TDI Cam Timing Adjustment (for rough idle) How-to (with pics)

[scrichy84]

I've gotten over 50 MPG on my last to tanks, best before the adjustment was 49.87 so this definately doesn't seem to hurt the ability to get good mileage if anything it is just a hair bit better, but I will say having the smooth idle is priceless after driving for 33000 miles with the lumps at idle.

I also have been averaging over 47.5 mpg the last 2 tanks with the fix, I am very happy with the change!!

 

[SootHappens]

Awesome scrich! Get those fogs adjusted yet?

 

[kstef]

4.9 now I adjusted to 2.4

Well at 4.9, the power /torque seemed to move up the rpm range.
The car shifted wierd(downshifted too often to pull the same hills)
Yes the lump idle was gone, but I hated the "new" power curve.

I perfer torque.

After, I adjusted to 2.4 the low end response is now much better and it still has a stable idle.

I wasn't able to fill up and calculate the MPG, but after ~450 mile of haveing the timing this way(4.9), seem that the overhead reading is out in left field. Currently showing 32 mpg. BUT 450miles and I currently 1/4 of a tank(10.875 used calculated) so roughly it's getting 41mpg. No improvement here....

I'll report back after a few tanks set at 2.4

Keithstef

 

[Mach1]

I adjusted the 6.5 to 3.9 and it woke up the engine, seems to shift better.
It helps the DSG, seems like it shifts better. Will check the mileage when I have some miles on it.

 

[cjholder]

Has anyone with Vag-Com version 805 (the one that shows "Torsion" as the title of the block) tried this adjustment? Was it successful?

 

[whitedog]

I have that and my results are posted above. But I have the A4 and it seems to not have the shudder, or it's less noticed.

Here is a theory: They changed where the cam is pinned on the A5s for emissions reasons. They retarded it just a frogs hair so they could change something else that was effecting emissions. In otherwords, they performed a balancing act ( I keep saying everything is a matter of balance) and adjusted one thing in and another thing out.

So the combination they came up with for the A5, sometimes causes this shudder. Now we are adjusting it back to where the car runs better, just a tiny bit dirtier.

Like I said, this is just a theory and it pretty much was thought up as I was typing each word, so it may be a complete load of horse dung.

 

[hdeptech]

very good thought.... sounds like an engineer thing to do.....

 

[wjdell]

People should have logged long trips with it stock and then made the adjustment. To see if it had a effect on anything else.

No one mentioned if their idle speed changed. - maybe it was below 800 rpm and now its above. Did the engine get louder, anything. Why do some 06's have this rough idle at the stock setting when others like my car are smooth at "-1".

 

[SBAtdijetta]

Seems that most cars that are not smooth as less than -1. Mine was only a tiny bit rough and it was at -2, so I bumped it up to +2. Problem solved

 

[dakota650r]

I just got a Micro-CAN last week and finally got a chance to play with it. After doing the requisite "window treatment" I figured what the heck lets see what "Torsion" reading the VAG-COM would show.
It read 6.9 KW
That can't be good right?
Looks like I'm going to have to do some adjustments soon.

That's the short version of the story. Here's the long version.

I've been kind of curious about this weird problem I've been having. My car has been giving me a hard time for a while now. I thought it was the DMF that was causing a shudder, especially when climbing hills. I could get the car to shudder by setting the cruise control at 65 mph in 5th gear on level ground and then pushing up on the cruise stalk to try to accelerate to 70 mph. Major shuddering would ensue and I thought that it was just the clutch slipping so I took it real easy for a long time until I could get the clutch swapped out. I finally got a sachs VR6 / G60 from BleachedBora (Who by the way has outstanding customer service!!!) and had Josh (M I N I O N) install it a couple weeks ago. But that hasn't helped this situation. The symptoms are still there. Plus I figured out that if I was parked and in neutral or had the clutch in or both, I then I would rev the engine to about 4k rpm and when I left of the go pedal and the rpm decrease, the engine would shudder and kinda cough, like it was having a hard time idling. So then I was thinking possibly a fuel filter problem, or maybe a MAF problem or maybe even a EGR related problem. Anyway, I had ordered a Micro-CAN from RossTech and I just thought I'd check what torsion value I'd see. I wasn't expecting 6.9. I wonder has it always been that way? Or was it after the dealer replaced my original DMF, clutch, pressure plate, transmission, and SHORT BLOCK!!!! Did they screw up the timing then? I'm really wondering now. I'm going to log some runs and then post back here. I just hope that having that setting of 6.9 for who knows how long hasn't done some kind of damage to my engine.

