cambelt help....

[sciroccnoob]

Hi
I need some help

So set out to change my cambelt today, first time but have read through literally all of the forum posts about it on here and on various mk1 golf forums as well, and was sure that I could do it, famous last words...

I have run across some issues.. I forgot to mark the sprocket positions myself when i took the old one off! Which is exactly against all the advice from all of the forum posts. That being said there was previous marks so didn't feel the need to do it myself though I have attempted to line everything up using them but so far no cigar..

I have the haynes and it tells me to line up the groove on the back of my camshaft sprocket with the bolt on the top that I am fine with however the intermediate and crankshaft sprocket alignment describes aligning a dimple on the intermediate which I have, with a crankshaft V mark, which I do not have.
Camshaft groove aligned with bolt

Dimple on intermediate sprocket with previous owners mark, intermediate also has an O T mark? could the prev owners mark possibly be wrong and I am meant to use this? thought haynes says nothing about an O T mark

Crankshaft alignment marks, don't know how well it will come across but there isn't a V that I can see

Dizzy alignment for prev shown sprocket set up

Here is where slight confusion starts... O T mark, less confusion here as through my forum research its use not mark on the front use the back one which haynes agrees with

On the camshaft sprocket there is another dimple on the front which sits at this position with the groove aligned with the bolt


My question is what set of alignments are correct?
As I have no V mark on the crankshaft sprocket I have been using the prev owners marks but it seems they are incorrect...

Help please

Just in case I live in reading? If anybody lives in reading and can help then I can supply beer/coffee/food??

[james butler]

the cam has a dimple on the inside edge of the pulley that lines up with the front of the head.
the crank pulley mark/line is on the v pulley that bolts onto the crank sprocket. this intersects with the intermediate shaft when in the right place
the dizzy should have the rotor lined up with a notch in the dizzy body.
alternatively with the crank you can use the flywheel to line up at top dead centre as theres an O mark stamped in it that lines up with the hole in the top of the gearbox.
be careful turning anything with the belt off as you could hit a valve with a piston
cam pulley alignment https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=mk1+g ... qlE7AoJh0M:
crank pulley alignment https://www.google.co.uk/search?biw=124 ... 4-AgpIlQuM:

crank-flywheel alignment https://www.google.co.uk/search?biw=124 ... 2if0fCQ56M:

dizzy alignment https://www.google.co.uk/search?biw=124 ... 9sp9ZF2iIM:

[unknownmale]

The white mark on the cam pulley doesn't look right to me, it should be as James said a dimple.

[sciroccnoob]

Hmmm i think ill need to attempt to heath robinson the viewing port for the flywheel open as my v pulley has no marks that i could see will have another look though just in case.
And am i right in thinking i can take spark plugs out then use a long screwdriver or other implement to assure the no1 tdc?
Thanks for the assistance guys

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[blakey]

Ideally to ensure you're at TDC on number 1 cylinder (not no.3), remove the cam cover and check that the can lobes are pointing upwards on cylinder 1.

The markings/notch on my bottom pulley are very faint, so are hard to see.

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[sciroccnoob]

So took the rocker cover off, 100% cylinder 1, looking at the fly wheel its 100% tdc

As for the intermediate and the dizzy there is no marks or notches, from another post and seconded by a video they say have the rotor of the dizzy pointing towards the contact point of cylinder 1 spark plug, though this doesn't work either...

Anymore ideas guys? Im running out

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[blakey]

As long as the HT leads are fitted to the dizzy cap and haven't be moved, and as the cap can only be fitted in one position, mark the body of the dizzy for the No1 lead position. Then with cam and crank at TDC, carefully slacken the belt and rotate the intermediate shaft until the rotor arm points to the mark you made on the dizzy.
Recheck the cam and crank positions and set the belt tension. Manually wind the crank around twice, recheck all the positions. If they're correct, you're good to go.
You'll need to set your ignition timing with a strobe.

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[sciroccnoob]

So there was a mark but it was covered by the dust cover.
Car now runs! Though I cant go take it for a test as somebody has parked in front of my drive again!!!! It does seem like the timing is slightly off, idles with a rhythmic stuttery effect, though I have no strobe its on my to order list.

As I gently rev the car it doesn't seem to skip a beat as far as I can tell just when idling. I did hand crank it a couple times and the marks all aligned, so from my limited knowledge on this my guess would be the timing.

Does that sound like its just slightly out timing wise or could the belt still be out?

Thanks for all the assistance guys

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[blakey]

It does sound like the timing, you could carefully adjust the position of the dizzy to see if it improves, but it will need setting with a timing light either way. Glad to hear it's sorted, all good experience.

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[sciroccnoob]

So the cambelt/timing annoyance continues, my distributor is totally seized basically had the mounting nut out and the thing is stuck solid.

I am beginning to feel like my quest to save money and learn some skills was a stupid idea.

I've tried gentle leverage and tapping, penetrating oil, got the engine warm and tried all the above again.. still doesn't budge!

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[haddock_n_chips]

My dizzy appeared seized when the workshop was adjusting the timing once (luckily I work at said garage and was present at the time) Mechanic was whacking it away with a hammer/bar etc... Bloody thing would not budge!

So I walked over, placed both hands around the dizzy so that fingers pointing down and around the base, and wiggled.... just a wiggle, left, right etc. and eventually a wee bit of movement... then a bit more and finally it popped out

Sometimes a big hammer is the answer to everything, but sometimes a deft touch is required!

Not sure it''ll help you though but hey it was a nice story...! :-p

[mark1gls]

Good set of mole grips/locking pliers may also help....

[sciroccnoob]

Have been super busy so didn't get a chance to get back to this..
So the dizzy now moves, unfortunately it didn't sort anything..
I think I didn't have the belt tight enough between the sprockets and its a tooth out or so..
Haven't had a chance to have another go, so thats my task for tomorrow
Fingers crossed I'll be able to sort it... If not I think I may have to admit defeat and take it to a garage.
Doing my own work sounds good in theory, however..

[jpr1977]

Not much help now I know but... If you ever do this again, or anyone else is reading this an old trick i was shown to ensure nothing got out of alignment was to cut the belt in half (length wise)with a stanley knife gradually by turning over the engine by hand. Once the entire length of the belt is cut, release the tensioner, remove the outer half of the old belt, push on the new belt in its place, cut off the other old half belt push the rest of the belt on and tension up and nothing will of changed.

in relation to tdc an old engine builder i knew used to swear by a bit of straw as he didn't like sticking a bit of metal in the form of a screwdriver in the bore... Though I would of though a Golden Archers plastic straw would be the modern equivalent...

[sciroccnoob]

Oh man that would have been a smart thing to do...
Is through the bore more assured then the flywheel mark? I tried flywheel first time with no cigar so im wondering whether to try the bore straw technique this time

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