Replacing time chain SOHC

[s13boost]

So it's a ka24e. Bought the car from a guy who couldn't get the car to start. I figured out the guy had the spark plug wires on a**-backwards, so i fixed that. So then it would only run if i was giving it throttle, no idle. The guy put a new head, new valvetrain components, new timing chaing etc.Reading the write-ups, it seems the car is at top dead center. Distributor rotor at 4 o clock, crank pulley timing marks at the 2nd from right, and with the valve cover off the dimple on the cam sprocket is at about 3 o clock.Looking at the timing chain, i see the link that is lighter in color like the write-ups say. But he also has a link with a sharpie mark on it, however neither one of these links is at tdc.My question is, being that everything is at tdc, does it matter if the marked links aren't where the write-ups say they should be? and if i decide to take everything off and replace the timing chain to where it SHOULD be, is it necessary to drain the oil? not a big deal, just wondering cuz some write-ups don't say anything about it. any help would be appreciated.

[s13boost]

I mean theoretically it shouldn't matter what link of the chain is at TDC, because it's still the same number of links between tdc on the cam and tdc on the crank. The only way it should make a difference is if either the cam or the crank was not at tdc.

[s13boost]

bueller? bueller?

[Cone Junky]

The colored links are only used for initial setup. Once the engine turns over/runs, those links won't match up anym ore. But if the distributor, cam, and crank are lined up I doubt it's a timing issue.

Double and triple check those marks though. If the oil pump was put in incorrectly, the distributor could be off 1 tooth. You should mount the dist cap up and verify the rotor is truly on #1.

[s13boost]

First, thanks for the input.Second, i would bet a million bucks it's a timing issue. The way the motor was moving when it was running(and it only ran when i gave it throttle) was like it was trying to jump out of the bay. It was definitely not firing correctly. Also, i pulled the plugs(obviously) and the idiot had Effing Bosch Platinum Fusions in it. The #1 plug looked like he was cooking it in charcoal. But that still doesn't explain why it was misfiring so badly.

[s13boost]

Ok so that last sentence sounded stupid after i re-read it. Anyway, i pulled the number one plug, like i said before the guy who sold me the car had bosch platinum ir fusions in it, and i've looked all over the interwebs and the number isn't even for that motor. I compared it to my buddy's ngk's out of his KA24de:



Keep in mind the NGK's were out of my buddy's coupe and were driven on for several years and quite abused. The stupid fusion on the left was never driven on. The only time they were under operation was when i was giving it throttle to keep it running in my garage, and that was for maybe 20 seconds at a time.

[s13boost]

Is it possible for the crank pulley to be on incorrectly? As in, the crank sprocket is on correctly(i think it can only go on one way) but the pulley is off?

[moso]

count the links between the marks on your timing chain there should be 19, i got one once with either 18 or 20, either way my valves were running into my piston heads. thanks ebay timing components.