Timing way out

Just bought a 98 jetta tdi low kms seemed like a good deal I drove it for about 200 kms when it started acting up. it was driving great but when I let off the throttle there was nothing. I'd gear down still nothing then gear back up and it would be there until I let off again. a couple times I had to pull over and I could gear back up. I got to work shut the car off went out at lunch and wouldn't go. I found that a rubber boost hose going to intake manifold was split I figured no problem just needed to jimmy it up to get home. put it back together and still no go. after a couple days after work in a dark parking lot chasing my tail with glow plugs and fuel it turned out my timing was 180 degrees out. how does this even happen buddy said timing belt was new it didn't look it to me but not rotten or that terrible of shape. It seemed pretty tight how in the world would this happen without wrecking half the valves?? Any input or ideas I got it home and it won't start again not sure where to go from here?

Gotta say it, your lack of punctuation makes it incredibly difficult , if not impossible , to understand what you are asking here

The crank makes 2 revolutions for every turn of the cam, so that's probably what you interpreted as being 180 out.

As you've said, if the valve timing was out 180 you would have heard very expensive grinding noises, and the belt would show all kinds of duress from the abuse.

On one cycle #1 is at TDC, on the other #4 is at TDC... if someone got cylinders 1 and 4 mixed up they would think the timing was out 180.

Very hard to read post, agreed

Check your lower timing sprocket on the crank. I have seen the early models like this wear the keyway out on the sprocket and shift a few degrees. It will happen again if that is true.

I think the 180 out problem is mistaken diagnosis.

Yeah, that's a tough read.
Cam/crank can't be 180 "out" or things would have gone very wrong. I believe it is possible for the IP to be 180* but doubt it is.
It doesn't take much to be off a bunch at the IP and of course, it won't start/run.

Sorry about the grammar my English teacher hated me too. I appreciate the insight. it was the cam that I figured was 180 out but I turned it 180 it fired up and drove it home?

Dunno... always hard to see this stuff over the internet to help figure it out. These are interference engines, meaning anything more than a slight error in cam/crank timing will cause the valves and pistons to tangle with each other.

But, if you drove it home you drove it home... if there was interference you would be towing it home.

If I turned the cam 180 say randomly would it run?

Perpalerp said:

If I turned the cam 180 say randomly would it run?

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when you say "randomly" do you mean precisely 180* or just sout of maybe about 180*.
A couple teeth off from perfect timing with the crank (rotates two times for every cam rotation) and things are going to get messy.
The cam locking plate won't engage with the cam 180* rotated so I'm real unsure how all this is being set w/o making contact.

Don't turn the cam, turn the crank but If you're talking about retiming it I think you're on the wrong path.

Make sure there are no leaks letting air into the fuel system.

Maybe good ole relay 109 is getting you?

KLXD said:

Don't turn the cam, turn the crank but If you're talking about retiming it I think you're on the wrong path.

Make sure there are no leaks letting air into the fuel system.

Maybe good ole relay 109 is getting you?

Click to expand...

Yeah, I think you're correct about being on the wrong path.
OP needs to get the crank at TDC with the cam at the correct orientation and will probably find timing is in the ballpark. Don't go messing with moving the cam timing until you fully understand the procedure and have the tools to set it properly (VCDS included).
Hopefully we get an update as to the current diagnosis.
109 relay, fuel shut off solenoid, IP internal issues are more realistic possibilities.

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Crank pulley was toast. Luckily the end of the crank isn't too bad. Not sure if those pics worked or not

Nope you can only post links to an image. Load them up at photobucket or somewhere else and post the image link back here.

So I changed the crank pulley timing gear, made up an intake hose, replaced all the return lines, cleared all the codes. It runs great. Fires right up with lots of power through all the gears but when I let off and try to throttle up again it usually dies or falls on it's face. I'm thinking air from somewhere.. any ideas please!?

Many possible scenarios... and without vcds data its like shooting in the dark.. did you set your cam timing within spec?

If your timing was really 180(or even more than a couple) out you will have bent valves.