chris, those cams you chose are pretty mild imo (near stock lift and only 254deg duration fwn) and i was dissapointed with my (similar) pipers too :doh:, you need an inlet cam profile more like the one on the left (of pic)
http://www.micra.org.uk/attachment.php?attachmentid=12753&stc=1&d=1241350033
and i find it a lot easier to check the valve timings with a dipstick down the sparkplug hole, marking it when a .01mm feeler guage starts to bite in the valve clearance (ie, the exact moment when the valve is about to open or close) like in this pic
http://www.micra.org.uk/attachment.php?attachmentid=10334&stc=1&d=1219953901
