Klaus has it right. original owner cut the timing cover index mark plastic bit off, and put some white-out on the 12 o'clock positions on the cam gears and cover. That's the only constant I have to work with - aside from the "V" vs. "A" configuration of the bolts.

I made a couple rookie mistakes when I took it apart - for one, I couldn't figure out how to release the belt tensioner, so I removed the cam gears to get the belt off.

For another, I lost the precise alignment of the cam gears to the camshafts when I did the above. I'm pretty close and can see the old bolt marks, but clearly something's not right.

To your earlier question, the distal ends of the camshafts have off-set notches. That is, the notch is on the upper half of the "circle" on one, and the lower half of the circle on the other. You could not put a straight piece of steel across the slots. That tool you pointed to just keeps them locked, each offset by approximately 1/8" from the same approximate horizontal line.

I drove the car today, Puter-puter. Think one of the cylinders has open exhaust valves when the spark fires - that would be consistent with the sound.

Maddeningly, I still get no CEL - you'd think I'd have one by now?