 

[SootHappens]

make sure you're looking at the correct value. It's called something different in the new version of vag-com software. Your situation sounds more serious than slightly out of adjustment cam timing. My car would not even start when adjusted past 5

Quite some time has passed since my adjustment. MPG has not changed much, noise is a tad quieter especially when cold. I'm up to 49600 miles now :=)

 

[Mach1]

650, you are way out, spec is -3 to 3...I have found due to trial and error, that straight up is where I am setting them.

That car will drive like a slug at anything above 5...

Back it down to 0...

Good Luck.

 

[vwluca]

Thanks to you all, I gave the dealer your infos and they did the work for me under warranty. before doing anything, my car was at -2 from factory and with a few trials and errors, we went for a ride and the timing was at 3.9 and sometimes at 3.4 when pushing it.

IDLE SO FAR BEAUTIFUL !

Thanks to all and the comment from the mechanic at my dealer was , ''wow, this is a great forum ''.

Luc
Montreal, Canada

 

[SBAtdijetta]

LOL got to love that... VW dealers taking instruction from TDI Club... Sad really

Glad you got your issue fixed though!

 

[Hurst89]

I am just wondering, is the factory spec per the old vag com 2 to 5 degrees and the new vagcom -3 to 3? I saw where it was said the spec is -3 to 3 degrees? I am a little confused. I have mine at 4.9 and love the way it drives, since I do most of my driving on the highway, I want the higher rpm torque curve.

 

[dakota650r]

Here's a pic of the test I ran today.
http://pics.tdiclub.com/showphoto.php?photo=46239&size=big&cat=3907

 

[Mach1]

Hurst the spec is -3 to 3..Vag-com states the same, the DSG's like a lower setting, while the 5 spd. like a little higher, I have tried -2, 0, 4. 4 was too much IMHO, so I backed it down to 0. I like the 0 setting. No shutter and I haven't lost anything on the bottom end.

 

[SBAtdijetta]

Stock for me was -2. I have test driven it at -2,0,2 and 4.9 running at 2 now but may put it back to 0 just to see. If -3 to 3 is spec then I want to be close to 0.

 

[Ol'Rattler]

Just adjusted mine. It was at -1, I ended up at +2 on the first try. It sounds like it idles faster, I think because the idle is smoother. The tach says 800 RPMs, exactly same idle speed as before. Excelleration does seem to be better.

Oh yea, while your at it, take the torx bit and tighten down the valve cover bolts. Several of mine were loose enough to turn with your fingers.

T.D.

 

[Mach1]

Steve, go to 0, I have been setting them straight up now. I adjust them just enough to take away the rough idle..

You have to remember that you are adjusting two major items at once, injection pressures and CAM timing..

You USUALLY want to set Cam timing straight up at TDC 0 degrees. So that is where I set them. when you advance cam timing you gain bottom end and lose top end(torque curve is down low.) With diesels being low speed, short reving, you want it all down at the bottom, so thats where I have been setting them. just enough to remove rough idle. This may help your problem some..you might even go alittle back -. Its worth trying..good Luck.

 

[SBAtdijetta]

Steve, go to 0, I have been setting them straight up now. I adjust them just enough to take away the rough idle..

You have to remember that you are adjusting two major items at once, injection pressures and CAM timing..

You USUALLY want to set Cam timing straight up at TDC 0 degrees. So that is where I set them. when you advance cam timing you gain bottom end and lose top end(torque curve is down low.) With diesels being low speed, short reving, you want it all down at the bottom, so thats where I have been setting them. just enough to remove rough idle. This may help your problem some..you might even go alittle back -. Its worth trying..good Luck.

