VR6 Clutch and Timing Chains Replacement Part 2

From THE Corrado Forum Knowledge Base

2CC's CLUTCH AND TIMING CHAIN REPLACEMENT ON VR6 M151 GRP

This is continued from Part 1

Chain Replacement This bit is critical for correct timing. Recheck the crankshaft and cams are at TDC and the cam locks are in place. It may now be some days later after you've messed about doing other stuff, and you can never check this too many times! Decide which of the back plate timing marks you are going to use. Trust me here, it really does not matter which one. Temporarily engage the rear section of the intermediate sprocket with the spindle and then turn it until the timing marks are aligned in the position you have chosen (ie top or bottom). Remove the sprocket without turning it, the spindle will stay in position.

Oil the new chains (you know it makes sense).

Slot the simplex chain into the new lower guide rail and slide it onto its mounting pins whilst simultaneously engaging the chain on to the crankshaft teeth. Engage the rear sprocket in the chain and, keeping the front of the chain taut, ‘walk' the sprocket round on the chain tooth by tooth (if necessary) until the sprocket engages on the spindle. Your chosen timing marks should now be exactly aligned. I have positioned mine with the marks at the bottom. This is because you can then still see them when the duplex chain is fitted – it's your choice. This is what it should look like; no slack round the crank or the sprocket at the front.

Note: Perhaps also worth mentioning here that if you fit it with the marks at the top (as factory) you can just see them with the top chain cover removed. Might be useful if you want to change the cams and give yourself that extra feeling of confidence that the intermediate timing is spot on.

Now fit the new lower tensioner and screw in the bolts finger tight for the moment - I fitted new ones as they can get a bit chewed on removal. Remove the wire clip keeping it compressed. (If this comes out before you get it fitted the tensioner can be re-closed by depressing the ratchet with a small screwdriver in the hole indicated and squeezing it together).

Slide the new top tensioner on to its pivot pin, swing it up and hold it in position with a bit of sticky tape. Rest the new top guide rail on to its locating pin, taking care not to put pressure on the head gasket. Drape the new duplex chain across the cam sprockets leaving no slack between them. Engage the outer part of the intermediate sprocket in the chain and, keeping the front of the chain taut, ‘walk' it along the chain tooth by tooth until it engages with the rear sprocket. To make it slightly easier to fit the chain you can steal the little bit of play in the cam locks by using a 24mm spanner on the camshaft flats, or a 15mm spanner/socket on the sprocket bolt, to rock the cams slightly whilst doing this. You can see the gap on the locks here. And a little bit of slack in the front of my chain in this pic again; don't worry, trust me, there is not enough slack to let you go a link too far. Push the guide rail fully on to its locating pin and screw in the 2 x 13mm rail and 15mm sprocket bolts finger tight. Remove the bit of sticky tape and temporarily fit the top cover with a couple of bolts finger tight and screw in the new tensioner bolt enough to compress its internal spring but not enough to compress the copper sealing washer. Remove the cam locks and turn the engine using the crankshaft pulley bolt (clockwise) to check that everything rotates freely and is timed correctly. As we saw before, rotating the crankshaft one turn will rotate the cams half a turn when the slots should again be horizontal but the locks will not fit. Again, you can see the relative positions of the cam lobes.

Rotate the crank another turn to get it back to true TDC. The cam slots should be exactly horizontal and the locks able to fit. If not you have somehow managed to set the timing one or more teeth out and will have to recheck the preceding chain fitting procedures. If all is OK you can relax, feel chuffed with yourself, and go and have a brew.

Now you are suitably refreshed, refit the cam locks, remove the tensioner bolt and the top chain cover again. Tighten the lower tensioner bolts to 10 Nm. Remove the lower bolt from the top guide rail (there is minimal clearance with the chain so a thin walled socket is handy here), apply a little loctite to the threads and replace it. Tighten both the guide rail bolts to 20 Nm. Temporarily fit the flywheel again with a couple of the old bolts and lock the engine against rotation. Tighten the intermediate sprocket bolt to 100Nm. Remove the engine lock and flywheel. Note: By locking the crankshaft the tightening load is taken directly by the front part of the lower chain, this is OK. Do NOT try to use the cam locks to hold the engine as turning the bolt will put load on the un-tensioned rear of the duplex chain, which is NOT OK. This will produce some backward rotation of the intermediate spindle (and pull the crankshaft with it) before the rear of the duplex chain tightens, and you can see from pic

Don't rotate backwards!

that this would force the top tensioner rearwards and rip out the exposed head gasket – and we don't want to do that do we.

Now it's time to refit the lower chain cover. I fitted a new oil seal to mine though unfortunately didn't have the camera available, but changing it is easy. First look to see how the seal is seated in the cover, then supporting the cover on a couple of bits of wood knock it out using a flat punch (or similar) and hammer working round it a bit at a time. Take care not to damage the mating surface of the cover. Clean the cover and lightly oil the mating surface. Position the new seal making sure its lip has not been trapped then, using a piece of wood that spans the seal, tap it gently into place. The new seal is supplied with a cunning plastic surround that expands the lip so that it does not foul the crankshaft nose when refitting the cover to the engine; it works really well. Apply sealing compound sparingly to the mating surfaces of the cover and refit it to the engine, taking care not to damage the head gasket. Note: Do NOT apply sealant to the top edge which mates with the head gasket; a light smear of oil is appropriate. Tighten all the cover bolts to 10 Nm.

Similarly apply sealing compound to the top cover mating surfaces, but again not where it meets the head gasket. Note: Take care also not to get any sealant in or near the oil-way that pressurises the tensioner bolt. Tighten the two bolts joining the covers together to 25 Nm, and all the other cover bolts to 10 Nm.

Refit the tensioner bolt and tighten it to 30Nm.

Remove the cam locks and replace the cam cover, tightening the fixings to 10Nm.

Refit the flywheel, the TDC edge marking aligned with the timing mark on the chain cover, and secure it with the engine lock. Working from side to side, tighten the new bolts to 70Nm + 90 degrees (you will need an angle measurement tool for this). Remove the engine lock.

Refit ClutchRefit/replace the clutch friction plate and loosely screw the pressure plate in place to hold it roughly in position. Centralise the friction plate with a suitable size dowel (Yeah I know, I didn't measure it, sorry) and tighten the bolts to 20Nm, you can easily hold it against rotation with your hand for this. Note: Either I was incredibly accurate, or lucky, with this as my gearbox fitted first try. Or perhaps its been designed with a bit of ‘room for error'.

Refit Gearbox Either eat your spinach or rig up a support frame if you have one. This cost me £58.69 from Machine Mart but my back isn't what it used to be so I consider it money very well spent as it made the job really very easy. (I am happy to loan it out)

Position the gearbox on a trolley jack and lift it into approximate position as there is not that much height adjustment available on the support frame, then sling it from the frame. Note the final drive is uppermost initially in order to get it up over the sub-frame. It may sick up a bit of oil in this attitude, but I drained and refilled mine with Redline MT90 once it was in so I wasn't bothered. Now it's easy to jiggle it about and align it with the clutch. (A rope or strap would have been better as the chain tended to snag when rotating the box but it was all I had to hand at the time) Replace the gearbox to engine bolts, tighten to ?? NM ?? Refit the gearbox rear mounting and the bell housing end plate. Remove the support frame. Here you can see a coolant waterfall cascading from the transfer pipe as the weight caused the engine to tilt. At this point I decided to clean and repaint the front of the engine. I also replaced all the seals on the oil filter, cooler, crankshaft position sensor and knock sensor; also replaced the transfer pipe and the temperature sensor housing complete with new seals.

Now it's time to refit all the loose bits that you have either painstakingly cleaned in preparation, or left in a heap in the corner. So in true Haynes fashion, refitting is a reversal of the removal procedure but will vary depending on what you removed in the first place. Because I decided to remove the front from the car during the job, my rebuild is in a different order to the strip down, but in general it will include the following:

If you removed it, refit the passengers' side hub, steering tie rod, ABS connector and the brake calliper. Refit the drive shafts to the final drive couplings and tighten the bolts to 45Nm. Refit the clutch slave cylinder tightening the bolts to 25Nm (don't forget the cable support bracket like I did here).

Remove the bolt holding the release arm and refit the support bracket and gear linkages tightening to 25Nm. Refit the inlet manifold, and gasket, and tighten the bolts to 25Nm. Refit the earth wiring bracket to the rear tightening to 25Nm.

Refit the air-guide and air-box, the air inlet pipe to the throttle body and ISV.

