snapped off timing belt without aligning camshafts...oops

[nefertitian]

i was replacing the timing belt on my 99 vw passat glx v6. most of the timing belt was torn and in shreds so I just snapped it off and remove the timing belt. Prior to removing the timing belt, the camshaft sprockets were so aligned that the smaller hole of the sprocket was facing upwards (both sides). the moment i snapped off the timing belt, the camshafts moved by a few degrees and now the smaller holes are a about five degrees away from the initial zero degree position. i also heard a metallic noise during this process.

did i just blow off my engine? how do i realign the camshafts? should i put in the new timing belt before realigning or realign before i put the new timing belt. and how would i realigin? move the camshafts and crankshafts independly?

any help much appreciated.

[MK3Strong]

hey buddy your ok so dont kill yourself over it. remember that your cam/s are basically spring loaded so when you removed the remains of your old belt you let the tension go from whatever valve was compressed( your ok ) you sould find a way to align all your timming marks as you install the belt. clamps with e rubber teeth like for wood work are great for this. place your crank at its proper position by turning it by hand you can do this if youve removed the spark plugs ( commpression) or put a socket on there with a breaker bar but remember to move in the tightening direction( or it will fly off when you start it) once youve done that place the belt on the crank pulley and use one of those clamps or an assistant. route th belt toward your 1st cam (iether one) and place that one at its correct position, then place the belt on it keeping it tight but not so much as to move the crank. then do the same for the next pulley. finish it off with adjusting your tensioner ( if required) and your set. the metal noise you heard migt have been a lifter or a valve closing or even a valve comming in contact with a piston ( dont worry that isnt enough force to damage iether) so if your having a real hard time placeing your timming marks into position try the other cam or make sure the cank is alligned. good luck

[nefertitian]

Thanks for the advice, a big relief. I'm going to start aligning the cams based on your instructions tomorrow. Hopefully all ends well.

By the way, you are basically saying I could move the cams independently of each other as long as the final positions match, correct? I"ve already removed the spark plugs.

[MK3Strong]

yes unless theres a chain or belt connecting the cams, you can move them independently. good luck let me know how it turns out and remember to turn the entire assembly over a few revolutions by hand and check the timming marks again for assurance.

[nefertitian]

hey mk3, i managed to align the crankshaft at tdc and the two camshafts aligned with the larger holes pointing to each other as the manual said. I also followed your instruction in routing the belt first to the crankshaft, and then to one of the cams and to the other cam and back to crankie.

Without any coolant or reconnecting anything else, i started the car and it won't start. i kept trying to start it (the timing belt was moving fine) and then oil started leaking in the middle (just behind the timing belt tensioner pulley). there was an emtpy hole just behind that pulley so i must have forgetten to put a bolt through or something. so i put back the bolt, and replaced the timing belt tensioner and then tried starting again. No luck, it just tries to start with a squeal but will not start. On the dashboard i see the oil pan sign flashing. After I put the bolt, oil was not leaking any more.

any clue where i might have messed up? thanks much. also much of the timing belt is covered in oil now (should i buy another timing belt or clean the greasy oil or just leave itbe?)

thanks much.

[badluckbandit]

clean it make sure ur timing is the way it was befor and put some more oil in it its low on oil so thats what the lights from some cars wont run with low oil a safty feature so u dont blow the motar

[MK3Strong]

ok this seems a little difficult. if im not mistaken you should have some kind of cam position sensor and if this engine has a distributor it might run off of the cranks position which means that you might have to time your distributor to the correct cylinder. look at the instructions for replacing the distributor, but i also recomend you lace the engine at tdc and check the timming marks again. but the guy above me was right about the low oil sensor so id make sure all the stuff is topped off b4 you try again

[nefertitian]

hi,

couldnt do it myself so i bought in a local mechanic. the engine still won't start, but cranks up just fine, and spark plugs work fine too. the mechanic told me there was no pressure in the fuel lines (i could see it as well as he tried to loosen some bolts and the fuel just dripped instead of gushing out). he ran some voltmeter tests, and there was no power to the oil pump sensor under the trunk. he checked the fuse for fuel around the dashboard and the voltmeter showed a reading of zero volts. remove the fuse,and the reading showed 4.2volts.

so apparently the power is not going to the fuel pumps (some security feature??). the mechanic couldnt figure out why its happening. any clue?

thanks in advance.

