Nevada_TDI
Top Post Dawg
I am a bit embarrassed to post this here, but I believe this is the right area. When I first had my Jetta I was too intimidated to work on it, it threw a timing belt, and I took it to the local VW shop. Franko6 did the head work, and even though the shop did not have the right tools, I provided them to the shop. My engine never seemed to run the same after that, but maybe it was just me. Fast forward to the timing set I currently have installed, we previously indexed the cam so every part was TDC before bolting the engine back up. She ran the same and all was well, it seemed she was prone to the overboost/kill fueling like she always had always been really touchy when it came to trying to dial in the boost curve. She-"Sophie" named from an inside joke years ago.
Back to the point: this time I purchased the entire timing tool set, including the cam lock that bolts into the vacuum pump bolt holes. TDC seemed different in relation to the camshaft position not matching the lock locating: the crankshaft was TDC, the IP was TDC, but the camshaft did not exactly line up to where she should be so I rotated the camshaft a few degrees and then popped the sprocket, realigned the camshaft sprocket and put the engine back together. Driving home she seemed to run better, but I was tired at the time. The next day I went for a test drive, put her in 3rd at a low RPM- without VCDS, and she didn't cough, she didn't put out a huge plume of smoke either and pulled solid until I couldn't afford to pay the ticket and I backed off at 75MPH I believe. For the longest while-before the new timing set- she smoked heavily when cold-and she does not now. I am still working on a fresh tank of fuel to see if there is any difference in FE.
I apologize for the long post, but is it possible the camshaft was a few degrees off ? If you have an idea or personal experience, will you please post it, and suggest which way the camshaft was off?
Advanced or retarded, and why do think so?
I realize this is not technically a Power Enhancement question, but since the engine is modified and acting differently, and I now have more power, it's close enough, I hope.
Back to the point: this time I purchased the entire timing tool set, including the cam lock that bolts into the vacuum pump bolt holes. TDC seemed different in relation to the camshaft position not matching the lock locating: the crankshaft was TDC, the IP was TDC, but the camshaft did not exactly line up to where she should be so I rotated the camshaft a few degrees and then popped the sprocket, realigned the camshaft sprocket and put the engine back together. Driving home she seemed to run better, but I was tired at the time. The next day I went for a test drive, put her in 3rd at a low RPM- without VCDS, and she didn't cough, she didn't put out a huge plume of smoke either and pulled solid until I couldn't afford to pay the ticket and I backed off at 75MPH I believe. For the longest while-before the new timing set- she smoked heavily when cold-and she does not now. I am still working on a fresh tank of fuel to see if there is any difference in FE.
I apologize for the long post, but is it possible the camshaft was a few degrees off ? If you have an idea or personal experience, will you please post it, and suggest which way the camshaft was off?
Advanced or retarded, and why do think so?
I realize this is not technically a Power Enhancement question, but since the engine is modified and acting differently, and I now have more power, it's close enough, I hope.
Last edited: