Setting TDC...someone screwed up...
 

Well, I just bought this '85 300zx N/A project car, not running. The seller said he changed the timing belt but not the tensioner, and said that he rushed through the install. On top of that, the CHTS is bad, so I figured I'd replace the tensioner and CHTS while I check the belt for proper alignment. I'd like to mention that when I got the car, the distributor was completely turned in the "retarded" direction, and the timing marks on the pulley have a white mark used for setting ignition timing on the 30* mark (when I know stock is 20*). When trying to align the timing pointer to the pulley 0* mark (for TDC), the rotor does not point to the #1 terminal on the cap. I followed the Haynes manual for setting TDC and made a full 360* clockwise turn of the crankshaft, and the rotor still does not point at the #1 terminal on the cap. It is my understanding that when the #1 cylinder is at TDC, the pointer on the pulley should point at the 0* mark, and the rotor should point to the #1 cylinder. This does not happen. I tried the screwdriver in the #1 spark plug hole trick, but I'm still unsure. I don't know if I should trust the pulley 0* mark or the distributor rotor. I'm thinking the distributor was removed and the #1 cylinder was not set to TDC before re-installation. However, the previous owner did not make mention of ever removing the distributor, just that he rushed through the timing belt install. So then it is quite possible that he didn't put the crankshaft pulley back on right after installing the timing belt. When I attempted to start the car it didn't sound like it was "turning over right" and there was a bunch of "funny smelling" white smoke (not like the rotten egg smell of a bad cat), but the car never started. I pulled the plugs, and every single one of them is jet black with what smells like oil, however they are not wet. Can anyone help me out here? Is there a way to "set everything back to normal" by re-aligning the timing belt/cam gears/crank gear and re-aligning the distributor after making sure the #1 piston is at TDC??? Any help is greatly appreciated. This is driving me crazy!

EDIT: Also forgot to mention that with the way I have it now (pointer at the 0* mark on pulley, #1 piston at the top of "a" stroke verified via a long screwdriver), the timing belt and cam gears are NOT aligned. Thanks again for any help!