2000 ALH Injection Pump out of time?

mrsmart180

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Aug 29, 2020
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North Carolina
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2000 Golf TDI ALH
Hi everyone, I just completed a timing belt change and went to start it, but it cranks and just doesn't start. I loosed the injectors and little and they all squirt fuel very high so I assume its the timing for the injection pump that is off. My only obstacle with that is I don't have a VCDS to see if my timing is too advanced or retarded. Is it even possible to check without VCDS because I can't afford to pay 200$ for one right now. Thank you, sorry if this has been discussed I couldn't find anything on it.
 

mrsmart180

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Aug 29, 2020
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North Carolina
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2000 Golf TDI ALH
When I change the timing on the pump itself, I find that it only moves 20 degrees forward and back maximum, is it supposed to move more than this?
 

mrsmart180

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Aug 29, 2020
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2000 Golf TDI ALH
One more thing (last one I promise) the 4th cylinder injector sprays weaker than the others, it doesn't shoot diesel as high into the air. Not sure if this has anything to do with it.
 

Tdijarhead

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When doing a timing belt if you pinned the IP with the proper tool and didn't put the pin in the "sucker hole" then the car should start regardless of if you have vcds. Provided of course the crank and cam were likewise properly set at tdc with the necessary tools. Did you do a "mark and pray" paint mark timing belt job?

When you finished the TB did you rotate the engine by hand from the crank bolt 2-4 complete revolutions? I would reset the car to TDC and make absolutely sure the the engine is dead on TDC.
 

csstevej

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Also when you did the tb did you have the cam and IP sprocket loose when you tightened the tensioner Then tighten those bolts back up?
Because they will move a small amount and throw off the timing.
As Tdijarhead stated if everything lines up with the marks the engine should fire, then use Vcds to fine tune the timing.
 

mrsmart180

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Location
North Carolina
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2000 Golf TDI ALH
When doing a timing belt if you pinned the IP with the proper tool and didn't put the pin in the "sucker hole" then the car should start regardless of if you have vcds. Provided of course the crank and cam were likewise properly set at tdc with the necessary tools. Did you do a "mark and pray" paint mark timing belt job?

When you finished the TB did you rotate the engine by hand from the crank bolt 2-4 complete revolutions? I would reset the car to TDC and make absolutely sure the the engine is dead on TDC.
I used all of the specialized tools like the cam lock, crank lock, but I might have screwed up with the ignition lock because after I put it in and went on with the steps I realized later on that it wiggled a lot so I might have not put it on the right hole.
 

mrsmart180

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Aug 29, 2020
Location
North Carolina
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2000 Golf TDI ALH
Also when you did the tb did you have the cam and IP sprocket loose when you tightened the tensioner Then tighten those bolts back up?
Because they will move a small amount and throw off the timing.
As Tdijarhead stated if everything lines up with the marks the engine should fire, then use Vcds to fine tune the timing.
Yeah I might have done that, ill get it back to TDC but I didn't know if the Ignition pump had a tdc mark or not, I'm not sure if the cam sprocket does either.
 

Tdijarhead

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2003 TDI Jetta Daughters Car, 2001 TDI Beetle, Wife’s car, 2005 Golf TDI Mine, all 5 spds
I don't know if you have seen the step by step DIY that this site has available but if not it would be a good idea to review it.


Click the download button in the upper right corner. It comes complete with color pics and instructions in a PDF. There are about 120 pages, many of those pages are large pics, so be prepared to wait if you have slow internet.
 

mrsmart180

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North Carolina
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2000 Golf TDI ALH
Yeah, I followed that step by step so im not sure what I did wrong, is there any other reason for it to not start if it is injecting fuel?
 

mrsmart180

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Aug 29, 2020
Location
North Carolina
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2000 Golf TDI ALH
The circle where the lock goes in on this picture isn't there. Its just the square hole that I can see. Is it possible to remove this sprocket without getting it out of time? I think I'm going to have to take it off because the pump is rediculously far out of time.
 

Vince Waldon

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Edmonton AB Canada
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2001 ALH Jetta, 2003 ALH Wagon, 2005 BEW Wagon
Yes, you can remove the three hex-head bolts that hold the IP sprocket onto the IP shaft.

Just don't loosen the big central IP bolt... that one is timed specifically at the factory when the sprocket is placed on the shaft.
 

mrsmart180

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North Carolina
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2000 Golf TDI ALH
But now its just turning that black plate, I was trying to find the hole after the black plate because it wont show up, is there any way to turn the plate behind the black one?
 

Nuje

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This (red arrow) is the "hole" that you're aiming to align with the hole immediately behind it":


The green arrow is where people often "think" they locked down the IP because the pin slipped in there nicely (whereas it's a REALLY tight fit to get the IP locking pin into that hole.

With the sprocket off, you can put (the chuck end, NOT the "drilling" end of) a 6mm drill bit into that slot of the black plate and thus ensure you have the IP properly locked in place, then slide the IP cog over the drill bit and get the three 13mm bolts back in place.

The tricky part with the IP lockdown is that its "TDC" lock point seems to be right at the top of a lobe/cam, so it's happy to rock away from that position if it's not locked down, either by belt/bolts, or the locking pin.
 

mrsmart180

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North Carolina
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2000 Golf TDI ALH
Yeah thats a great picture, I literally cannot see that hole anywhere though, I've turned the pump a couple times and I can't see that hole. I think its behind one of the spokes on the sprocket, is that possible?
 

Nuje

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You have the belt off again, right? So just take the cog off (remove the three 13mm bolts) and you'll see what's pictured below (now with labels! :D).
 
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Nuje

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Just covering basics...what's the current state of injectors? You tightened the hard lines on them back down? Once you confirmed fuel at all four, lock them down, loosen one, crank until you get fuel spurting, lock it down, then try starting. Maybe some air got drawn back in before you locked them down (?)
 
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mrsmart180

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North Carolina
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2000 Golf TDI ALH
Maybe, I think I installed that injector pump lock when it was a little bit off tdc so I guess I'm going to go back and reinstall all of the locks and see if I can get everything back in time
 

Nuje

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Oh yeah - that's the first step, which I should've re-iterated: Any time I take the belt off, I ensure it's at TDC (both cam and crank), then start messing with the IP with the belt and cog off (if you go that route).
 

OhCdn

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Canada
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2002 Golf MK4
Well the ****ty part about vcds can't get iq if the engine is not running.
 

Nuje

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Well, that's kinda like saying you can't check rpm at idle if the engine isn't running. 🤔

If you can't get the engine running, IQ (measured in mg/stroke) isn't the issue.
 

jokila

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Dec 3, 2004
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Houston, Texas
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2003 Jetta GLS, Manual
Maybe, I think I installed that injector pump lock when it was a little bit off tdc so I guess I'm going to go back and reinstall all of the locks and see if I can get everything back in time
It's easy to verify this before messing around with anything else. Get crank at TDC, put IP pin in. If IP hole is not lined up, then fix that. If so, look at other things.
 
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