Grizzly 660 check timing

[Tahj 8]

I bought a "project" Grizzly 660, I think it has been a few people's project. The PO had it for a while and did not have time to work on it. He said the battery was good, but I don't know how he knew because the display was blank, no lights and won't crank or run. 
I found a nest under the front cover, by the CVT inlet, a chewed thru wire and a few more without insulation. Rewired those from the connector (black 3 wire to the display) and replaced the fuse as suggested by a search from this site. That got the display working and power to other circuits. 
I replaced the aftermarket start switch with a used OEM switch from eBay. Then it would crank a little, and started once for a few seconds. 
I'm a small engine mechanic - mowers, snow blowers, etc. In my small engine work I have had a number of rider mowers that would crank about a half turn and then stop. The owners have suspected a bad battery and changed it with no improvement. Setting the valves to spec usually fixed this.

I set the valves on the Grizzly without solving the crank problem. I wonder if the timing chain could be off - slipped a tooth. 

I don't know any way to check for this without pulling the head and looking at the timing marks on the cam gear. 

Is there another way to check for proper timing?

 

[Frank Angerano 834]

Hey Tahj you can take a look atv the timing mark on the fly wheel and pull the plug to see where the piston is in relation to the TDC mark but other then that I think your stuck pulling cam sprocket cover in order to see and make sure everything lines up.  You don’t want to spin the engine and have the valves and piston hitting each other so be careful with the cranking too much. 

[Tahj 8]

Thanks Frank

Some engines have cam cover plates, but I think I have to pull the valve cover on this beast. Do you know if that would get into the water jacket? I['d like to avoid that.

[Frank Angerano 834]

No it should not be a problem or interfere with the cooling system. It should just expose the valves.