ok i warmed up the engine, hooked up nistune to check the consult timing, hold rev above idle say 1500rpm where the timing chart and consult says 40deg, check pulley with strobe and its round bout 27-30deg.
so thats verified then,
the dizzy is certainly 13-14deg retarded.
when tps is detected closed, it idles at 750rpm, timing is running unusually at 2deg (consult says 15deg yet the timing map at the idle region is 20deg?)
when the IAV is briefly open for fast idle (after blipping or when in-gear above 5mph) or when idle is set too fast like 850rpm the timing is at -8deg btdc (consult says 5deg)
changed the engine oil & filter.
also checking the gearbox oil level to see if i lost much from the leak. took the pinion out, stuck a screwdriver down the hole to measure but couldn't see the level from the clear oil, so decided to grab the oil stick, took a reading and hmm the level is where the max point of the dipstick is, look in haynes which says the level should be 28-38mm, measured the stick and max level is 38mm! 
oh wow u can actually use the oil dipstick to measure the gearbox oil level too, fascinating that shoulda been written in haynes