Refit the pressure regulator. Refit the multi-plug bracket and wiring to the end of the engine. If you removed it, refit the temperature sensor housing tightening the bolts to 10Nm. Refit the auxiliary water pump and hoses and reconnect its wiring plug. Reconnect the 3 temperature sensor wiring plugs and refit the shroud. Refit the starter motor tightening to 60Nm. Reconnect its wiring tightening the solenoid nut to 15Nm. Refit the engine front mounting bracket and top part of the mounting tightening the bolts to 60Nm. Reconnect the various wiring plugs and clip up the cable tidies. Refit the top and bottom coolant hoses to the thermostat housing. If you removed it, refit the radiator support panel. If you removed them, reconnect the PAS hoses to the cooling pipe with suitable size hose clamps and tighten the mounting bolts to 10Nm. Refit the support bracket to the front of the gearbox tightening to 10Nm. If you removed it, refit the cross-member to align with the engine mounting. Refit the lower part of the engine mounting tightening the through bolt to 55Nm, and the cover cap tightening the nuts to 30Nm. Remove the jack from under the engine. Refit the coil-pack and its wiring connector and the cam position sensor connector. If you removed it, refit the fans and motor assembly to the radiator, mount it on the support frame and connect the top and bottom hoses to hold it in place. Reconnect the motor supply and radiator sensor wiring plugs. Refit the throttle cable. Refit the engine top covers tightening to 10Nm and refit the wiring connector, vacuum and coolant hoses to the end of the inlet manifold and secure the fuel lines at the air box end. Refit the spark plugs with a bit of copper ease on the threads to 30Nm and reconnect the leads. (You will notice that I forgot to fit the throttle cable so had to take the covers off again!) If you removed them, refit the radiator plastic side shrouds tightening to 10Nm.

If you removed them, refit the slam panel and the radiator top mountings tightening to 10Nm.

If you removed it, reconnect the bonnet release cable and test it a number of times to make sure that it works correctly before you shut it! If you removed it, refit the bumper tightening the bolts to 85Nm, and reconnect the fog and indicator lamps.

If you removed them, refit the shoulder bolts to secure the chin spoiler to the bracing strip and radiator support frame tightening to 2Nm. Refit the inner wing panels (the small panel by the crankshaft pulley must be fitted first) and corner shrouds tightening the screws to 1.5Nm. Refit and reconnect the headlamps and replace the plastic back panel on the driver's side. Refit the grille. Put the wheels back on, put her back on the floor and fully tighten the wheel nuts (torque varies with wheels). Undo the hose from the top of the radiator and, with the header tank cap removed, use it as a funnel to refill the engine with new "G12 plus" coolant. Give the other hoses a squeeze to help expel any air in the system as it fills. When it overflows, reconnect the top hose to the radiator. Note: Don't fill it at the header tank initialy as that will often result in air being trapped in the system, but top up there later. This may cause: poor heater; unusual temperature readouts; engine overheating. Refit the engine multi plug and the wiring connector to the top of the gearbox (if you forget this you will have no speedometer, mpg, miles run or mph readouts). Refit and reconnect the battery and re-code and disarm the alarm. Turn the key and love that sound as she comes to life again. While she warms up, re-enter your radio code. Top up the coolant at the header tank and fit the cap. Check for leaks. If you took the hub off you will need to have the camber angle and tracking re-set. Now go out and enjoy yourself after a job well done.

Bumper Removal You don't have to remove the indicator or fog lamps do this but I thought it might be useful to say how. Stick the end of a flat blade screwdriver between the indicator and fog lenses and gently lever the indicator lamp forwards; once its popped free you can then pull the outer end free from its fixing point. This car has the later style bumper where the mounting panel for both lamps is held in with 4 self tapping screws

Undo the Phillips screws and remove the two plastic splash guards (one each side) from the outer underside of the bumper. Undo the mix of Phillips and 8mm hex head screws and remove the plastic inner liners from both wings. Remove the remaining plastic panel from the driver's wheel arch (Philips and hex again). Disconnect the wiring connectors for both fog and indicator lamps, they live in the space behind the headlamps, and drop the wiring down through the inner wing panel so it hangs loose behind the bumper. Remove the 5 x 10mm shoulder bolts securing the rear of the chin spoiler to the radiator support panel. The strip bracket is held onto the support panel with some sort of sticky clips but I took mine off to get it painted.

