Timing marks. abf

[danny_p]

this is getting puzzeling now.

timeing, spark is good by default as thats off the cranck
timeng belt has been checked and found good
timeing chain between cams hasnet been touched.

i'd say at this point take the plugs out and check the compression is good  ( should be but just incase ) and take the plugs out while your at it and give them a quick roasting with blowtorch  ( sounds daft but it's amazing the problems soaked plugs can cause ethen tho it probaly not that  it's easy to elimanate )   also double check the order of the HT leads round the dizzy cap or even better get someone else to do it.   should be 1342 anticlockwise looking at it iirc

if it still dosen't go it's electrical.   probaly worth checking

cranckshaft position,    you are getting spark so sounds like it working.
camshaft position,   it's in the distubutor looks like a normal dizzy connector   very worth double checking that it's connected securly  without it  the ecu dosent know  whitch cyl of the two coming up to tdc is on intake or compression, as it dose sequential injection that will upset it.
Throttel position, worth checking the connection on that's secure as well.

vac line to FPR  is allways a good one to check as well.

if it still won't  go get an OBD lead and soem pikey software and ask the ECU why it's throwing a fit

[sleeper16]

right will give them a looking over. like i say its baffling me as im getting spark and fuel and timings right so to me...it should run.


i have had throttle positioner off the TB.  and the dizzy plus was hanging off before but i fixed it and it ran after fixing. leads are in 1342 anti clockwise number one starting at bottom left if looking at the car from the front.


right so will clean plugs
double check ht leads
double check all vac lines especially the one to fpr
have a look at the dizzy plug make sure it was connected ill have a look inside to make sure a contacts not broken etc
ill check throttle positioner as well make sure the connections tight ill have a look in book make sure it went back together properly

ill leave compression till last as the tester i have wont go down the holes of a 16v my mates will but i dont want to bother him unless i have to as im always round robbing tools etc

[sleeper16]

right well. checked everything over and it all seems fine  did a compressions test and all were between90-120 psi so only 30 psi diffrence. which considering the adaptor i had to make so i could use my SOHC tester  kept blowing the compression past my hand i think is acceptable and also for the low readings. if nothing else is found ill go and borrow my mates DHOC tester and get the right readings.


put installed a fuel pressure gauge and thats fine so im really stuck now

its as if the timings out but every time i line the little  chunk out the flywheel up with the pointer, the cam mark lines up with the cover and the rotor arm lines up with the mark in the dizzy and its on number one spark plug.

but yet still wont start it had like a little like blowing sound  sorry cant think of the right word at the moment


the tps i have had this off but put it back on in the same position. just incase that has anything to do with it if it has to be re calibrated or some shiz...

[VeeDubGTI16v]

might be worth checking the keyway in the top pulley cos they can snap off. unlikely but worth checking

[sleeper16]

is it like a woodruff key?

the timing lines up everytime i check it even after turning it over etc it is allways lining up so therefore i think i can rule out,

Wrong no of teeth on belt
size of belt etc
crank and cam pulley movement


but i cant understand why if its getting spark and fuel and is timed why it is not running, everything must be working as the only way the ecu can stop it running is to either stop spark or fuel?


and if im getting both then theres nothing that can phsyically stop it from running other than timing?....i wish i had checked the flywheel mark before taking it to pieces

[danny_p]

if your unsue about the tdc matk on the flywheel  just use a ark welerd rod or simalar to feel where the piston is.   is not accurate enough to time the motor out but timeing marks are ether close enough or way out

[sleeper16]

so my crank should be at TDC when the cam pulley marks line up?


i did use a welding rod to check tdc and the mark on the flywheel was a bit out about 6degree past tdc (approxamitly same distance as the diamond put opposite direction)

[danny_p]

do you still have the abf cranckpully on the frount and cam belt cover, 

if you do there is a arrow on the lower cambelt gard and a notch in the acsessory belt pully,    line the notch up with the arrow  that is also TDC

[sleeper16]

right checked timing again and it lines up even with that arrow in the front so i decided i would try it 180 degrees out on the cam ie swap so number four was sparking instead of number one ...and still nothing

counted teeth on old and new belts and both have 151 teeth


i think timing is ruled out but it still does sound very timing like my fuel pressure is just below 4 bar i know not what its supposed to be but still sufficient


isv is good

all electrical connections are on and tight

vac hoses all seem to be ok i changed the one to ecu with some plastic type tubing just for now almost like washer jet tubing


is there any connections i can bridge in the TPS so i can rule this out? as i have had this off the throttle body

also any tests i can do on the dizzy plug?

[sleeper16]

right narrowed the problem down to the spark got a helper to turn it over and i held it against an earth now my spark as it is set up is terrible very very intermittent.

if i use a plug lead straight onto the coil and earth that then i get a good spark approx 6 or so spark a second (not accurate as my eyes are terrible)


so the issue is around the distributor either lack of contacts between rotor arm and points...not sure that will be it as the dizzy had not been removed while the head was off...


or an issue with the electronic ignition timing of the engine which i believe to be the more likely option
as the static timing is tdc of crank lined up with tdc mark on cam pulley and have checked this numerous times

now what would affect this and why is the ecu not sensing this and adjusting?



im going to check exhaust for leaks in case this is affecting the lambda probe

double check all intakes make sure all are tight etc


anything else i should look at?