16V glowing manifold - turned out to be the cambelt pulley

[zacon 0]

I had a really unpleasant trip to the cinema today.

 

I've had some issues with hesitation on low engine speeds before. Often when the engine is cold, it has been hesitating on all speeds, in connection with high fuel consumption, according to the MFA. Today it started off like that, but got worse and worse. When I reached the movies I had been using twice as much fuel as usual according to MFA. The oil temp was also higher than usual.

 

On the way home it got really bad. I had a lot of backfireing, the engine got really hot, and the car almost didn't move forward at all. When I finally gave up and stopped by the road, the oil temprature was 110 degrees. I didn't think that was THAT bad, but when I popped the hood, the exhaust manifold was to my surprise glowing really bright. I shorted the radiator fan and waited for half an hour before starting again. When it finally started I soon realised it was no good, so I pushed the car to a decent place and hitchhiked my way home.

 

What should I do, please help!

 

It's a '92 2.0 16V (unmodified 9A engine)

[ben16v 0]

have a read through here mate

 

 

HTH

 

ben

 

EDIT: sorry, also try searching for `glowing AND manifold`

[zacon 0]

Could it be I have a knackered cat? I've noticed a ratteling, almost crackling sound coming at around 3500 RPM, but it always goes away completely at around 4500. That could also be something completely different, though.

 

I suppose I should also check the timing, the ECU vacuum line and for cracks in the exhaust manifold.

The problem I mentioned first, reminds me of this guys: http://the-corrado.net/.archive/forum/viewtopic.php?t=42514

 

Could any of these things account for the huge fuel consumption?

[zacon 0]

The catalytic converter seems to be fine - it says on the sticker that it was manufactured in july 2004. I can't see any signs of it being damaged. Also I hear nothing when I shake on it.

 

I took a picture of the lambda probe. Does it look alright? I did notice that it wasn't screwed properly into the cat, I could unscrew it with just my bare hands. I don't suppose that could've caused all these problems though.

 

Please give me some advice! I find it hard too believe that the cambelt slipped as it is good shape and tight on. The previous owner told me he had it replaced right before I bought it, and that's around a year ago. Also the problem came so gradually. The ignition distributor is secured properly too.

[zacon 0]

I refitted the cat and screwed in the lambda properly, but there's no change.

 

The car won't start at all. Well, I managed to get it running once, after trying a lot, but it wouldn't go over 500 RPM and sounded like it got far too much fuel.

 

I tried to unsuccessfully start it once, and I then took off the big pipe between the airfilter box and the throttle valve right afterwards. I noticed there were a lot of gas fumes in there. How the hell could that happen? I also tried to remove the air filter, too see if that made any difference, but it didn't.

 

I really wonder if bad timing could account for the large fuel consumption??

[sciroccotune 0]

are you sure that your timing is right?

[zacon 0]

I suppose I'm not, but since the cambelt is tight and nice and the distributor is secured, it wouldn't think it could have changed... I suppose I should check though. Another thing is that the problem and time reference frame was linear, ie. the problem came steadily gradually.

 

Also I never really checked the timing on any engine, so I'd have to read a bit I guess.

 

Do you know if bad timing would case the huge fuel consumption?

[zacon 0]

I guess I'll try to do a timing check according to potatonet's post in mistrall's thread first thing tomorrow.

[Crasher 3]

Coolant temp sender sounds suspect to me, have you done a fault code read?

[zacon 0]

No, but I know where it is, so I could just hook up a multimeter and check if it's working. Thanks.

[sciroccotune 0]

i would say that timing could indeed cause this. i remember a while ago i had my scirocco stor timing set wrong and the mani was red hot, the oil tmp was going crazy and the fan couldnt keep it cool. i realised my mistake set it right and all was well.

[zacon 0]

The temperature sensor seems to be working. The coolant is nearly 20 degrees, and therefor according to the characteristic for the sensor (at least the on in the G60) I should measure around 2 kiloohms, which I did.

 

I'm having trouble with matching my timing marks. I found this: http://volkswagen.msk.ru/engine/9a/9a_p ... g_belt.pdf . First I turned the crankshaft so that the mark on the camshaft pulley matched the mark on the cylinder head cover. I then looked at the flywheel ([4] in the guide), and to my surprise the TDC-mark wasn't there! The ignition rotor was pointing to the first cylinder though.

 

I got really unsure of where the timing mark on the crankshaft pulley should be aligned. Thing is, the mark was pointing at the belt when the camshaft mark was aligned. I tried to turn it to the mark between the distributor and belt (see attached picture) by turning clockwise, but the TDC mark on the flywheel was still not there.

 

Please help me!

[corradophil 3]

For crank position, take the bung out of the top of the bellhousing on the gearbox. There is an arrow on there at TDC, which when aligned with the small cast pointer in the hole in the bellhousing.

 

Do you have a Haynes manual for a Passat or Mk2 Golf GTI, it explains it reasonably clearly in there.

[zacon 0]

Yeah, I did that, there's supposed to be a little oval mark in the flywheel at TDC, but I couldn't find it. I don't have anyone to help me today either, so it'd be hard to spot. There's supposed to be possible to align it on the other end of the crankshaft aswell, making the mark on the flywheel show.

