Ultimate Timing Belt DIY!

[M_K_4_GUY]

the pulley line is two thread away from the valve cover line this is why is 2 teeth away

[MechEngg]

the pulley line is two thread away from the valve cover line this is why is 2 teeth away

Does it run like ****?

[M_K_4_GUY]

after i finish the job it turned on , i took for a drive and it ran well , wen i turned it off and tryied to to turn it back on it didnt turn on it just crank

[tom8thebomb]

after i finish the job it turned on , i took for a drive and it ran well , wen i turned it off and tryied to to turn it back on it didnt turn on it just crank

step by step solution.
reset the timing, turn over the motor twice by hand, check timing marks, run the motor with the crank pulley on and without covers, check timing again.

[M_K_4_GUY]

step by step solution.
reset the timing, turn over the motor twice by hand, check timing marks, run the motor with the crank pulley on and without covers, check timing again.

clockwise or counter clockwise ?

[DowNnOuTDubin]

clockwise or counter clockwise ?

Doesn't matter, either way it'll do a full 4 stroke turn.

[M_K_4_GUY]

Doesn't matter, either way it'll do a full 4 stroke turn.

[tom8thebomb]

NO!, always in the direction of the natural rotation, clockwise. Reversal would put unnecessary slack into the belt opposite of the tensioner.

[Jetta509]

can someone explain how and why to mark the timing belt
a video or something
i dont get it

[groggory]

can someone explain how and why to mark the timing belt
a video or something
i dont get it

It's just a method to double check your work and to make aligning the crank pulley with the cam pulley easier.

Here's the basic process...

Bring your engine to TDC using the cam gear mark.

Double check that your engine is at TDC using the crank gear mark. (if it is off then your timing is off before you started) In this case, do not bother marking your belt as it is WRONG.

To mark the belt put a mark on the cam gear at TDC with a paint pen and put it on the belt in the same spot. Put a mark on the crank gear and/or crank gear cover and drag it across onto the belt. Allow the paint to dry.

Use the bentley process to remove the belt, tensioner, and water pump.

Take your old belt and lay it on top of your new belt on the ground. Transfer the paint marks so they are in the same spots on the new belt. Be very careful. Even one tooth off is the difference between an engine running well and an engine running poorly.

Replace belt, tensioner, and water pump per the bentley. When it's time to slip the belt onto the crank and cam pulleys, use your marks to help line it up. Right now there is no tension on the belt because you haven't pulled the pin on the tensioner yet. Without the marks this step is tricky because when you pull the pin it has a tendency to move the two pulleys a bit and can make you have a hard time getting your timing spot on. The paint is there to tell you EXACTLY which tooth fits into which tooth on the pulleys. As long as the paint matches, your timing will be on.

Once the belt is in place and the paint matches up, pull the pin on the tensioner.

Double check timing. Check that cam gear is at TDC, crank gear is at TDC, and if desired...flywheel is at TDC.
If you are off you can only rotate the gears a few degrees in either direction!!!! Only rotate them so they're back to where they should be if they're off. Do not rotate them a full rotation to bring them back into spec!!! This is an interference engine and if you mess this up you will spend a lot of money and timing fixing it (valve job)!!!

Check timing again.

Walk away.

Check timing again.

Ask your friend to check the timing too.

Take a wrench and turn the crank 4 or so rotations via the center crank bolt. Align the cam gear to TDC. Ensure the crank still lines up at TDC.

Have your friend double check this.

Go crank the car with the ignition.

Enjoy your new timing belt.

[Jetta509]

^^^^Thanks for clearing things up

[MechEngg]

Groggory

You are wrong. The engine does NOT need to be TDC if you are just transferring marks from one belt to the next. If you would like an explanation i can provide one, but i have done ~8 of these timing belt jobs and never once had it at TDC.

[groggory]

Groggory

You are wrong. The engine does NOT need to be TDC if you are just transferring marks from one belt to the next. If you would like an explanation i can provide one, but i have done ~8 of these timing belt jobs and never once had it at TDC.

