Timing pulley marks...
 

Does anyone know whether the stock timing pulleys have actual indentations where the marks should be?

I have 6 different markings on my pulley (no joke), a white one a yellow one (that doesn't have an sort of indentation and no signs of a red one anywhere near by, or another indentation), two sets of worn down spots that look like they might be where they used to be, and a white mark, but I think that's something someone put on to make lining the pulleys up to install them easier.

...none of the marks have identations... it seemed to run best when L-2 was set to one of the corresponding un-colored mark sets for the leading mark, although I don't know which one.

Strange thing is that I had just set it to T1 on the yellow mark (after restabbing the CAS on that yellow mark)...

Will there even be a visible mark when the original paint fades away?

My pulley has a v-shaped notch cut into the flange for each of the two marks (it's an 87 TII). The notches are on the back side of the pulley, such that they are directly under the indexing pointer when they are aligned.

Ah, so it's on the back... does it look like it was sort of knifed on there, or was it clearly original?

I know it's original--I've had the car since new.

Edit to my first post: by "on the back" I meant that the marks are on the edge of the pulley flange nearest the motor.

wait, how do rx-7s have timing belts if they lack valves?

They don't have timing belts--they have timing marks on the pulley. For ignition.

I felt around on the motor side of the pulley but I couldn't feel any notches.

Where are they exactly?...

nevermind... it seems that the most like candidate, the actual yellow mark, is the one that has a notch. I thought you mean literally the back side of the pulley, not the outside rim. I can also faintly make out the red mark, although it's faded...

I guess now I need to figure out why it wasn't alligning when I tried to set it... L-1 and L-2 are supposed to be on the same timing.

You should be able to see both marks in the picture, and if you look really closely, you may be able to see the notches.

Good luck!

Yeah, I knew my description wasn't clear, and tried to clarify it a bit in my second reply. The picture clarifies it quite well, but that was too late to help.

Dang. Another chance to be a hero, blown again.