help with timing

[turabaka]

Which mark do I need to line up with to be at the correct timing. the 24 with a dash next to it, or the cross?

[turabaka]

Nobody knows? Please? I've searched for the answer already, and didn't come up with anything decisive.

edit: don't know if this helps or not, but I read that there's a red mark, and that's what I'm supposed to line up with. I don't have the red mark.

[forrest89sei]

I wish I knew :crying:

have you tried the manuals?

http://3geez.wiki-tv.com/Honda_service_manuals

[2oodoor]

let me shake the majic eight ball, lets see.... hrmm it says try again later, wait, no no it says idaho potater...
j/k
what kind of timing light do you have? the T cross is top dead center. You should have a couple more marks but if you have an advancing timing light you can use the T and set the light to your desired number BTC. It seems there is a mystery about these F'n marks, I do not have a white mark but I have a T, the red mark is supposed to be your base timing with vacuum advance on. I know it is confusing as hell. You can try pulling all the spark plugs out and turn the motor over by hand while you look at the flywheel for marks.
there are dozens and dozens of timing threads that you should be able to get some clues.

[shepherd79]

if you are trying to line up TDC for your timing belt change than you need to line up T or two markings on camshaft pulley.
if you are trying to set ignition timing with your distributor, you need to uplug vacuum hoses, plug them up, and set it at T (TDC) mark. After that connect vacuum lines back to distibutor and check for 24 deg mark. If the mark is no where near, you need new vacuum diaphram. Yours probably doesn't hold vacuum, 99.9% of times on our cars, vacuum diaphram is the cause of poor idle or misfire due to improper timing.

[turabaka]

thanks for the answer. I was messing with the ingnition timing. I finally figured it out. I timed it to top dead center, and then plugged the vac lines back in. I'm assuming that the timing is okay if it ends up being between the two outside marks next to the 24 after I plug the vac lines back up. If that's the case then I'm fine. I was just messing with the timing because my car starts like crap now, and it started doing this after I adjusted the ignition timing and the idle.