You are right, the d24 greenbook does mention those values. It is a little misleading there because they also mention other values just a few pages apart. I have the same greenbook that you have and other versions/years as well, also the d24t editions for several years.
Even if you can see 0.65-0.73, you can (and should) totally ignore this part of the manual!... and time your engine to 0.80-0.90 as others here also suggested.
About how to find TDC on cyl 1.
It is super easy. You still haven`t uploaded a picture so we don`t know how `broken` your bellhousing may be. Maybe you only think it is but there`s nothing wrong with it. Take a picture, I want to see what you are dealing with.
BTW, there`s a hole or little window in the bellhousing and via that hole you should be able to spot markings as you turn the crankshaft. If the surfaces are rusted, use a little soft sandpaper rolled up on a wooden pencil and ask someone to push it against the rotating surface to get it cleaned up while you are turning the crankshaft 27mm bolt, by hand.
step 1
Find the marks made by factory.
step 2
identify Top Dead Center for cylinder #1
step 3
reopen greenbook and follow the steps of their procedure OR READ THE FORUM STICKY as Ngoma suggested and detailed.
You`ll need:
dial that screws into the pump at the front middle after you removed the small bolt and its washer. Keep that washer dont lose it and never overtighten that bolt when you finish.
Once you have the dial gauge set up after loosening or removing the fuel hard lines also (to save them from bending), then all you have to do is turning the engine and experimenting on what you see on the gauge and follow the greenbook.
If I keep writing the same stuff over and over again, members of this forum will get annoyed and sign off lmao so please do read that manual very carefully now. Setting the timing literally takes minutes and must be done correctly for these engines to run well AND to run at all.
There`s nothing you can screw up, if you cant seem to set it right, you`ll set it again and learn how to do it. And you have a whole entire spare d24 car to do all of this, which is a very lucky situation for you.
Take your time and read everything we sent you and read again the greenbook manual. Once your tools are purchased or fabricated, this is a very easy task and you`ll always be able to do it at any time even on the side of the road with a flashlight and large mosquitos biting your face.
Take pictures of the tools you are going to use, we need to see that, and the bellhousing that you think is damaged.
About the TDC confirmed thru the glowplug hole, my answer is NO.
You get the valve cover off and put your eyes where cylinder 1 is at the very front of the car/engine. The first two cam lobes, exhaust and intake, will be pointing equally `up` if you turn the crank to TDC cyl 1.
If you need to see pictures on how this is done, go to valve adjustment section of the book.
They have good illustrations of how the two lobes are positioned when the engine is in TDC for that cylinder.
With this engine, there`s no shortcuts and you want to make sure that you set it right every time you open this engine up. German engineering with precise specifications and tight tolerances. That is exactly why they created their own tools for those who needed to work on these engines. A 170 year old Bosch mechanic setting timing for 3 days is not acceptable and shouldn`t be the case on a car that is now getting too rare to have to deal with that (they tried without the needed tools). Almost extinct and 40years old, your d24 should remain a survivor and run relatively well for some more years to come.
It`s very nice that you have those people around though because they can help you find specific parts and know their way around sources, plus they have huge stories to crack you up.
Proper tools are a must. The best is, if you plan on keeping the car for a long time, to hunt down factory tools at dealerships, ebay, abroad, etc. They do have a reason to exist and no mechanic can safely go around using them, highly suggested to do things right for the health of your car.
You`ll be able to set just about everything right if you treat the greenbook as your d24 bible.
That way you don`t need anyone to tinker around and mess things up.
Just please read the book over and over again and try to pay close attention to how and why things are done. It is just a 40yo old diesel engine without computers. Mostly everything is mechanical, you`ll be fine fixing your own engine with basic tools but you will always need to know what you are doing.
Within a few days I bet your car will be running better than ever and timing set by you. You`ll drive to the elderly buddies and show them how you set a Bosch pump up in 2020.
) not by ear, at all, and, even with using earplugs.
Dont give up and read about the stuff. Have you found vw timing tools at least and the dial gauge kit?