You don't need it to be tdc, I agree...

But I preach it this way to give people a way to double check their work

[Shacho]

First off...Big Thanks for This Thread (Step-by-step guide)

I completed the timing change on my 02 Jetta 1.8T; however, I did run into 1 problem with the idler tensioner. I am going to safely assume the previous owner changed the belt because the belt is/was in good condition and he/she attempted to change the idler pulley but stripped out the bolt and left it as is. Oh yeah, the primary reason for tearing it down was for the water pump failure. Since I didn't have the proper tools to remove the stripped bolt, I left it alone and continued changing the water pump. Completed the belt installation...etc...all marking lined up dead-on...cam pulley, crankshaft and tranny. Car started as expected, however, now I am getting the reaper code P0340 (CSP). I checked and doubled check the marking before and after the first start. I reset the ECU and drove the car around without the code popping up again. Started engine again this morning and the same code (P0340) appears. I'm thinking it jump timing, maybe a tooth off. Back to the shade tree ....

[MechEngg]

First off...Big Thanks for This Thread (Step-by-step guide)

I completed the timing change on my 02 Jetta 1.8T; however, I did run into 1 problem with the idler tensioner. I am going to safely assume the previous owner changed the belt because the belt is/was in good condition and he/she attempted to change the idler pulley but stripped out the bolt and left it as is. Oh yeah, the primary reason for tearing it down was for the water pump failure. Since I didn't have the proper tools to remove the stripped bolt, I left it alone and continued changing the water pump. Completed the belt installation...etc...all marking lined up dead-on...cam pulley, crankshaft and tranny. Car started as expected, however, now I am getting the reaper code P0340 (CSP). I checked and doubled check the marking before and after the first start. I reset the ECU and drove the car around without the code popping up again. Started engine again this morning and the same code (P0340) appears. I'm thinking it jump timing, maybe a tooth off. Back to the shade tree ....

Did you remember to plug in your camshaft position sensor? If the car runs (doesn't sound like it is going to blow up) then the timing is usually fine. If you are off by even one tooth you will nearly **** the bed when you start the car up, and since you didn't bring that up i assume it runs fine but you just have a code. Look around just under the engine code marking by the front of the upper timing belt cover and see if you remembered to plug that back in.

[Shacho]

With that said, the timing is dead-on...the engine idles and runs smooth (no vibrations at all). Q: Other than changing out the sensor, are there any other troubleshooting I can do to convict the CSPS? I know it will take more time to remove the top cover than it would changing sensor.

[EmKay IV]

did you need any special tool to take off the harmonic balancer ?

[MechEngg]

did you need any special tool to take off the harmonic balancer ?

6mm allen key, preferable one that goes on a ratchet because it is on pretty tight. Holt the big middle bolt in place with a 19mm regular socket

[bboy_jon]

^^^ what he said. You will NEED allen keys with the socket/ratchets since they are on there pretty good. Be very careful with them and make sure you seat them all the way because they are very easy to strip. If they do, go to lowes or home depot and buy a irwin bolt extractor kit (i think it was less than $20) and it works like a charm.

[radlynx]

start disassembling it on a Friday evening so you have more time and patience in a Saturday for reassembly.

How long does this take to do average? Doing it on saturday wish me luck.. wanna know how much time i should play on putting away.

[MechEngg]

start disassembling it on a Friday evening so you have more time and patience in a Saturday for reassembly.

I have this down to around 3 hours for the whole thing including thermostat and housing.

If it is your first time you should plan to spend 8-10 hours on it

[bboy_jon]

^^^ What he said. Definitely took a while to figure everything out and its good to leave yourself plenty of time; this isnt the job that you want to rush.

[Shacho]

MechEgg,
I finally got around to tearing everything down again because of the cam positioning circuit code and the timing was off by ONE tooth. As I stated before, the engine ran perfect and had it not been for the code popping up...it would still be one tooth off. Re-timed engine again (dead-on) and now I can feel a slight increase in performance. Oh yeah, on the second time of tearing it down, it only took about 2.5~3 hours.

