2G Jumped timing?

[miller97tsi]

ok i think that this question has been beat up alot, but i just bought my 97 talon tsi it has about 85000 miles on it and i have expirenced my first major problem. i was driving down the road not getting on it at all and all of a sudden it started spitting and sputering. it would idle but only at about 150-200 rpm. it will start up and idle the same rpm. i dont know what i could be i really hope that it is not the timing belt although it has alot of play in it. could this be a result of the timing belt slipping? so i could use all the help that i can get i have never expeirenced this problems with a car so any help would greatly be appriciated.

 

[eagle_talon90]

Timing belt could be off a tooth or two. When it runs rev it up, if it revs quickly it probably isn't off, but if it revs up real slow it probably is.

 

[silver97GSXLKP]

I would say timing is off check your vacumm should be around 17-22 at idle anything lower i would line all timing marks up and see if there off. I had same problem belt skiped because of bad tensioner but luckly I didnt bend any valves also do a compression check that should tell you.

 

[dragrush]

One of the times this happened to me it turned out to be the power transistor being lose...check compression and/or leak down test if that doesnt work

 

[miller97tsi]

it does take a while to get up to rpm when you give it gas. so i hope that is the problem. now here is another question if the timimg is off how easy is it to check the timing marks and can it be done in a driveway? also should i do it or should i take it somewhere and have a professional help me? like i said it has alot of play in the timing belt about a half inch to 3/4 quarters of play. the timing belt hasnt been replaced i am sure i just hope that it jumped a tooth

 

[eagle_talon90]

It's not hard to check to see if the timing is off, just pop the upper timing belt cover off (3 10mm bolts) and turn the crank with a 1/2 inch drive ratchet so the dowel pins on the cam gears are both pointing up then get a straight edge to see if all the timing marks line up. If the timing did jump a tooth, and you say the belt hasn't been changed recently i would definently replace the belt while fixing the timing. It is a pretty in depth process to change it and if you haven't done it before I would probably take it somewhere to get done. But if you wanna tackle it yourself there is some really good write-ups on this site and on vfaq for how to do it.