i have a 1994 honda civic dx and i had to replace the head. i purchased one from american cylinder heads with the cam and when i put the cam shaft pulley on it is set to the "up" position and now my rotor button points to the number 3 plug. why is this? it should be pointing to the number 1 plug by the way the head is not on the block yet. it is a 16 valve head single cam my old casting numbers on my old head were pm9-2 and on the new head they are pm9-3

 

bump

 

would that be because it is on the exhaust stroke not the intake stroke...

 

but it lines up only one way right?

 

Sounds like you have the distributor installed 90 degrees out. Try removing it from the head, lining the rotor up with #1, and then reinstalling it while keeping the cam drive gear in the "stright-up" position...

 

well i finished installing the head and got to the portion where you put the valve cover on and bingo!The two holes in the front of the valve cover where a stud would be to put a nut and the ground wire are cam cap bolts so i guess the part store screwed up and sent me the wrong head.(nowhere to bolt the valve cover to and the timing off should have gave me a hint. but the obvious wasn't so. where i am going with this is that i guess a pm9-3 head and a pm9-2 head are not interchangeable) if anyone knows diffrent please let me know because i really don't want to take this head off if i don't have to. i have till monday before i can order another so please let me know.also i am new with honda's my wife drives a 89 crx si and i just bought this 94 civic and i am not having too much fun with this.to the reply of the guy who said turn the distributor 180 degrees i tried that already with no results distributor will only go one way.