Timing marks on 1.8 GTI

Probably covered before so sorry if it has but i am removing the cylinder head because there is an oil leak on the back corner.

Before i removed it I noticed the camshaft had tip ex marks on it but not on the proper timing marks so i lined them up before i was going to remove the belt but i noticed none of the others (crankshaft and intermediate) seemed to line up. In short i ignored tip ex and lined up the mark on the camshaft (the line in the inside of the sprocket to the cylinder) and because the belts still on, the crankshaft mark was at TDC (about 12 oclock) but the intermediate timing dot is 180 degrees out?!?!
Instead of the dot meeting up with slot in the crankshaft pulley its at the opposite side but the engine runs fine.

Can the intermediate be 180 out and still work fine

Ok, don't use the pulley timing marks for the intermediate shaft.

Crank at 0TDC by the finger on the clutch.
Cam shaft rear gear dimple even with the valve cover tin.
Distributor rotor in the middle of the Hash that is stamped on the side frame of the Dizzy housing.

The gassers are a non interference engine, so you can yank the head then re-align the marks at any time.

Diesels are a tad different.

Thanks Brian. The finger by the clutch? Is that the marking that can be seen through the top of the gearbox? So should i also ignore the slot cut into the crankshaft pulley then that lines with the arrow on the belt cover and go as you mentioned

I know which mark you mean on the distributor.

Im always a bit cautious when it comes to the timing. Sent my last golf to a mechanic after i replaced the head because i worried id get it wrong. Need to learn it properly

www.cabby-info.com

http://www.cabby-info.com/Files/AdjustingTheTiming.pdf

All the pictures you need.


The Crank Bell housing on a manual has a while or Green 27mm plastic cover, that you unscrew.
There you can see the finger.

On automatics there isn't a cover but a finger and a plate attached to the flex plate.

Some after market clutch kits are devoid of the 0 matk but have the 6btdc on it or vice-versa.

And you can break a timing belt on a gasser, and the engine will spin and spin but the cam and diz won't… with no damage

No so with a diesel…. You usually mushroom the pistons, and bend valves and break large chunks out of the head.

Head bolts are one time use only so either you will be buying new, or….buy an ARP stud kit, pricier but
re-usable.

Tp show you how bad it is, the other day I was re-timing my car by DVOM, and it sounded really sweet, but I wanted to Verify it with my timing light…
I forgot,,,,,,,, on Digis, you have to unplug the CTS sensor, Rev the engine 3 times above 3000k, hold the rpm at 2250 and then look at it with a light….. DOH…..

It had been about 5 years of setting with a DVOM that I forgot the old way I blame my CRS….

Probably first time in 5 years I had a helper….as well.

 

Great info mate. i had a look before and took the timing cover cap off and found the diamond shape marking. my mistake was i was matching the camshaft mark with the back of the cylinder head and not the front. Now i have the crankshaft pulley notch, flywheel mark and the camshaft marking all in the right places. I will tip ex them all so they are easier to see for future reference.

Thanks for the cabbyinfo link too