-Next-
Engine tune-up - I bought some Bosch plugs and later learn from the dealer that the 1.8T is not designed to run on these particular plugs. He (dealer) did try to sell me the recommended plugs (NGKs) at $17 dollars each. Gap

Once again, this thread (DIY) has saved me a lot of money that I use for other mods.

[MechEngg]

MechEgg,
I finally got around to tearing everything down again because of the cam positioning circuit code and the timing was off by ONE tooth. As I stated before, the engine ran perfect and had it not been for the code popping up...it would still be one tooth off. Re-timed engine again (dead-on) and now I can feel a slight increase in performance. Oh yeah, on the second time of tearing it down, it only took about 2.5~3 hours.

-Next-
Engine tune-up - I bought some Bosch plugs and later learn from the dealer that the 1.8T is not designed to run on these particular plugs. He (dealer) did try to sell me the recommended plugs (NGKs) at $17 dollars each. Gap

Once again, this thread (DIY) has saved me a lot of money that I use for other mods.

That sucks, at least this time you knew exactly what to do!

[EmKay IV]

^^^ what he said. You will NEED allen keys with the socket/ratchets since they are on there pretty good. Be very careful with them and make sure you seat them all the way because they are very easy to strip. If they do, go to lowes or home depot and buy a irwin bolt extractor kit (i think it was less than $20) and it works like a charm.

No harmonic balancer puller needed? Cause I know some cars that's the only way you'll give them off is with that special tool to pull it off.

[bboy_jon]

Nope. Its held on by four allen head/hex key type bolts.

[kdiver58]

I have to give some of you credit .. I have no idea how you get the motor mount out before you get the tensioner off. I have a scissor jack under the engine I jacked it up 2.5 inches .. Down a half inch it didn't matter .. I was bound and determined to get it out and video tape it with exact instructions. I failed miserably .. Once I took the tensioner off it was no problem .. I got the farthest by trying to go back towards the firewall but it got wedged every time. Epic Fail ...

[kdiver58]

I would encourage everyone and anyone to replace your own timing belt. It's not easy but it will save you a lot of money and you will know what you have in it. I found the last person who did mine put a cheap plastic impeller pump in when I had paid him to put in a metal one.
Here are a few things I will add that I feel will help anyone tackling this.
#1 CLEAN CLEAN CLEAN before you start



#2 My 2003 VW GTI 1.8t had a drain spout for coolant. I added a hose to the spout, twisted the knob and pulled it out and the water drained. Once it stopped draining I pressurized my reservoir with 5 PSI of air and blew out even more. I also used a turkey baster to get the last little bit out of the reservoir.



#3 Mark the timing belt, crank and cam pulleys like everyone has said. And transfer those marks to the new belt.



#4 Take everything apart like the OP says .. BTW the Harmonic balancer is a 6mm

Now this is the order of assembly that gave me the best results and worked the best for me.
#1 install the upper tensioner roller
#2 install the plunger part of the tensioner (DON'T PULL THE PIN)
#3 Lower the engine or raise it and put the motor mount in position
#4 install the water pump (the motor mount is much easier to install without the long snout of the water pump getting in the way)
#5 start putting the timing belt in place
#6 align the marks on the timing belt and the CRANK pulley once they are in the right location I folded plain old cardboard and wedged it in between the block and the timing belt to hold it in place.
#7 feed the timing belt around the tensioner pulleys and the water pump
#8 you may find that you can't get the belt on the cam gear to line up with the marks. DON'T sweat it . Put and wrench on the bolt in the center of the cam gear and rotate the cam gear slightly clockwise until your marks line up. Remember you can be a tooth off and the engine will still run. I'm just mentioning this to let you know you will be okay if you have to rotate a tooth or two distance wise to get your marks to line up.
#9 once the belt is on and your marks are lined up put a cable tie around the gear and belt to hold it in place.



