niquattro28q

Hiya, wondered could anyone out there help me with a timing problem on our car?

She was put into a garage recently for a timing and fan belt replacement, she ran like a bag of bolts from the day she was lifted! I decided that I would strip things down to see what the **** was the problem and discovered that the timing belt was WAY off :-S So my next move was to strip the whole lot out and do it myself, which is what I shoulda done to start with, I know! DOH lol

I have done all the usual but have a problem with setting it again. I have the locking tool in the crank, cylinder 1 is at tdc (supposedly) but it could still rise another 20mm or so, also the exhaust valve is open. The 2 holes on the cam sprockets (opposite one another) are dead set equal to each other at the same time.

Can anyone tell me if this is normal or is something else way off? I use Elsawin and other bits of manuals collected along the way to work on the car but I can't seem to find the answer in any of them!

Any help whatsoever would be appreciated!

Many thanks

Steven

4Driver4

...this part:

"I have the locking tool in the crank, cylinder 1 is at tdc (supposedly) but it could still rise another 20mm or so, also the exhaust valve is open. The 2 holes on the cam sprockets (opposite one another) are dead set equal to each other at the same time."

With the crank locked with the tool, the timing mark on the harmonic balancer should line up with the mark on the timing belt cover.

After that is set, lock the cams with the tool, free the sprockets from the cams, tension the belt, then lock the cams down again.

Hillbilly

If the crank locking pin and the cam locking bar are in place *correctly*, then it is in time. Big holes face each other horizontally on the cams, crank locking pin can only go in one way, are you sure it's actually threaded into the crank?

lcdeyes

The proper crankshaft and camshaft positions occur when large holes in camshaft locking plates face toward each other AND crankshaft holder bolt( special tool) can engage with a locating slot in the crankshaft. Also, if the crankshaft pulley is still on, there is a "V" mark on its back flange that aligns with another point on the engine (depends on engine type as to where it should line up).

The piston TDC reference is really only used to help find the slot in the crankshaft that the special bolt tool can be screwed into. On the AFC engine (12 valve V6) the #3 piston will be at TDC, not sure about your engine. It is very easy to think you have found piston TDC and still be a tooth off one way or the other on the crankshaft cog. Using the locating slot on the crankshaft is the only true method, anything else is a gamble. Keep in mind: The special bolt is necessary to find the precise crankshaft position, also to hold it in place very securely should the center bolt holding the timing belt drive sprocket need to be removed and replaced (200 foot pounds torque!) in order to replace the front crankshaft seal.

When both the cam bar is in place (keeping the cams from rotating) and the crankshaft is held in position with the special locking bolt, then cams and crank are in the correct relative positions. Now other work can take place, like changing seals and timing belt, with no worries.

I just thought I'd leave this more lengthy explanation in case someone else needs the detail.

lcdeyes

Corrected my earlier response to use correct nomenclature

lcdeyes

Not sure if this applies in your case, but it is the LARGE holes in the cam sprocket holding plates that need to face each other. Also, the cranshaft locking tool should be able to thread fully into the hole if the slot has been located. I've read where it has been in advertently threaded into a balancing hole instead of the locating slot.

You must be at the right spot, otherwise.

1999Audi

....then lock the cams down again


could you explain this part for me please...how do you lock the cams back?

Thanks!!!