Tdi Pd Cam Belt Change

[tim-spam]

Having just completed a cambelt change on my 2002 Alhambra TDI, I found the job to be pretty straightforward, although there were a few fiddly bits:

- The access between the engine mounting bracket and the car body is tight, and the M10 bolts are 16mm across flats instead of the usual 17mm, so a good 16mm ring spanner or a shortened 16mm 3/8" drive socket make removing this much easier.

- The instructions in Elsawin for slackening the cambelt are wrong - follow the TIS instead.

- When setting the cambelt tensioner gap with a 4mm drill bit, try 3.5mm and 4.5mm drill bits as well - the 4mm drill bit should slide through, the 3.5mm drill bit should rattle a bit, and the 4.5mm drill bit should not pass through. In this way, you can be absolutely certain that the gap is spot on.

- Also, when tightening the tensioner nut, the gap tends to reduce, so it takes a few attempts at setting the gap too large so that it is correct when the nut is fully tightened - once you have got the 'feel' for this, it's not too difficult.

- The main problem I encountered was that the M8 allen screws holding the crank pulley had been rounded off slightly during the last cambelt change (spanner monkeys again!), and I had to drill 3 of them out - my local VW agent actually hold these in stock, so perhaps this is not such a rare occurence.

- When locking the crank and cam into their correct positions, I found that the cam timing was a little way out - now that I have completed the job, the slight hesitation around 2000rpm has completely disappeared, and the performance seems generally better.

 

For anyone else considering doing this job, make sure you have the correct engine locking tools and a good general tool kit, including a trolley jack to support the engine.

 

I hope the above comments help.

[Steveenduro]

I also had problems getting the crank pulley bolts out, though an inpact driver finally shifted them. I think they tend to round due to the high torque value on them. Next time I'll buy a new set before starting.

I also found it impossible to torque them back up to the correct value due to the crank turning.

 

Tim-spam, did you have any problems with the tensioner damper extending too far? I found that when the tension was released so that the locking plate could be moved, then the gap was pretty much ok. The TIS procedure suggests lots of clockwise movement to set the gap. This threw me and I ended up with a fully exteded damper which had to be removed, and it was a swine to push the damper piston back. I ended up changing mine, but made the same mistake again!

 

Good to see that there is some experience building on MkII cambelt changes.

[tim-spam]

You can stop the crank turning by selecting a gear (I selected 4th gear) - there is then absolutely no problem tightening the crank bolts to 10Nm + 90 degrees.

 

As regards the tensioner, I had no problems with it. After turning the tensioner cam anti-clockwise to remove the locking tool, I just turned it clockwise until I could insert the 4mm bar (supplied as part of the Sealey engine locking kit), and no further. Thank you for your comments though - I wondered what would happen if the tensioner was released, and now I know!

 

I managed to remove the engine mounting bracket without removing the lower charge air pipe, although getting it out from above was pretty tight - next time, I may remove the charge air pipe to make access better.

 

The really good thing about the way the cam belt installation is designed is how easy it is to actually put the belt on without it having to be maneouvred around any obstructions, and the best thing of all is that I now know that the job has been done absolutely correctly, and that the basic engine timing is now spot on - I've also saved not far short of

[raymac]

You can stop the crank turning by selecting a gear (I selected 4th gear) - there is then absolutely no problem tightening the crank bolts to 10Nm + 90 degrees.

 

As regards the tensioner, I had no problems with it. After turning the tensioner cam anti-clockwise to remove the locking tool, I just turned it clockwise until I could insert the 4mm bar (supplied as part of the Sealey engine locking kit), and no further. Thank you for your comments though - I wondered what would happen if the tensioner was released, and now I know!

 

I managed to remove the engine mounting bracket without removing the lower charge air pipe, although getting it out from above was pretty tight - next time, I may remove the charge air pipe to make access better.

 

The really good thing about the way the cam belt installation is designed is how easy it is to actually put the belt on without it having to be maneouvred around any obstructions, and the best thing of all is that I now know that the job has been done absolutely correctly, and that the basic engine timing is now spot on - I've also saved not far short of

[diffeyp]

Having just completed a cambelt change on my 2002 Alhambra TDI, I found the job to be pretty straightforward, although there were a few fiddly bits:

- The access between the engine mounting bracket and the car body is tight, and the M10 bolts are 16mm across flats instead of the usual 17mm, so a good 16mm ring spanner or a shortened 16mm 3/8" drive socket make removing this much easier.

- The instructions in Elsawin for slackening the cambelt are wrong - follow the TIS instead.

- When setting the cambelt tensioner gap with a 4mm drill bit, try 3.5mm and 4.5mm drill bits as well - the 4mm drill bit should slide through, the 3.5mm drill bit should rattle a bit, and the 4.5mm drill bit should not pass through. In this way, you can be absolutely certain that the gap is spot on.

- Also, when tightening the tensioner nut, the gap tends to reduce, so it takes a few attempts at setting the gap too large so that it is correct when the nut is fully tightened - once you have got the 'feel' for this, it's not too difficult.

- The main problem I encountered was that the M8 allen screws holding the crank pulley had been rounded off slightly during the last cambelt change (spanner monkeys again!), and I had to drill 3 of them out - my local VW agent actually hold these in stock, so perhaps this is not such a rare occurence.

- When locking the crank and cam into their correct positions, I found that the cam timing was a little way out - now that I have completed the job, the slight hesitation around 2000rpm has completely disappeared, and the performance seems generally better.

 

For anyone else considering doing this job, make sure you have the correct engine locking tools and a good general tool kit, including a trolley jack to support the engine.

 

I hope the above comments help.

[diffeyp]

Hi all

I have just changed the belt on my 2002 Galaxy tdi with hydraulic damper. I followed the various instructions right up to the re-tensioning bit.

Can someone explain exactly where the 4mm drill bit is supossed to go. I could not see anywhere on the tensioner that this could be iinserted.

I used a pair of 90 degree circlip pliers to turn the cam anti clockwise untill the belt tension was the same as the old one.

Can anyone please let me know what the correct procedure is.

Also I didn't touch the hydraulic damper - is this correct.

 

Thanks

 

paul

[Steveenduro]

The 4mm bit should slide in the gap between the body of the hydraulic damper and the steel lug of the rotational tensioner. Take a mirror and have a look around the back to clear it up. When the gap is acheived, nip up the tensioner nut. Tighten the camshaft pulley bolts, remove locking tools and turn crank twice in CW direction until everything lines up again. Then re-check the gap for 4mm. If it is out, insert tools, loosen tensioner bolt and re-adjust gap. Go around this loop until correct.