I couldn't tell much from the pic (I had the same prob with my hi tech Samsung mini camera till I engaged the flash function but at least it ain't ever caught on fire (yet), the picture looked OK on the camera screen for the split second it shows when snapped but then when later transferred to the computer it is dark. You are saying with the crank gear on by itself (no chain) that it is tilted, with it seated all the way in on the crank snout? EDIT I reread & you're talking about the cam potentially tilted and yes I can see the shiny left half. I dont have much to add but I would continue with a small straightedge to try & see see what surface is tilted. I would suspect the cam and or gears before the cam bore alignment. If the rest of the valvetrain is out/loose I would rotate the cam to 90 intervals & see if that tilts a straight edge on the front face of the cam itself. Keep us updated