Cam is actually off, just enough that the timing plate sits about an 1/8 of an inch off the head on the lower side. Will physically need to break the bolt and turn the cam to flatten out the timing plate.

Good call on “smacking” it with a hammer, may just give me the shock I need to get it to break loose and from there - yep, I definitely think that I have found my issue.

I’m now starting to ask myself if it was like that when I checked it and I simply missed it the first go round because I can talk you I cranked myself in to some pretty twisted positions to make double sure this time!