the rotor arm.
The problem I always have is compulsively wondering how much resistance is just right when sliding the feeler gauge blade around in the gap, and then tightening the nut so as not to reduce the gap.