94 w/funny timing marks

I have a 94 metro that I got for $150. It looks like original 110,000 miles because everything is there and in good shape. The guy I bought it from had it for a year and was having a shade tree mechanic work on it during the year that he had it. I seems that the shade tree mechanic thought it was a fuel pump. Replaced it...didn't start. Then he thought it was the timing belt...replace that and didn't start. So the owner thought that the guy didn't put it back together right and the timing was off. The old belt was in the back and nothing was wrong with it by the way! I tore into it and found that there were two notches that I assumed were timing marks on the cam gear and I have no idea what to do with that. When the cam is off the lobe as it should be when you set the timing..none of the notches line up with the top of the valve cover notch and I don't see any other notch or mark anywhere. I looked in Haynes and the cam gear they show in that one looks nothing like the one in this car. I am fairly certain that it is a original motor 1L I3. Can anyone tell me where to line up this type of cam gear? I am at my wits end. Even if it is not the timing...i want to know that it is set right so I can start to diagnose any other problems if it doesn't fire up after setting it. Hope that someone can help!!!!!

A Haynes or Chilton's manual will tell you exactly how to time the 1.0L. I haven't done a 1.0 in a looong time, heh. I don't remember the timing mark on the crank.

I do appreciate the reply but I am looking for any information on the Camshaft gear timing marks on a 1L that has 2 marks on the gear. Where do I put the two marks? Anyone have a clue about these weird timing marks. Repair manuals are no help! Thanks!

On the cam gear, there should be a small dot on one of the gear's 5 spokes. That little dot should line up with the little "V" cut in the valve cover. Make sure Cyl#1 is set to Top Dead Center before putting the timing belt on. Also, make sure the spark plug wires are on right. Look at the rotor when you have the cam gear all timed up. That's going to be in the firing postition for cylinder 1. When you put the distributor cap on, that's where plug wire 1 will go. Also note the direction of rotation, to line up the plug wires for the other 2 cylinders. The 3 banger fires across the board 1-2-3.

If per chance that you can't figger the cam gear marks out..there are a couple options.Find/replace the cam gear.There were a few Noth American engines IDENTICAL EXCEPT! 1 the used odd gears.2 marks..amd you sortta had to know to line the marks up between the marks.THEN there the "different" gears ..with marks in SLIGHTLY different places.You have to have the right gears.If the above fails..you need to get the "valve timing specs".You will need some sort if VERY accurate way of determing tdc AND probablly a "degree wheel" on the crank to determine the EXACT opening spot where the valve STARTS to open.(cam/follower positon on valve stem)..

I have the same problem, I am sure that the marks are correct (piston #1 at tdc, cammshaft is on the rigth position ), the rotor aims at the cylinder number 1, but so that it starts I must move the distributor as 90 degrees and works, but in that position I cannot assure the distributor.
distributor problem?????? , computer problem? , coil problem? , some wire jump to put the distributor on time? help me please. :banghead:

the crankshaft must be positioned to top dead center when you install the cam, cam gear, rotor, and timing belt. if its not the bottom half of the engine will be off time from the top. when the timing belt is installed, the rotor will be positioned to fire on #1. install the spark plug wire from that to the #1. th fiing order is 1-3-2, so mentally rotate the rotor to the next distributor point, and run that to the #3 and the last to the #2

Thank you for the information, but I am sure that the camshaft, crankshaft and distributor are at time , i think that the electronic spark distributor control is out of time, and I am not sure how set this becouse when i take out the distributor bolts and rotate the distributor (clockwise) the engine start .... if the distributor must be to 12 o'clock to start ..i must rotate it until the 3 o'clock and then start . :banghead:

Sure you're spark plug wires aren't just off by a peg?

sounds to me like the cam is not in time with the crank by one ore two teeth. i am a professional mechanic for the army and it still took me three tries to get the belt on and the cam in time and i thought i had it in time the first and second time. the marks on the crankshaft are easily mis-aligned, and the camshaft mark is not exactly on the valve cover mark when you instal the belt due to the belt tensioner/slack adjuster. ive changed 3 timing belts on metros, a 93 a 96 and a 99. the first two times i did it i didnt get it right. it cn be difficult. the timing marks on the cam gear line up as follows: turn the cam so that the #1 piston valves are both closed, but at the top of the compression stroke, just as the crank is. now line the mark up with the check in the side of the valve cover.

Well guess what everyone? It was a combination of burnt and I mean really burnt exhaust valves and distributor problem. The distributor keyway that you put into the end of the cam was 180 degrees out. I guess that shade tree mechanic before me tried everything he could before giving up and left it even worse. If it weren't for my genius father-in-law, I would still be out there trying to figure it out. Anyway we put new rings and valves in it and now it runs great. Thanks to everyone for contributing to my question.