1. Disconnect the ground cable from the battery (refer to Chapter Engine electrical equipment).
Warning: If the radio in your car is coded, make sure you know the code before disconnecting the battery.
2. Set the handbrake, then jack up the front right side of the car and place it on axle stands. Remove the right wheel.
3. Remove the right wheel arch liners.
4. Remove the spark plugs.
5. Place your finger over the #1 spark plug hole in the cylinder head (closest to the flywheel). Turn the crankshaft clockwise until you feel pressure in cylinder #1. This indicates that the piston is rising in the cylinder.
6. Looking through the opening at the flywheel end of the engine, continue to rotate the crankshaft until the TDC timing mark on the flywheel/drive plate aligns with the TDC mark on the clutch housing.
7. On the E7J engine, remove the distributor cap and make sure the distributor rotor is aligned with the high tension wire segment of the #1 spark plug.
8. If you want to check the timing marks on the camshaft gear, refer to Section Removal, inspection and installation of the toothed drive belt and remove the timing belt cover. When piston #1 is set to TDC, the timing mark on the camshaft pulley should be aligned with the mark on the end of the valve cover.