Ok, so after at first just putting the pin in the cam gears when it felt like it was in and not checking TDC I tried putting it all together and starting it. Still no start, except this time instead of just cranking, it make extra noises like it was trying really hard to start and missed/backfired through the intake. So I read that I must make sure the pin went in the right way as it can be misplaced but there is only one true way it can go in for ignition.

Now, my dad helped me the second time around to find top dead center and we turned the crank by hand using the rocker arms as reference until the exhaust and intake valves on the no.1 cylinder were compressed. I had just the pin by itself in the cam gear where I thought it should have been, letting it turn until TDC was reached, and when we stopped its at 2 or 3 o'clock. Now did we do something wrong to find TDC, or if not, were should it be inserted so the teeth are in the right groove, because I have read people saying 6 o'clock and 9 o'clock, which is it?

Oh and can I start it without the waterpump installed for a few seconds to see iof I got it right this time?

 

1994? Goes like this: http://shbox.com/1/93-94_opti.jpg

 

yes you can fire it up without the pump on it

 

only the cam gear is too deep inside and I can't see the key slot on that side. I seem to have gotten it wrong the first time.

 

Align the cam gear like in the lower right pic of my link. Then you should be able to see the slot. That is #6 TDC. Align the opti side and slide it straight on.