PLEASE HELP!!!!! 1300 GF Timing Marks

Good afternoon Dub Heads,Please help!!!!

So I've recently adopted a 1980 Golf MK1 with a 1300 GF lump.

I bought the car as a shell and built it up with all existing parts.

I have been using the car for about 2 months now but notice it gets quite hot when driving, especially when the engine is laboring it raises to approx. 3/4 to max, when I notice it heating up I pull over and let it cool down, I don't switch off or anything, I just let it idle and the temp comes down and then carry on.

I have gone through the cooling system as this was my first suspicion. So far I have replaced the radiator with a new BEHR one, I have replaced the water pump as well as thermostat but no change.

I suspect that the timing could be causing this as the engine didn't come with timing covers. The only indication I have is the TDC plate which sits above the crankcase pulley so TDC isn't a problem, however I am not sure of the cam timing.

Can anyone please advise how I can set the cam to the correct timing without the covers.

I once read that on the Golf mk2 HK engine which looks similar to the GF engine, you can line the cam pulley mark with the welsh plug that sits on the side of the block, approx. 6 o' clock. Not sure if this would apply to the GF engine as-well?


Thank you.

 

As someone that has suffered pretty much all the overheating / cooling problems the Mk1 offered, I am a bit confused.

From experience sitting with the car idling is only going to make the temperature rise further, it doesnt make sense that the temp goes up when driving

The act of driving itself should make temperatures optimal with the air flow into the radiator, oil cooler and engine bay

does it actually over heat, i.e. boil up and loose water or is it just gauge anxiety??