1.6 Tdci - Cambelt puzzle - dv6c TZGB

Hi folks, 

Long time lurker on here, some very useful info found over the last few years. So firstly, thanks to all who've shared info and advice.

This is the first time I've needed to post as I've previously found the answers needed relating to my Transit connect elsewhere on the forum.

So I decided after much delay to get on with my timing belt and water pump over the weekend. After the fun affair of removing air box, battery, battery box , battery tray and that awkward starter motor I locked the flywheel and removed the crankshaft pulley and popped the crank bolt back in and tightened up to 20nm. Removed engine mount and upper and lower timing belt covers. All well so far. 

Now I probably should have checked the timing with the pins before I removed the crankshaft pulley but I didn't and this is where the head scratching begins.

When I turned the engine over by hand I popped the timing pin into the crankshaft and checked that It could be located fully and removed easily, however with this done I could not put the timing pin into the camshaft timing holes. the hole in the cam gear and in the block are around 1-2mm apart. That is to say the cam gear needs to advance roughly 1-2mm further for the pin to locate properly I.e easy insertion and removal. I'm using the correct timing pins(I actually have two sets from different manufacturers), so its not the timing pins that are the issue. I repeated turned the engine over and repeated many, many times with the same result. 

Getting a bit baffled I left the pin in the crank and fuel pump and used a 6mm drill bit instead of the 8mm pin to keep the cam in place so I could remove the belt, idler and tensioner and replace the water pump. Fitted the new belt adjusted the tensioner and all was fine using the 6mm drill bit in the cam. Turned over and checked repeatedly, fine with the 6mm bit but the 8mm pin would not locate, still just a small fraction out between the hole in the cam gear and the hole in the block.

I wasn't convinced that this was good enough so I removed the belt again and advanced the cam those couple of mm so I could use the correct timing pin and be sure the timing was correct. Redid the belt and tensioner lower the cam pin was stuck. A degree or two of rotation on the crank released the cam pin.  Repeatedly turned the engine over with the same result. Just a tiny fraction out, certainly seems to be far less than a tooth to me when a 6mm drill bit will still fit through the cam into the hole in the block with the crank pin located perfectly.

I'm at a loss at this point. The tensioner has been set correctly each time, all part numbers match, kit supplied by ford, timing pins correct but still this small misalignment.

Any ideas why this may be or experienced similar? Should I be concerned? Or am I worrying too much? - I'm a bit of a perfectionist and timing related it bothers me 😂 

Attached a photo that shows the angle at which the cam pin will semi locate currently.

Thanks, Dom