[nefertitian]

no luck with the fuel pump. i ran vag com diagnostics and obtianed the following readings:

VAG-COM Version: Release 409.1-US


Chassis Type: 3B - VW Passat B5
Scan: 01,02,03,08,15,16,17,19,35,36,37,46,55,56,57,58,76

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Address 01: Engine
Controller: 4D0 907 551 AH
Component: 2.8L V6/5V MOTR AT D04
Coding: 06151
Shop #: WSC 05311
No fault code found.
Readiness: 0110 1101

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Address 02: Auto Trans
Controller: 8D0 927 156 BR
Component: AG5 01V 2.8l5V USA 8511
Coding: 00000
Shop #: WSC 00000
1 Fault Found:
00526 - Brake Light Switch-F
27-00 - Implausible Signal

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Address 03: ABS Brakes
Controller: 8E0 614 111 C
Component: ABS/ASR 5.3 FRONT D10
Coding: 00003
Shop #: WSC 05314
No fault code found.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Address 08: Auto HVAC
Controller: 3B1 907 044 B
Component: CLIMATRONIC V 1.0.0
Coding: 05000
Shop #: WSC 05311
No fault code found.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Skipping Address 15-Airbags

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Address 17: Instruments
Controller: 3B1 919 930 G
Component: B5-KOMBIINSTR. VDO V01
Coding: 06262
Shop #: WSC 00000
No fault code found.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Address 36: Seat Mem. Drvr
Controller: 3B1 959 760 B
Component: Sitzverstellung FS 0001
7 Faults Found:
01008 - Note: Emergency OFF Switch is Active!
35-00 - -
00668 - Supply Voltage Terminal 30
06-10 - Signal too High - Intermittent
00668 - Supply Voltage Terminal 30
07-10 - Signal too Low - Intermittent
01328 - Convenience System Data Bus
35-10 - - - Intermittent
01329 - Convenience System Data Bus in Emergency Mode
35-10 - - - Intermittent
01330 - Central Control Module for Central Convenience (J393)
49-10 - No Communications - Intermittent
01331 - Door Control Module: Driver Side (J386)
49-10 - No Communications - Intermittent

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Address 46: Central Conv.
Controller: 1J0 959 799 AJ
Component: 65 Zentral-SG Komf. 0001
Coding: 04098
Shop #: WSC 05311
7 Faults Found:
01329 - Convenience System Data Bus in Emergency Mode
35-10 - - - Intermittent
01331 - Door Control Module: Driver Side (J386)
53-10 - Supply Voltage Too Low - Intermittent
00943 - Heated Exterior Mirror: Driver Side (Z4)
35-00 - -
01332 - Door Control Module: Passenger Side (J387)
53-10 - Supply Voltage Too Low - Intermittent
00944 - Heated Exterior Mirror: Passenger Side (Z5)
35-00 - -
01333 - Door Control Module: Rear Left (J38
53-10 - Supply Voltage Too Low - Intermittent
01334 - Door Control Module: Rear Right (J39
53-10 - Supply Voltage Too Low - Intermittent

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Address 56: Radio
Controller: 1J0 035 180 D
Component: RADIO 3CP 0001
Coding: 00401
Shop #: WSC 05311
No fault code found.

End --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

still stuck ....

[nefertitian]

sigh...will this never end??

i just replaced the spark plugs and noticed a lot of oil and carbon buildup on the tips oil and around the circumference of the plug. when i removed the old spark plugs originally just before i set to do the timing belt change, the spark plugs were in perfect condition.

My mechanic friend told me the fuel is not getting in. We checked the fuel injector electrical connectors and found positive voltage on both the terminal eds. the book says one has to have zero voltage.

sigh...