Hi.I'm hoping someone can help me out.my daughter has a 1.2 16v stilo & her friend decided he was going to change the timing belt & water pump for her.all Sounds good,but he started to do it Sunday afternoon & its still on axel stands in her driveway & he is on the missing list.anyway I went around today to have a look & he has the old belt off & the new water pump installed & it looks fine.Only problem is I can't find any timing marks on the crank pulley.he has the cam pulley marked with tipex but nothing on the crank.does any of you kind folk out there have a diagram or picture of timing marks I could go by ? I'm not a qualified mechanic but not a novice around cars & have changed a fair few cam belts over the years but without the marks I'd rather someone's advice with more experience than me.thanks in advance.?

There are no timing marks. You need special tools to line up the pistons and lock the camshaft. There's a guide here: https://www.fiatforum.com/stilo-guides/280264-1-2-timing-belt-change.html
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The tools for the 1.2 are pretty cheap now (~£20 on ebay), no excuse not to use them and if the belts already off, you'll have no chance without!

Thanks guys.much appreciated

Right so I've just been in touch with the guy who started the belt/water pump change (finally answered his phone) & he reckons he lined both crank & cam up & marked the cam but he said he took off the whole crank pulley instead of the outer pulley but reckons it didn't move when he did.what would you think guys ? What would be the chances of it still being lined up correctly ?

I think it is game over unless you get the tools. The guy who started this is unreliable to begin with.

Yea that's my gut feeling ok.Have to search around & get the tools so.thanks for the advice

Another thought on this.

When you use the tools you will be required to rotate the crankshaft and camshaft into the locking position. However, your engine cannot allow the crankshaft to be rotated independently of the correct rotating position of the camshafts or things will be bent or destroyed - it is an interference engine.

Either you will need to remove the head or get very creative about ensuring the valves are closed on any piston moving upwards towards its TDC, or trust that when the cambelt is fitted now the engine can be rotated into the timing check position.

However, in theory with the plugs removed and the engine in neutral you should be able to rotate the crankshaft and camshaft combination with the timing belt on and recognise that an open valve is obstructing the piston before that valve gets damaged. In theory anyway.

having found my brain you should be able to see the valve positions by removing the camshaft cover.

Andrewedwardjudd said:

having found my brain you should be able to see the valve positions by removing the camshaft cover.

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You don't have to do that!

Easiest way with the old belt already removed would be to remove the spark plugs and look down the holes to see roughly where the pistons are currently. Then rotate the crank slowly either clockwise or anticlockwise depending on where they currently are in their stroke, until they are all lined up with each other (use the piston height gauge in the kit once they are roughly in place). The aim is to not let any of the pistons reach TDC in case any of the valves are open.