mk3 1.9 TD Head gasket

[thefoolmccool]

Hi,

There are small cut-outs on the crown of the pistons to allow for the valves to open correctly, don't worry abot these. If the valves had touched the pistons before you wolud know about it!!!

Before starting the car on the starter, turn the crankshaft using the bolt used earlier. You will soon find if the timing is correct without doing any damage. Remember to do two complete revolutions of the crankshaft (thats one of the camshaft). The only way to set the injection timing is with a DTI gauge. Expensive and complicated. If the injection timing is slightly wrong, you will notice a lack of power. This happened to me on the first engine, and I was able to adjust in small increments by trial and error (only on pulley with three adjusting bolts and only slight movement - 1/4 of a degree region).

If it is badly out, there will be a lot of white smoke, or the car simply won't start. Don't confuse this with air in the fuel system though, if you had the filter off, the only way to get around this is to have some one crank the starter and opeb the lower banjo bolt (19mm I think) on the pump.

But if the injection timing is all that is out, there should be no problems.

Having said that, it is the worst feeling in th eworld when you are siiting there ready to turn the key!!!!

Good-luck

Kev.

[ckelly0172]

Hi Adam,

Mines a TD, presume it would be the same then.. Didn;t think it was right!!!! I have turned the crank through a whole cycle and I can't hear anything catching or knocking. Can't finish it off til Thursday, just hope it runs, tho I won't be holding my breath!!!

On a different note, the missus Polo started acting up, does anyone know whatthe plug gaps should be for a 1993 1.05L Polo?

[ckelly0172]

Cheers Kev,

Can't see the injection been too far out as I did markup everything befroe removing the belt - well I hope so!!!! I'll be straight round to the pub if it starts and probably if it doesn't!!!

[ckelly0172]

Hi Kev,

Update on the Golf...
Finally got it all back together and started her up. Took a while but run smoothly...... for 2 minutes!!!!!
Then there was some rather loud knocking, so I turned it off straight away. I pesume this could be the pistons catching the valves??? Could it be the timing belt has slipped a notch?? I Did use a new tensioner and belt but I'm thinking now if it has slipped I may not have tensioned it correctly.
Would it have done irreverrsible damage????

[thefoolmccool]

HI,

What type of noise was this, was it a loud banging or a small high-pitched "pinging" noise??

Are you sure this wasn't something else, for example the timing belt covers.

Don't give up yet. I doubt the timing belt would jump a tooth if the car was just idiling, there is very little stress on the belt at this stage.

Did you check the correct tension of the belt, it should only be able to be turned 45 degrees at the run between the two top pulleys.

Try turning the engine again with a ratchet on the crankshaft and see if there is any interference. You may have been lucky even if the worst has happened.

Make sure there is no air in your fuel lines as well, this can cause banging and maybe some smoke.

Keep trying, you are nearly there.

[ckelly0172]

hi,
It was a loud banging and there was the correct tension between the cam and injector sprockets. What sort of tension should there be between the crank and tension pulley, should it be dead tight? Its just that when i initially turned the crank by hand after fitting hte belt there did seem to be a little slack between them.
Off work today so jsut about to go have a look!!
cheers.

[thefoolmccool]

The timing belt should not be slack at any point. I take it you took off the two pulleys, injection and cam shaft. These should not be tightened until the timing belt has been tensioned. Im sure you did this correctly.

Good luck.

[ckelly0172]

The belt had slipped, I don't think I had the tensioner in the right position tho i did tighten the cam sprocket after the tensioner but the injector was tightened before. Anyhow, redid the timing put the belt back on and did tension correctly. Went to start her up and got some bleedin scraping noise before the engine fired!!!! Turned the crank by hand and everything was smooth, so off with the head again...
Can't see any damage, the pistons move smoothly and so does the cam????
Going to take the sump off tomorrow to inspect the bottom end.
Would I be ok to to turn the engine over without the head on??? or would having the electrics disconnected cause a problem??
Thanks for your continued help.

[Marc97]

I wouldn't spin it over on the starter without the head on unless you like cleaning oil up.
I don't know of any reason why a slipped belt would cause any damage to the bottom end. If there is no new markings in the top of the pistons and all the valves appear to be OK you may have removed the head for nothing.
Could have been as simple as the starter motor stuck out or the clutch release bearing. How long has the car been stood for?

[ckelly0172]

Hi marc et al, there was definately metal on metal scraping, couldn't exactly detect where it was coming from as it didn't turn it over for long. The car hasn't beed stood too long. There was no scraping when i initially turned it over first time (before the belt slipped). While i've got the sump off and I' haven't got any auxilliaries running off it, if there's no damage to be seen, will i doo any damage turning it over for 5-10 secs?