#10 rotate the cam gear back in place
#11 bolt the motor mount in place
#12 CHECK ALL OF YOUR MARKS OVER AND OVER
Once you pull the pin make sure you cut the cable tie and remove the cardboard

[BoostedGLS0218]

So I just did my belt replacement earlier this week. It went great! And this guide definitely saved me a crap load of money. The whole thing took me about 8 hours and the hardest part was basically working with the bottom piece of the motor mount. It's hard as hell to get our or put back in and is typically always in the way so I had to constantly shift it around. Everything else was fairly easy as long as I took my time.

[mrpowerlines]

Awesome Write up!! thanks!!!!

[buddylight]

this has helped me so much this weekend replacing my water pump and belt. i wouldve been lost with out it

[Bruno Molly]

My Background..been working on my own cars for years...from Triumphs to BMW 12cyls, Volvo, Toyotas, Lex, Mazdas, american cars.. My most recent task was reassembling a Volvo S80 T6 I bout for pennies, and it has VVT..Never had to deal with variable timing procedures before but got it done on the 1st try. I have a shop in the back yard with a Lift..getting too old to be laying on my back working on stuff..so I bought one... NOW on to the meat...

Ok.. 01 Wolf, 1.8T
Car was overheating...top hose was Hot, Lower hose Cool as beans with Temp Gage almost pegged...Coolant was Gurgling in the Expansion Tank and running out a bit.. So we've begun the Tear down. Kinda glad it happened this way since it is my son's car, and it NEVER stays in the Driveway long enough for me to even remember what color it is... LSS, It has been plagued with the timing chain Rattle when it get hot for quite some time now.. I suspect from what I've been reading is that the plastic impeller is shot on the WP. So, New belt, Pump, Tensioner, and Timing CHAIN Actuator I have here in the box.. This was an excellent write up BTW and I have read most of the difficult tasks when it comes to reinstalling the new belt. I have the engine partially disassembled to where I need to mark the old belt, and Crank before I remove the belt... My thing is this:

1. Having lined up all the marks, most critical is the Crank mark...I used the spark plug removal method and watched the piston push the rod I used up to TDC as I do most logically designed cars... (The S80 was nowhere near logical)
2. Since I doing the CHAIN tensioner Also with the new Belt, I plan on Marking the Sprockets BEFORE I start to do the CHAIN Tensioner.. I don't want to get the Intake Cam out of position whatsoever... not sure if the 1.8T has any marking on the Intake Cam itself...so, unless recommended otherwise I will make my own reference marks..

my question is, should I remove both or just 1 of the Camshafts to change the CHAIN tensioner, THEN do the Timing Belt? Or should I do the Timing Belt 1st, THEN in the process change the CHAIN tensioner? I have a nice Write-up on doing the CHAIN tensioner but it was written in the context of NOT disturbing the timing Belt... mentioning the loosening of the Intake Cam Cam Stands in a certain order to gain enough slack in the chain to get the tensioner out... So should I go Balls out and just remove one of the Cams (preferably the Exhaust Cam since it has a dedicated mark reference) to get the CHAIN Tensioner out, Install the New one putting the Cam back in and lining the Marks....THEN do the Timing Belt last?.. Like I said, I'm not scared of work, I just want to do this most efficient way correctly. I've never had a mishap working on Engines that was in ERROR on my part...it was always a mechanical failure or using cheap @$$ed parts... So Hit me with Reality Experts! Thanks..sorry to be so wordy but It's the most thorough way I can explain it..

-=BM=-

[Billburt]

keeping this and sharing it in my DIY thread in case people don't know how to search

[speed69]

Quote, originally posted by Craig King »

How much would this ordinarily cost to get done at a dealership or garage?

dealer is around 500 for labor plus parts

Dealer quoted me $1200, so i took it somewhere else who did belt and water pump for $600

[Billburt]

Dealer quoted me $1200

sounds about right