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SOHC Camshaft Timing Alignment Problem


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Hi, just got the car and decided to replace the cam, oil pump seals, TB, WP, idler bearings & Tensioner pulley.

Aligned timing marks before disassembly and as soon as I removed the TB, the right camshaft sprocket turned clockwise out of alignment.

 

It easily can be hand turned 40 degrees in the same direction (CW) that it went out of alignment, till pressure starts building, but when turned back the other way (CCW) to set it to the mark it just springs back the same way (CW).

 

Is this normal and if so how do I align it. Never worked on an engine with rocker arms before

 

Posted this on Legacy central but got no responses, so I just registered here and hope to get some help. Thanks in advance !!!

 

_________________

This question is answered in this very thread. Keep your head on a swivel. Someone is gonna slap you with the Search Stick.

 

92 LSST. 84 Jetta Coupe. 99 A4 Avant.

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Oh, and before I started the work I did a Compression test and on cylinders 1&3 it was 142 PSI and the plugs had a oilly/gas like mixture on them. 2&4 had 148 PSI and were clean & dry.

 

Haynes said the specs should be between 142-170 PSI.

 

A worn cam lobe ?

 

I can't believe you have to remove the head to take out the camshaft. I assume you can remove the VC & rocker assembly to inspect the camshaft ?

 

Im just staring at this thing not knowing what to do, replying to my own thread, LOL. PLEASE HELP !!!

 

These rocker arms are scaring me and now I really want DOHC heads To bad the heads would probably be worth more than the car.

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Make sure the crank mark is set. Then you should't hurt the cams on either head by turning it.

 

Yes the drivers side is under load. I have clamps that look like pliers - 3 of them. One goes on the splined pulley on the crank to hold the belt aligned there, the other 2 on the cam sprockets with the belt aligned on those sprockets. Helps to get the belt on and keep things aligned. This way you can install the belt WITHOUT the drivers side cam right at the top where it wants to roll on you since you've "pinched" the belt to the cam sprocket.

 

Often I leave off the bottom idler until I et the belt on.

 

DOTS AND DASHES!!!! Not arrows, etc or you'll screw yourself.

 

Poke around here. Lots of good writeups and links.

 

Gotta run.

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Hi, Engine is a EJ22T so at least it's not an interference motor.

 

And when I said right side, I meant passenger side since the manual describes the motor as if your inside the vehicle , as well as the cam pulleys are marked that way.

 

I am using the rear cover notches and the marks I made when I aligned TDC with the crank before removing the belt ( which are not the factory scribes on the front, those lines were off TDC )

Edited by CFK
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So just line that one up on the crank sprocket to oil pump mark, then what about the cam pulleys ?

 

I just slid the crankshaft sprocket back on keeping in mind that I have not moved the crankshaft since removing the belt and somebody previously had used the arrow on the front and aligned it with the hash on the oil pump.

 

I guess that would explain somebody making there own scribe and notch marks on the cam and crankshaft pulleys, since the factory marks weren't used ?

Edited by CFK
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Crank sprocket only goes on one way, aligned by keyway and woodruff key. Cam pulleys line up with small hash mark on front of rim to notch on TB rear cover.

 

Try a search on here--there are tons of posts on TB replacement, some with pix.

 

Good luck.

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I know they can only go on one way , but what im saying if that the previous owner used the arrow on the front of the crank sprocket to align it with the oil pump instead of the proper hash mark and they thought that was TDC and made there own marks on the cam and crank pulleys. Wrong

 

Therefore confusing the *************** out off me, now that I realigned all of the proper factory markings the cam pulley sits aligned just fine.

 

So basically I shouldn't have gone off marks that someone had previously made and just re-set them to the factory marks :banghead:

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Well, now that I got that confusion sorted it was extremely easy to put the rest back together.

 

Only 1 more ?

 

I couldn't remember ever taking off a timing belt guide, don't think I lost one. Are those only on the later or 2.5 motors ?

 

Thanks.

 

Reid.

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Ya, I fired it up. Only for a few more seconds than I should of since I realized I had drained the oil last friday !!! :eek: Got a little to eager to fire her up.

 

Other than that Im gonna celebrate with a few cold ones :drunk:

 

There is this one bracket that left over ( don't ya love that ) that I thought was for the alternator, but I think it's from around the cam housing ?

 

I really hope it didn't sandwich between the block and housing or something stupid like that. On second thought maybe I won't be getting any sleep :confused:

 

I'll load to flickr...................................

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Ya , at first I thought it was from up top until I got there, whoops.

 

As long as I can put it back on without removing the TB. Hope so. oh, well, won't take to long.........................:banghead:

 

I just wish I had all the correct parts, seals and O-ring instead of having to run and get a different thing everyday. Next thing you know it's a week later and I can't remember where everything goes :(

 

Thanks for everybody's help. This is a great site with much knowledge.

 

Reid.

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