phs

ok guys thanks to all for your help :) figured it out i may very well be a dumbass so i did the screwdriver trick like you suggested Taz_Rx, i also used a torch to shine down cyl 1 to confirm that piston was at TDC so i went to mark a new TDC point when i realised there was already a small rusted notch there!... on the side CLOSEST to the timing marks ie when i was using the timing light, i was looking 45degrees towards the pulley as to avoid tangling my cords in the fan, and i was looking at the front face of the pulley, of course i saw the two large notches and assumed they were the ones i needed to align to traps for young players then i simply moved the distributor around and got it from 2deg to -20... oops, engine splutters, then back to 8deg runs much better now thanks!

hi guys, i have an 83 KE70 that is running like a dogs breakfast, very hard to start, top speed 80km/hr so i plug in the inductive timing light on #1 cylinder, facing correct way to spark plug, shine it on the pulley i see two notches some good 75-90degrees from where it should be both notches are on the front of the wheel (shown as red arrows in mspaint drawing top corner) how do i tune this? do i use the notch on the left and attempt to correct it to 8deg? or do i use the notch on the right? has anyone come across this before? is this so completely out in timing? any help is appreciated thanks -paul