Timing Belt Change, Cam Shaft out of Sync! HELP!

Ok, I was changing my Timing Belt and I hadn't tightned the nut on the cam pulley before I blipped the starter on the car to seat the belt.. I believe, when I blipped the starter, the camshaft pulley slipped on the cam shaft and my cam shaft is out of sync with the Injection pump and crank shaft. How do I get the Cam shaft back in sync or better yet, how do I make sure the Injection pump, crank shaft and cam shaft are all in sync?

I've manually rotated the engine and don't feel anything making contact so I think everything is ok, just not in sync.

OK, so I feel like an idiot... Please don't try to beat me up too bad...

THANKS IN ADVANCE!!!!!!!

EtherNut

Can you reset the engine to number 1 TDC? Do a search on "mark and pray" timing belt method.

Hi EtherNut, Go here and do this: http://forums.tdiclub.com/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=UBB42&Number=467004&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=7&fpart=1 Later!

This is really easy to fix. Take off the valve cover, upper timing belt cover, and the rubber plug in the clutch bellhousing. Rotate the engine to TDC #1, and then rotate it to the point where the locking tool can be inserted into the slot in the camshaft. Insert the cam locking tool, then loosen the center bolt for the cam pulley by 1 turn (do not remove it!!), knock the pulley loose from the camshaft (it will not come off because of the center bolt that you did not remove), then rotate the engine to TDC #1 based on the flywheel mark (which will carry the loosened pulley along with it). Torque the center bolt of the camshaft to specs, remove the locking tool. Rotate the engine forward two complete revolutions by hand, recheck that the locking tools can be inserted at the proper flywheel position, then remove all the locking tools and put the removed parts back on.

There's no need to remove the timing belt or the tensioner.

GoFaster, I did that very thing! It worked! All is well in TDI land now.. After my TB change, my timing was WAAAAY advanced, I got that lined out and I was in good shape! Thanks!

EtherNut

Yeppers, that would be alot easier than removing the TB or tensioner. I've been forced to perform this very same task a few times in the past when I rush a TB job and start to rotate the engine while forgetting to torque the cam sprocket bolt to it's 33 ft. lbs. Later!

I still fail to understand why the cam sprocket has to be loosened at all. I don't touch the cam sprocket and avoid this problem by not creating the opportunity.
Brian, You forgot to mention that the fuel pump has to also be at #1 TDC. Using the method you posted allows a 50/50 chance that the cam is at #1 compression/injection while the pump is at #4 injection. It is necessary to confirm that the injector pump is at #1 injection by means of inserting the pump lock pin when the cam is at #1 TDC.

That's true, but my reply was based on having an engine that runs (although not running well).

It is indeed possible to install the timing belt without taking the pulley off the camshaft, but it's a helluva lot easier to get over the pulleys if you have it off the end of the taper on the camshaft and slip the pulley over the end of the camshaft with the belt already on it ...

There's no key (little metal wedge) to keep the sprocket from moving on the camshaft? Leave it to VW...

There's no key (little metal wedge) to keep the sprocket from moving on the camshaft? Leave it to VW...

Click to expand...

Newsflash: some Chrysler engines have been this way since the early '90s, and some newer Fords are like this as well. This is a simple job if you have the right tools.