Serious Timing Belt Problems

[98TsiAWD]

So I bought a 90 Tsi and am doing the timing belt on it.

I cant get the timing marks to line up at all. So I did it following the VFAQ leaving the intake cam 1/2 tooth up and the exhaust cam about 1 tooth down. (this is on the center marks). It said when I tensioned it that it would line up perfect, yeah right.

And amongst other problems, I dotn have the special tool to put on the tensioner pulley to properly set the tensioner. I cant use the battery bolt method because it is bent.

So I stuck a .156 drill bit between the tensioner arm and tensioner, then used a c-clip pliers that you screw in and out, stuck it between the tensioner arm and water pump, then pulled the allen wrench out of the tensioner (the c-clip pliers holds it in place tight at .156".

Then I slightly pried on the tensioner pully with a flathead just like the VFAQ says and tighted the center bolt on the pulley.
Took the c-clip pliers out, and pulled the drill bit out (had to use a pliers, is was tight), and now I cant get the drill bit back between the tensioner and tensioner arm so it is not properly set

I now tore it all back apart AGAIN, because the tension wasnt right, and the lines do not line up on the cams at all.

Im about to send this car to the junkyard.

 

[deusxmachina]

The cam marks should be lined up before you pull the pin, and then should remain lined-up as long as there was at least some tension from the tensioner pulley. Lining the cams up is a pain if you do it yourself because you have to put some muscle on the sprockets while at the same time sliding the belt on at the same time as keeping tension on the belt. The exhaust sprocket always has that tension on it that you have to crank it backwards to put it in the proper position for the belt to go on.

For setting the final tension, I would guess the tensioner plunger was too far in and that's why the holes for the pin didn't line up at the end. Too much tension compared to not enough.

Overtightening the tensioner pulley is a very easy thing to do, and then the final tension on the plunger won't be right after pulling the pin. The tensioner pulley really doesn't need much tension against the belt at all for it to be correct. Try putting quite a bit less tension on the pulley-to-belt than you think it should have, including the final "ooomph" turn on the tensioner pulley bolt to lock it down, and then pull the pin and see if that looks a bit better.

Too much tension on the tensioner pulley will cause the belt to slack after driving the car for, say, 20 minutes and then turning it off. I am paranoid about my timing belt jobs, so I will run the car on jackstands for a little bit and then let it sit overnight to check the belt before putting the rest of it back together. Most signs of overtightening (slack in the belt) will show up within an hour after running it for a few minutes.

So, anyway, my guess for the plunger hole being off is you are overtightening the tensioner pulley against the belt. For lining up the cams, you just gotta muscle it all together. I use one wrench to hold the intake sprocket in its natural place while using another wrench to clockwise turn the exhaust sprocket and into the right spot.

If you get the belt on but it's off a tooth or so, marking the correct teeth on the cams and belt with a grease pencil will make it easier to get it right the second time. It's not easy to count or eyeball up the teeth marks while holding two wrenches and trying to slide the belt on. If you get the belt on once, then it's easy to see how many teeth the cams and/or oil pump and other marks are off. I get everything lined up so the only thing I have to fight with is rotating the exhaust cam backwards a tooth or two.

 

[dsmstunna]

I'm going to have to read that over 3 or 4 times. I'm in the middle of a water pump repair too. I don't have a tensioner either but u got me lost, I'm still not sure how i should get my tension correct. I'm still waiting for my belts so hopefully i have it all understood by then

 

[deusxmachina]

The first post was talking about two different things, lining up the timing marks and setting the tension, so I was jumping between the two some. I don't know why there would be a problem in lining up the marks. It's not that it's rocket science or anything, it's just that you need three or four hands to not wind up cursing at it.

You loop the belt around the lower gears, make sure those are lined up, and then have to keep some tension on the lower half of the belt while you mess with rotating the exhaust sprocket and then sliding the belt on over the sprockets. As long as the lower marks are lined up, all you then have to fight with is rotating the cam sprocket(s). The intake sprocket might be already lined up, otherwise just needs to be moved one tooth. The exhaust cam is the one you have to crank back quite a bit to get into the right position.

And then with the belt on, if the cams are off but the lower marks are fine, mark the tooth of the belt with which sprocket tooth it should be matched to. That gives you an easily visible target to hit when muscling on the exhaust cam.

 

[rebuilt65]

Use broad wire ties to keep the belt in position on the cam gears while you fiddle with the lower alignment marks. I saw a tech at a mitsu dealer do this and i have used it myself four times with great results.
thr rxhaust cam will snap back a tooth if you don't do this and try to align everything. and no it's not your imagination, the crank, and balance shaft marks are about 1/4 tooth off the marks in a clockwise direction when the cams are perfectly aligned. i know, i tried all kinds of different combinations and it would always be more off like a tooth. my car runs fine.
regards