2003 Jetta Timing Belt change/ Fuel Timing Question

UPDATE:
Ok.. received the adapter from Ross-Tech and attempted to check my fuel timing. Unfortunately it states its too retarded to plot. Is that an indication of timing belt stretch?

Timing belt kit is due to arrive early this coming week. So should be able to resolve this soon.

Ratt said:

UPDATE:
Ok.. received the adapter from Ross-Tech and attempted to check my fuel timing. Unfortunately it states its too retarded to plot. Is that an indication of timing belt stretch?

Timing belt kit is due to arrive early this coming week. So should be able to resolve this soon.

Click to expand...

More likely due to prior TB job never done correctly and/or was left out of spec. I don't think it would drift that far out from some "stretch".
Try adjusting it at the IP sprocket and see if you can bring it back to the middle or above.

I was able to advance the fuel timing. My initial adjustment landed the timing very close to maximum advance and still be in spec. I went ahead and dialed it back some. Now it's just over the middle line on on the advanced side. I didn't realize starting was an issue for this car but now it is MUCH smoother running and better starting.

Advance it a bit more (like you had it) and it will probably be even better.

What would be the downside of running at Max advance on the timing? I'll adjust it next chance I get but so far it's like a different car. It was vibrating a lot now it seems to have more power and is definitely smoother at idle, running up to speed and cruising speed.

I used to run my 2001 with Max advance on the graph at the IP and then adapt in some more thru VCDS adaptation setting. It ran very well, but when it was cold out and at the time I pulled the trailer with snowmobile on it, I was seeing some rather high advance numbers. At the last TB change the timing landed just above the mid line, so I left it there with moderate adaptation advance. Consistent 800 mile tanks, low to mid 52-54 mpg.

Hello all. Just a quick update here. I finally was able to change the timing belt on my 03 Jetta TDI. I was in no major hurry to it was in the garage for over a week. All went fairly well. I did remove the motor mount completely so and had the timing belt, metal covers and serpentine on before I realized it was not going to go back together that way. I was finally able to gert it back on without removing everything by jacking up the motor and removing the black plastic intak tube that runs behind the motor to the turbo. With that off I was able to get the mount to go back in with some effort.
I also noticed when locking everything into TDC that the crank was on and the IP was on but the cam was out quite a bit. It was not enough to be a tooth off but I'd say about a half a tooth in rotation. After putting everything back together (I did not use normal tools, instread I made a tensioner wrench, usesd a 15/64 drill bit and put together some flat stock parts with and a magnet to hold the cam in place) it fired right up. The IP timing was retarded out of spec but visible on the graph so I adjusted it to mostly advanced.
It runs fairly smooth now however I have noticed the engine is MUCH louder. I'm talking about the engine sound not the exhaust sound.
Any thoughts on what I may have done wrong? Before I did the belt the IP was retarded off the scale so I advanced it and that did seem to quiet it down a little and reduce the smoke. Now it seems to be louder and I think it smokes a little more than it did before.

Timing mostly advanced vs retarded will make the engine "noisier". Perhaps adjust it back more to the mid line and see if it quiets down some and/or if that's the reason for the louder engine noises. It's easy to put it back to advanced.

Thank you for the feeback jettawreck. I'm about to go on a 1600 mile round trip. Would like to get the best economy, however half of the trip will be up and down mountains so I dont want to sacrifice too muchy power. Are there any suggested settings to help with this?
I have applied the EGR suggestion
I currently have the timing mostly advanced. Does this support economy or power? Or both?

What about IQ?
Any other suggestions would be appreciated. So far, prior to timing belt change, I'd only seen about 45MPG tops. This last tank, which half was after TB change, I saw only 41MPG. Most of my driving lately has been 20 mile or short trips so I realize that plays a large part in it.

More advanced (though still within spec) tends to provide for both performance and economy, though, as we know, you can't do BOTH at the same time! But, it tends to also depend on your driving conditions, I believe that open road driving likes advance more so than does city driving.

I believe that emissions takes a hit with more advanced timing (and that might be part of the reason why dealers/shops tend to go for less advance- and because it makes for a quieter engine that likely also seems better to most customers).