Remove the 4 x 17mm securing bolts, two on each side A, from underside of bumper. Do NOT remove the two smaller bolts, one each side B, which are situated between them; these secure the front cross-member which supports the engine.

The bumper then pulls forward and away from the car. The bumper mounting brackets slide into the chassis members on each side, and the outer parts mate with this bracket. Note : Do NOT attempt to drive the car for any reason with the bumper removed – it is a structural member.

Slam Panel Removal Remove the headlamps and grille. Remove the two Philips screws on top of the slam panel A and loosen the one through the hole in top of slam panel B pull the lamp forward and disconnect the plug.

Remove the Bumper as described elsewhere. If fitted, disconnect the wiring from the alarm pressel switch on the slam panel. Loosen the locking screw from the end of the bonnet release cable and remove the outer sheath and guide tubes, noting how they fit. Route the cable inner out of the way to prevent damage/kinking. Remove the 2 x 10mm radiator top bracket fixing bolts and pull the brackets up and away; these will often be seized in the top of the radiator and may need a bit of help with some WD40 and levering with a screwdriver. , , , Remove the 14 x 10mm fixing bolts, six each side and two at lower centre, and remove the slam panel. To remove the radiator plastic side shrouds, undo the 2 x 10mm screws on each side of the radiator (driver's side on rear, passenger's side on front), and the 2 x Phillips screws on each side of the radiator support panel. , Cross-member Removal Support the engine. If you are removing the gearbox then a trolley-jack with a bit of wood in the ‘high' part of the sump works well, if not then under the gearbox is good because it is a solid casting. You can either remove the 16mm engine front mounting bolt from on top (difficult to get at with the front in situ) or, easy to get at, the M8 hex head screw from beneath. This screws the lower mounting bush to the upper bush. The lower bush may be removed from the cross-member by undoing the 3 x 13mm nuts and removing the cover. Remove the 2 x 17mm bumper bolts A and then remove the 1 x 13mm bolts B from each side and the cross-member will drop on your head. Here it is off the car and all shiny after painting

Radiator Support Panel Removal Remove the Bumper. Remove the Cross-member. Remove the Slam Panel. Drain the radiator and disconnect the hoses. Disconnect the radiator fan motor supply plug and temp sensor connector from lower left side. The radiator, complete with fans, motor and mounting frame, will now just be sitting on its support panel and can be lifted away (don't lose the rubber mounting washers from the end locating pins underneath). Cut the one time clips from the PS hoses where the link pipe passes through the panel (yeah, great design that, and buy some decent jubilee clips for later), but be careful not to damage the hoses or the link pipe. Catch the escaping fluid and dispose of it in an environmentally friendly manner. Note : Mine dropped less than half a litre so the reservoir was easy to top up later; I've heard some people's reservoir drained right out. When the system is re-sealed just re-fill the reservoir, run the engine and work the steering lock to lock till the level stays constant (it will drop as the system fills up) and the pump runs quietly (indicates all the air has been displaced). Top up the correct level and replace the cap. I ran mine while it was on the axle stands to take the load off. Remove the 1 x 17mm bolts from each side and the panel will fall off.

Here it is off the car and all shiny after painting Note : I believe some have managed to remove the fans and then the radiator with the slam panel in situ, though you will have to remove the bumper in order to remove the fan side shrouds. I tried it but without success, the slam panel has to be loosened first. Also, not possible if you have air con (which I don't) as I believe it fills up this space. The radiator will however come out of a 16V without removing the slam panel.

