XUD Smoke+Shaking it's tits off+hunting revs etc

[306Puggy]

Your valves have probably tightened, rocker cover off get the feeler gauges out and check clearences.. Im in the middle of this problem at the moment

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Just to add my compression was down on 3 cylinders with my valves being too tight, got them shimmed and the car ran a bit better but it still was hunting and white smoke etc, compression still the same though..

I've measured the valve clearances, they are out by quite a margin:

Inlet 1 .004
Exhaust 1 .011
Exhaust2 .011
Inlet 2 .006
Inlet3 .006
Exhaust 3 .011
Inlet 4 .006

I am reluctant to dive in a change the shims because 1. It's on a new cambelt (and I've already changed the belt twice during the course of this problem) and 2. If it doesn't solve the problem I WILL go mad Edit: I've just seen, I've missed the 4th exhaust valve, but this concerns the inlet valves so I don't think it matters.

How did you find changing the shims anyway? Was it quite fiddly?

Even though you say you've checked the timing... I'm still at this time going to say it's timing...

When you lock off everything how do you do it? It's worryingly easy to get these engines a tooth out when putting the belt back on if you're not harsh with pulling the belt TIGHT over the pump and cam pulleys.. The amount of times people have said they've checked the timing and infact it's still a tooth off...

I'm going to guess at it hasn't got much power along with this...

Hello Ruan, thank you for your expertise. I will try to explain in as much detail as possible how I check the timing. I have done this about a dozen times since the start of this problem. I use a 6mm allen key which does allow for some slight play if I move the crank directly, but it doesn't move when I am applying the belt. To lock the pump pulley and crank pulley I use the intercooler bolts, the two with the thread on top for the pump pulley and the allen one for the camshaft pulley.

When I apply the cambelt I follow the Haynes method of pulling it up from the crankshaft over the fuel pump and camshaft with the slack on the tensioner side. I then release the tensioner to let it do it's thing. After rotating the engine a few times I check the timing with the intercooler bolts for the sprockets and the 6mm allen key for the flywheel hole. Each time I've checked the timing the bolts have gone in perfectly straight without cross threading.

I've even checked the woodruff key slot on both Bosches to make sure there is no damage that would allow play in the woodruff key, but of course they are fine. I'm not going to discount that the timing is wrong, but I might not be able to tell or something because the bolts drop right in the holes with no fuss.

I think you are on to something though Ruan because it seems to have no torque low down...also, there's another thing, I don't see much black smoke anymore either. If it is the timing I'm at a loss as to how to proceed because to my eyes it looks fine.