 

I'm afraid I don't have the Haynes book, it's really hard to find. All I have is the Bentley Corrado manual, but it doesn't cover the 9A engine.

[davidwort 0]

The temperature sensor seems to be working. The coolant is nearly 20 degrees, and therefor according to the characteristic for the sensor (at least the on in the G60) I should measure around 2 kiloohms, which I did.

 

I'm having trouble with matching my timing marks. I found this: http://volkswagen.msk.ru/engine/9a/9a_p ... g_belt.pdf . First I turned the crankshaft so that the mark on the camshaft pulley matched the mark on the cylinder head cover. I then looked at the flywheel ([4] in the guide), and to my surprise the TDC-mark wasn't there! The ignition rotor was pointing to the first cylinder though.

...

 

here we go 1.8, but 2.0 is basically same, note top pulley mark is 180 deg out, should be at top.

flywheel mark is shown, not the 6 deg mark that is also close to it, one is often marked with a '0'

[zacon 0]

Alright, the mark is on the lower cover I guess. Stupid me. I put the cover back on, and aligned the mark on the pulley to the mark on the cover. If this is right, then the belt must have slipped two notches, as it is now wrongly aligned at the camshaft pulley!

 

The mark on the flywheel is still nowhere to be seen though, I really can't understand why it's not showing. I guess I'll just have to search the whole flywheel.

 

How the belt could slip is also beyond me. I did notice that the tensioner looked older than the belt though, maybe it wasn't changed when the cambelt was.

 

About the pulley that goes to the rotor - how do I align that one?

[flusted 0]

Best bet would be to put a screwdriver down no1 cylinder and turn crank till the screwdriver is at tdc then check the flywheel

[zacon 0]

That's a really good idea, I'll give it a try. Still not sure about the distributor though.

[sciroccotune 0]

on the cam sprocket use the insude mark not the outer one. the inside should be level with the head surface at the front.

[zacon 0]

Should the tiny mark on the distributor body (red arrow) line up with the center of the rotor contact point (blue arrow) ?

 

If so that's really off too. On the picture I had the crankshaft pulley properly aligned. Well, I don't really know that I guess, since the TDC-mark on the flywheel isn't there.

 

I actually weren't able to get out the spark plug, so I couldn't use the screwdriver method. Better get a new plug key. I'm kinda struck here without the car working though. (I live deep into the spruce forest)

[zacon 0]

on the cam sprocket use the insude mark not the outer one. the inside should be level with the head surface at the front.

 

Yeah, it says it should align at the cam cover, is there a reason for not using the outer one? I couldn't see the inner mark actually, so I suppose I should either try harder or take of the cam cover.

[sciroccotune 0]

Yeah, it says it should align at the cam cover, is there a reason for not using the outer one? I couldn't see the inner mark actually, so I suppose I should either try harder or take of the cam cover.

 

 

im not sure, i think it aligns with a different place. if you align the cam sprocket the dizzy should be fine lined up with teh mark but you will probs have to check it with a timing light if it has been messed with. 6 degrees btdc is best for 2.0.

 

SO basically all you have to do is

 

1. line up the cam sprocket using the inner mark and the front surface of the head

 

2. line up the crank pully with the mark on the pully (aims upwards), the TDC MArk or bring the motor to tdc with something in the sparkplug hole as flusted says.

 

3. set the dizzy to its tdc mark by moving the houseing (2 bolts, one each side of the dizzy)

 

4. belt it all up. use 2 allen keys against each other to tension the pully.

 

start the bad boy and set ign. timing with a light - 6 degrees btdc

 

 

or something like that anyway, its late and im tired

 

hth

[zacon 0]

Alright, thanks. I suppose I'll just line up the crankshaft mark, camshaft mark and the blue arrow to the red arrow, start up and see what happens.

 

I'll try to find the inside mark and see if it differs from the outside mark.

 

Good night

[zacon 0]

I lined up the camshaft timing mark, took off the cambelt and turned the crankshaft slowly clockwise, and installed the belt again. I couldn't find the inner mark, but I'd be really surprised if it made any difference, as it says in the pdf that both would be good. The pulley marked AUX in the pdf does nothing? I thought that one went to the distributor as it does in the PG, but here the rotor was connected to the camshafts (I should've understood that.)

 

Still can't find the flywheel marks though.

 

I then tried starting the engine, but it didn't start. Not at all. I can smell gas in the exhaust stub, and the injectors are spraying. There's no spray pattern though, it's just spraying all the time apparently. Taking off the connectors on the fuel distributor made no difference.

 

I really wish I had a plug key that fitted now, so I could find out whether I have compression or not.

 

Is there any chance I've bent any valves? I moved the belt two notches. The weird thing is that the engine did start before I moved the belt, although it ran like shit and wouldn't rev up. I also took a lot of patience to start it. Now there's no way it's gonna start at all.

 

I'm actually really sure the belt is aligned right now, at least according to the pdf. Well, apart from that I can't find the flywheel marks.

 

The exhaust manifold doesn't get warm when I try to start the engine. It did before I moved the belt.

 

Help!

[sciroccotune 0]

the aux pulley drives the oil pump so it does not need to be lined up like it does on the 8v.