I just bought a 2003 S2000 and am doing some first time maintenance. When lining up the timing marks for TDC, the #1 cam lobes point in, not out at 11 and 2. All other marks are correct with cam marks facing each other at 9 and 3. and center gear marks are at opposite ends of the gear are right above the top of the head and the crank pulley is on the white mark. I can figure out how to do the valve adjustment doing the cylinders with cam lobes that are a 11 and 2 with free play that allows the feeler gauge to be inserted. What I can't figure out is how can the engine run as well as it does. Wouldn't the ECU know that things are off ? How would it get this way? Last owner is a friend who's had the car for 10 years and said he just lived with it because the car ran so well.
Thanks

 

Is your cam gears switched up between intake and exhaust?
There is a groove on the face of the exhaust cam gear and the intake one is smooth, that is the easiest way to tell the difference.

 

As long as you can wiggle the adjustment nut then it should be fine to adjust the valve.