Setting engine to TDC

[Charlie191 10]

Hi guys,

 

I'm pretty new around here having only just picked up my new Corrado a few weeks ago.

 

I am attempting to get at the hydraulic tappets to clean them (engine ticks a bit) and I am following the Bentley manual. It says to set the engine to TDC but i cant see the sharp tooth on the flywheel and i cant get a good look at the crank shaft pulley without removing all the inner arch panels.

 

I have taken the cam cover off and was wandering if TDC was marked anywhere on the cam shafts or sprockets or chains. I guess the main thing is to maintain correct timing when removing the camshafts, it probably doesnt matter exactly where the engine is. Does anyone have any tips for maintaining cam timing when removing the shafts.

 

Also, just out of curiosity, is it safe to spin the engine using the hex on the cam shaft? It seems a bit wrong to me but spinning the engine using the crank pulley is a pain as my work space is very confined.

 

Thanks.

 

Charlie.

[Purple Tom 0]

What engine is it?

[Charlie191 10]

Oops, pretty obvious omission. Its a VR6 1993.

[Purple Tom 0]

I'm on my phone so can't write a long reply but the camshafts are slotted at the end opppsite the chains. The slots are offset so if you rotate the engine and set the slots horizontally you'll be able to tell what position the engine is at.

 

Hard to describe but if the lower edge of the slots are level with the upper face of the cylinder head then the engine is at TDC, if the lower edge of the slots are slightly lower (by 2-3mm) than the upper face of the head then the engine is 180 degrees out. You'll need a thin straight edge to tell for sure or even better one of the proper VR6 cam locking tools.

 

Don't rotate the engine using the camshafts, only turn it from the crank. I appreciate you're working in a tight space but if you get the O/S wheel and arch liners out then it'll make it much easier. Take the plugs out as well, that'll make the engine easy to rotate as there'll be no compression.

 

Tom

[Benjevw 10]

I don't remember having to remove the arch plastic! I removed the under tray that covers the aux belt and the crank pulley was visible!

Once I'd got to it I couldn't find any TDC marks on it anyway so just timed it to the camshaft like Tom said!

 

I used some coffee cup coasters to lock the cams the first time I did it but ended up buying the locking tool off eBay as it bolts down and doesn't move.

 

Good luck mate. Be interested to see how it goes as ill be doing this at some point :)

 

Ben

[Purple Tom 0]

Yeah, sorry, by the arch liner I meant the small piece that covers the auxiliary belt, PAS pump etc. Good luck with it anyway!