VAG Part Name	Description	Part Number	Price ex VAT
Switch	?	05691908E	£7.63
Connector	VR6 plug lead  tool	T10029	£16.80
Coolant	engine coolant 1 1/2 ltr (2)	G012A8FM1	£5.35
Guide	upper timing chain guide rail	21109513	£7.59
Guide	lower timing chain guide rail	21109469	£2.80
Repair Kit	crank/lower timing case oil seal	68198171	£24.66
Tensioner	Golf Mk4 top pad	021109509E	£6.79
Bolt	tensioner for Golf Mk4 top pad	021109507B	£22.51
Rub/Mount	engine-g/box mounting	3A0199402	£41.28
Rubr Mount	engine-driver side mounting	1H0199262K	£54.21
Washer	temp sensor block water seal	021121119A	£2.21
O-Ring	temp sensor block water seal	N10139201	£1.79
Mounting	aux water pump rubber mounting	066959209	£2.53
Mounting	aux water pump rubber mounting	035959209E	£2.53
Hex Bolt	dipstick tube fixing	N01021527	£0.22
Spring	clutch release arm retaining	12141741	£0.36
Lever	clutch release arm	02J141719B	£9.67
Mounting	engine front mounting	1H0199609K	£47.23
Chain	lower timing chain  - simplex	021109465B	£29.27
Seal Paste	casing sealant	AMV18800102	£34.25
Screw	g/box engine mounting fixing	N10241603	£0.92
Tensioner	lower timing chain tensioner	21109467	£19.93
Screw	flywheel fixing bolts (10)	N90539801	£0.82
Ball Pin	clutch release arm pivot pin	02A141777	£2.26
Chain	upper timing chain - duplex	021109503A	£59.18
7307725 Clutch	clutch kit; p/plate, f/plate, release bearing	021198141AX	£120.00
Gasket	oil cooler seal	38117070	£2.17
Bolt	lower timing chain tensioner fixing (2)	N9053501	£0.14
Gasket	oil filter housing seal	021115446A	£5.41
Bracket	radiator mounting	535121267D	£2.57
Bracket	radiator mounting	535121267E	£2.57
Spacer	radiator mounting (2)	535121276C	£8.16
Rubber Mtg	radiator mounting (2)	535121275	£2.48
Hex Bolt	radiator mounting (2)	N01021527	£0.23
Bolt	front bumper fixing(4)	N90305901	£1.81
Screw	front crossmember fixing (2)	N0195461	£0.42
Bolt	chin spoiler fixing	N90433801	£1.62
Rubber Brg	front crossmember mounting (4)	191199233	£3.37
Guide Ring	rad fan surrounds	357121210	£6.33
Seal Paste	oil cooler seal	038117070A	£2.57
Oil	pas fluid	G002000	£6.49
Waterpipe	coolant transfer pipe	021121050C	£14.51
Washer	coolant transfer pipe o ring	21906445	£1.18
Housing	eng temp sensor block	021121117A	£22.30
Seal	thermostat adaptor water seal	N90136802	£2.16
O Ring	transfer pipe outlet adaptor water seal	N10139201	£1.49
Adaptor	thermostat adaptor	021121121A	£9.42
Adaptor	transfer pipe outlet adaptor	021121133D	£9.42
Bolt	housing fixings	N0147035	£0.45
Washer	crankshaft position sensor oil seal	21906445	£1.18
Pressure Regulator	inlet manifold pressure regulator – get this from Ford for a V6 Galaxy	Ford 7364573	£18.41

You can also Download the parts list as a Word doc.

As you can see I rather went to town once I'd started, but got the VAT off as discount. Another £100 or so for powder coating brings it to a Total £749.65

General Tools Required

• Sockets, T-Bar, (Ratchet useful) 8 to 19mm, 27mm. A thin walled 13mm socket will be useful.
• Spanners, Ring & Open 8 to 19mm, 27mm
• 17mm hex drive (Gearbox plug)
• Hex and Spline drive Set (Sealey AK219 is a good one)
• Hose clamp pliers (Sealey VS166)
• Hammers
• Straight drift
• Screwdrivers
• Torque wrenches
• Angle Gauge (Sealey VS531)
• Jacks
• Axle stands
• Gearbox support frame (optional, Machine Mart, Clarke CEC300)
• Bits of wood
• Degreaser
• Cleaning Paper/Cloths
• Power drill, bits, files
• Wire brushes

Engine Locking Tool

• 4mm thick steel bar cut and drilled to suit.
• 1 x 8mm nut & bolt.
• M12 studding bar cut to suit.
• 8 x M12 hex nuts.

I cut the steel bar to the lengths shown; these are not critical but work fine at these dims. Then I drilled 12mm clearance holes at the ends. I cut the studding bar to give two 130mm lengths and locked two nuts together on each to give 15mm of thread to screw in and lock to the engine block. I slid the shorter bar on to the front bolt, checked the engine was at TDC, and cut and filed the notch/tooth to give an accurate fit into the starter ring. Then I slid the longer bar onto the rear bolt and temporarily clamped the bars together, then removed them and drilled the pivot hole through them (still clamped). When assembled on the engine as shown and with the pivot bolt also tightened this completely locks the flywheel with no possibility of it moving.

,