timming marks not lined up

[blmlozz]

I've kind of had a revelation while on vacation, I never noticed it before but the timing marks on the crank sproket and the cam sproket acutaly have never lined up on my car, never really paied it much mind since the car still managed to pull off 170/200 numbers while like this, my question is though, Im fairly sure if I just adjust the cam sproket to meet the mark with the crank sproket like it is that the valves will impact the piston, so I'm assuming that I should turn the cam sproket 180 degrees until it meets the mark. the only issue is knowing when the valves are hitting the piston while I'm trying to physically turn these things. Has anyone had experience doing this? Are the valves strong enough to not be able to damage them while trying to hand turn the cams and will I just not be able to turn it anymore when they're hitting the piston? I'm trying to get a good answer because as anyone who's messed with the cams knows, after a certian point the cam's kind of 'snap' fairly forceably into place when they're lifting off the lifters and such.

[AudiA4_20T]

dude, leave everything in place... if it works, it works

[blmlozz]

dude, leave everything in place... if it works, it works

yeah.. I've been thinking some more, you're right.. if it ain't broke don't fix it I suppose!

[t1demont1]

if you spin it a couple time with the timing belt on, it will line up eventually. Think about it... the crank sprocket is half the size as the cam sprocket. the crank moves 2x faster than the crank