Thanks will do!

Ahhh grr just remembered I sent my Vag-com off to Ross-tech to upgrade from the Micro-CAN to the Hex-usb+CAN bad timing... lol no pun intended.

 

[Mach1]

Put it on your list...

 

[Mach1]

I have a feeling it wouldn't be the last time you adjust it.

 

[SBAtdijetta]

I have a feeling it wouldn't be the last time you adjust it.

Haha lol ohhh so true!

I want to get it set to 0 before dynoing... So I may hold off on driving up to Austin until next Saturday.

 

[Hurst89]

I guess I need to reset mine. I have it set to 4.9. Mine is a 5spd and i used the older version of VAGCOM, not the new 805 or whatever it is. I think I will set it around 2-3 degrees advance. I like how it runs at 4.9, but I guess I need to try around 2-3 to see if I like it better...

Hurst

 

[SootHappens]

last night I brought mine down to 2.4 from 3.9... I don't notice much difference, still running mostly smooth.

 

[Hurst89]

Hmm... maybe I will just go with the "it aint broke dont fix it" strategy. I like the way it drives now at 4.9 and the car seems to run fine, so why bother with it? Well, of course there is always the appeal of getting to turn some wrenches

Hurst

 

[dakota650r]

I did it!!!!!! I got out my tools and my laptop, and I did this procedure. Before I did it, the car was at 6.9 and it was idling really rough. In fact, there have been several occasions where I was driving along and could see traffic way in front of me really start to slow up and I pushed in the clutch, put it in neutral, and the engine just died without so much as a whimper. It happened yesterday on the beltway! So today I did this procedure and wow what a difference. I took it down to 4.4 on my first try and it seems to idle so much better. It doesn't feel weak anymore. I took it for a test drive and acceleration was much better, though I still had some hesitation under firm acceleration in 4th and 5th gear. I may see if adjusting this down closer to 0 would help with that. I'm also going to be putting in a new fuel filter and doing an oil change this weekend, or maybe monday. I have to drive back down to Charleston WV on Monday so I may do this stuff before I hit the road. I'm hoping that the new fuel filter will solve this problem straight away. Adjusting the timing has already made such a big difference. I am so happy!!!! I'm also mad at the dealership that replaced my short block when my dmf blew up, because they must not have adjusted the timing properly then. Anyway, this is the first time I've ever done anything of this nature on a car. The only things I've ever done to cars was just simple maintenance - air, oil and fuel filters, spark plugs and wires, distributor cap and rotors, pcv valves... you know just basic tune up stuff. I've never changed oil myself either, but I just got a pella recently and have been dying to use it. (before I'd always take my cars (not the jetta of course) to jiffy lube) All my previous Jetta service has been done by the stealerships. But not any more. I just don't trust them to do it right or use the right oil or actually change filters and not just say they did. Call me paranoid but there's far to much of that kind of fraud out there.
Anyway, Hurst, thank you very, very very much for posting this info. You've just made my day. Your instructions were clear and the pics were great. If I ever meet you, I'll buy you a drink.
Cheers
Roy

 

[dschein]

Just did this mod over the weekend on my 06; went from -2.x to 2.9. Happy to report there is no more rough idle, it feels like there is more power (could all be in my head), peak boost has gone up along with sustained boost.

Some people have posted about backing down this number. Two qestions on that:

1: Simply turn the 18MM bolt anti-clockwise?

2: If it's within spec, why?

 

[SpeedFreek]

Ok, I did it. I am at about 2 right now and have had NO rough idle, the only problem is that I smoke quite a bit at higher RPMs. The onramp to the freeway looks like doomsday after I get on the freeway but only if I really get on the pedal. I do have the RC1 + on it and havent gotten the muffler removed yet, proably will get that done this week to see if that helps.

Would going back to 0 help anything? I like how the car is now with the exception of the black clouds at full throttle/high RPMs.