Timing issues?

[uber pikey]

I have just replaced my valve stem seals and am struggling to get my head around the next bit, it starts ok but idles like a b1tch. I bought the car last week and knew it needed a few things doing for its MOT including the valve seals, anyway when I fitted the belt it was a bit of a pig to set up, I had to position the crank pulley mark slightly retarded so that after tensioning the belt the marks on the pully and the intermediate pulley would align properly, I turned it over by hand three times to double check the marks were spot on and so they are. It starts a little sluggish and does not idle correctly now so am wondering if it's me or the dizzy set up???

Help would be greatly appreciated.UP

[Khare]

before you make a big mistake like i did with timing, take it to a garage and let them do it. Its worth the money.

[Mew]

What car are we talking about? 

It does sound like the dizzy needs a little tweek though.

before you make a big mistake like i did with timing, take it to a garage and let them do it. Its worth the money.

Not worth it if you can do it yourself! 

[DarnPB]

You may have got the timing marks on the dizzy shaft correct, but the last person to do this job may not have, and the lazy sod instead of re-adjusting the belts and pulleys as he should have done, may have just adjusted the position of the dizzy to get the timing right. So your timing could be out by a notch or two. Get the timing checked and go from there.

[JimR]

Also check all your vacuum hoses, i replaced my head gasket a little while ago, when i started it back up it ran rough, checked timing was good and various other things and it turned out to be a split vacuum hose, £1 later it ran sweet as a nut.

[uber pikey]

Right, I managed to strip the cam covers back off again after a good nights sleep and the timing was spot on, I undid the dizzy and advanced slightly but nothing, then retarded the dizzy and bingo. It runs just right however I will get my strobe on it tomorrow. Thanks for some good advice and some "run away" stuff, I just needed a step back and think moment.
My guess is that the timing was a little out from previously.

[uber pikey]

Sorry it was a 1.8 gti