1.8t clacking noise

**j.johnson23** · 14-09-2012,06:08 PM

Hi,have just put cylinder head back on the passat but when it runs there is what i would call a clacking noise comming from the top end,there is also no power and it almost stalls when i try to drive it.It drove fine before the head was removed-head gasket had gone but it still had power and was near silent.
When i put the cams in i timed them so that the square cut outs in the cams lined up with the arrows on the rear cam bearings which i think is right looking at the haynes manual.
The only other thing that does not seem right is that the exhaust cam pully mark is just in front of cam cover mark when bottom pully is lined up with arrow on plastic timing cover.
Any help woud be gratefully recieved as i`m at my wits end trying to sort this out.
Engine is an APU code,car is 1999.

**Toonmania** · 14-09-2012,06:44 PM

It definitely sounds like it's not lined up properly somewhere very difficult to say without being there

**j.johnson23** · 15-09-2012,01:53 PM

I`m convinced that i`ve got the inlet cam timing wrong and really need a picture of the alignment.
Has anyone ever took a photo when they are lined up?
I have looked at the guides on a lot of forums but none of the pics are clear enough.
What confuses me the most is that the notch on exhaust cam sprocket does not line up with arrow on rear bearing housing when the pully is lined up with its cam cover mark.
Should the notches on cams line up precisely or is one of them supposed to be out slightly?
Sorry if I appear to be rambling but i`m losing sleep over this as I desperately need the car back on the road.

**j.johnson23** · 16-09-2012,07:31 AM

So I take it that no one has done one of these then?
What I would like to know is if the cambelt pulley marks line up when the notch in the exhaust cam is aligned with the arrow on the rear cam bearing.
Mine does not and i`m wondering if i`ve sheared the key of the pulley and its turned on the cam causing the timing to be out.

**zollaf** · 16-09-2012,08:39 AM

looking on autodata for you, both nothches line up with the marks on top of the bearing housings. the exhaust cam one is slightly offset. you should mark the chain before removal but there is 16 links between the timing marks. the cam and the chain are both set when at tdc on no. 1.

**Peter D** · 17-09-2012,04:25 PM

PM me or post up your email address and I'll send you a drawing.

Regards Peter

**j.johnson23** · 18-09-2012,04:39 PM

Finally cracked it.
The camshaft sprocket was on the wrong way round.I took it off weeks ago and did not mark it!
WARNING! There is a mark on both sides of the sprocket,you fit the side with NO WRITING ON IT so it is on the front of the engine.
This way the timing marks on both crank and camshaft line up when the notches in cams line up with arrows on rear cam bearings.
The other side advances the cam 2 teeth and makes the valves kiss the pistons.
I was lucky and it does not seem to have bent the valves but only time will tell.
MARK EVERYTHING BEFORE YOU TEAR THIS ENGINE DOWN ND I MEAN EVERYTHING.
God knows why they put a notch on both sides-probably to p*** off the poor diy er and get him to take it to a dealer and get ripped off.