moving injection pump vs injection pump timing gear?

So a few months ago I realized there was some fuel leaking from my injection pump.

I "marked" the injection pump bolt area where it seats against the engine, or at least I thought I did...

I replaced the seal inside the pump and put it back together and realized I had marked the upper area where I thought it split, when it actually separated lower - yeah I know, dumb!

I got it back together and started the car, it ran rough, yadda yadda. I moved the pump back and forth incrementally until I got it to run smooth at idle and it seemed like it had power again, for the most part (definitely had power issues at different rpms)

I've been driving it that was for a couple months and just now decided to get a vag-com and check the "timing" or at least check the fuel flow rate, I think that is what I saw on some YT videos...

SO my question is:

Does moving the injection pump left\right do the same thing as timing, or is it something completely different?

I checked my timing and it is pretty close to the mid\blue line of the graph. I checked also under 01- Engine \ Measuring blocks \ 001 and read the fuel value in the 2nd area I believe...I think its supposed to be between 2.2 and 9, I was at 1.8-2.0, so I loosened the pump very slightly while it was running and tapped it to the left to get up to around 4.0-4.2.

I forgot to go back and check timing again, but seeing as it was within spec before and now the readouts were good (oh yes car was at operating temp as well) I just closed out and called it a night.

Anyways, again...are those two things the same, moving the pump or adjusting it via loosening the 13mm bolts under the timing cover and adjusting the 22mm bolt from there?

To be clear, I've only ever moved the pump itself while changing the seal, so that is why I focused on getting it back into its position. I was just curious if I could have just adjusted the pump via the 22mm bolt instead of moving the pump around.

Thanks, sorry that was long and probably repetitive...its late

Hammer mod only affects Injection Quantity, not timing!

Yeah, I made the same mistake of marking the casting vs the two halves....LOL

It may not make much sense, but removing the IP and putting it back where it was is very difficult. Best to lock the cam and crank at TDC, pin the pump and tension the belt with both pulleys loose (cam&IP). From there you dial it in (VCDS or equal) using just the IP pulley (3 bolts).
When you rebuilt the pump, hoping you did not remove the fastener attaching the pulley boss to the pump, if you did that must be re indexed first (instructions elsewhere).

BobnOH said:

It may not make much sense, but removing the IP and putting it back where it was is very difficult. Best to lock the cam and crank at TDC, pin the pump and tension the belt with both pulleys loose (cam&IP). From there you dial it in (VCDS or equal) using just the IP pulley (3 bolts).
When you rebuilt the pump, hoping you did not remove the fastener attaching the pulley boss to the pump, if you did that must be re indexed first (instructions elsewhere).

Click to expand...

Thanks!

I don't think I did...I took off the top half carefully and replaced the rubber ring\seal that had gone bad. All the internal parts I left alone, it was just that outer rubber ring that got replaced and I put the top half back on and bolted it down.

Thinking about it now, it seems that one is timing and one is fuel quantity, so yes not even the same thing.

Having a vag-com is so cool, I should have bought one many years ago!

I'll have to find some instructions on that process you mentioned above, I've never lined up TDC, locked the cams, pinned the pump, etc but I hear it talked about alot.

I have to do a timing belt soon and I have a feeling I will get a lot more familiar with it all than I am now

AndyBees said:

Hammer mod only affects Injection Quantity, not timing!

Yeah, I made the same mistake of marking the casting vs the two halves....LOL

Click to expand...

Yesss then you are familiar with the same pit in your stomach when you realize what you did too, hah!

There are two different cam locking plates used when timing an ALH TDI: one requires the removal of the camshaft/valve cover, and the other requires removing the vacuum pump. Get the one one that uses the vacuum pump locator as removing the valve cover and getting it back on without a leak is a major challenge.


Here is a link: https://www.idparts.com/long-reach-cam-lock-for-alh-p-6277.html
Here too: https://www.idparts.com/metalnerd-long-reach-cam-lock-for-alh-p-1910.html

Unless I have totally misunderstood the OP's initial post, he did not remove the Injection Pump to install the top seal. Is that right?

If the IP was not removed from it's mount, there is no need to re-set/tension the Timing Belt. He says the timing is within spec in the graph.

Sliding the top of the IP from left to right - right to left, changes the injection quantity (hammer mod, if I remember the term correctly). Yes, it will run better when the IQ is set within the specified parameters.