Early mk2 gti EV 8v timing check

So, I am the stage of slowly marking up and dismantling to get the engine out and thought I would have a look at my timing.
I have NEVER faffed with the timing as I thought it needed witchcraft to understand.
Couple of questions in here...
• I set the camshaft sprocket mark level to the top of the cylinder head ( or should it be to the head or the rocker cover?)
• I set the crankshaft by lining up the notch very close to the mark on the plastic cover, and it was TDC via the gearbox inspection hole
• The dizzy was pointing to No.1 lead.
All looks good, but after removing the bottom cambelt cover and accessing the intermediate shaft, this doesnt seem to line up with anything.
Do I just ignore this or is there something else I am missing
Apologies for the bad angle pictures

 

So it lined up until you took the cover off?

 

Well it all lined up happy and I left it like that. Then I took the bottom cover off expecting to see a mark on the intermediate shaft lining up with crankshaft pulley, but no no no.... I see a mark on that pulley and it is about 90° out !!

 

Oh ok.

It's not a huge issue tbh.
While it's considered best practice to use all of the marks, really only the cam vs crank are critical.
The IM shaft can be out, as you can offset that by either removing the dizzy and moving it a spline or 3, or by rotating the dizzy itself.

So that's probably what happened in your case.

You can drop off the cam belt and "fix" it, and then rotate the dizzy to suit the new position.

 

Thanks for your help with this
I may just try that b4 it is all in a thousand pieces. I had read some threads saying the same sort of thing

 

Thanks rubjonny. I had the plug out. What tool do you use to actually use to remove the green part. I have read it is 27mm but unsure and would like not to break it.

 

I've just found something that fits really well. The wheel bolt wrench... only slightly smaller but worked a treat

 

That's a good idea indeed.
Maybe you can fill the "nut" with a cloth or thin rubber thingy so there is even less to none play around the tool.

 

Just tried it with a cloth perfect fit