DIY: 2.0T FSI Timing Belt Replacement for GTI/A3/Jetta

[A41.8QTM]

I've done coil packs and cam followers as preventative. My clutch is fine for "normal" driving but I can make it let go if I try for the K04+. I'm on the fence about replacing it depending on how much longer I want to keep the car. I was set on a MK7 R but them bought a new house and finished paying off the MKV so...

 

[fastwire]

I will do the t-belt because I found a big water leak coming from the t-belt area.
I have a t-belt kit with me, ready to do this.

 

[fastwire]

Just did the t-belt.

thanks Zach L for this thread/DIY, and all the tips!

I have a few questions in the end of the post.


The 6 crank hex bolts were very easy to remove with the air "gun", but also I let them soak on WD40 overnight..
From all the steps the engine bracket was kinda "difficult" to remove because tight space. But there is a way moving the engine bracket that it cames out, it takes some minutes and tries to figure. But also I had to remove the cold air intake to rise the engine higher for this.
Then the plastic one piece cover, it was easy to remove, my mechanic just took it out. I was like wtf there's lot of talk on the forums about removing this and you just took it out.
The old waterpump was stuck in the block, it took some tries with a flat small screwdriver with cautions to remove it.

When installing the new belt, I marked only a teeth on the crank. But did marks to the belt before removal. I traspased the marks to the new belt, counting the number of teehts between cam/crank on the right side of the loop (56 teeths if I remember correctly).
Then I put the belt on the cam and tensioner with the upper mark spot on, and work it out till the crank. Then put lower belt mark on the crank mark spot on, it required some tightness to do this, but there was lots of water on the crank from the leaking previous waterpump, it went in smooth.

The reverse part of the job was straight forward, it took some movements on the engine to fit the motor mount to torque it.
The previous water came out dirty. I will flush it soon.
The car feels way smoother, I dont know if its placebo effect but it feels better.



The t-belt tensioner, I torqued it, tightened the nut and did the 2 crank revolutions, then looked at it and it always the mark kinda "moved" like a small mm or fraction, to one side. I re tighted the belt like 2 or 3 times and it always did this.
The belt feels tight amd with the little normal slack from previous belt.
Is this ok?

my mechanic insisted to use vaseline to lube the waterpump oring. Is that safe? it went in smooth and tight at same time thanks!

 

[obiwan kowalski]

Does anyone have the part number of the big cooling line that goes over the timing cover? I need to replace it due to the motor mount breaking off of the engine and making a hell of a mess, hence the timing belt replacement. Also, I cannot figure out how to remove that hose from the back of the motor. This is a nightmare. Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[Zach L]

Does anyone have the part number of the big cooling line that goes over the timing cover? I need to replace it due to the motor mount breaking off of the engine and making a hell of a mess, hence the timing belt replacement. Also, I cannot figure out how to remove that hose from the back of the motor. This is a nightmare. Any advice would be appreciated.

Sorry no one ever responded to this... hope it worked out!

 

[fastwire]

Does anyone have the part number of the big cooling line that goes over the timing cover? I need to replace it due to the motor mount breaking off of the engine and making a hell of a mess, hence the timing belt replacement. Also, I cannot figure out how to remove that hose from the back of the motor. This is a nightmare. Any advice would be appreciated.

are u doing it alone? thats a PITA for sure man. the help of a experienced mechanic is a must. Maybe try to find a local friendly mechanic that would allow you to "help" him out maybe for costs purposes. g/l

 

[gudenkau]

Awesome write up. Thank you. In the middle of the job took a break for the night. I have to say I hope someone reads the comments unlike me plenty of great advice on top of the write up like marking the teeth on the pulleys and the belt and transferring them over!

So in my infinite wisdom I marked my timing haphazardly thinking it would be hard to turn either the crank or the cam pully.

Two questions I hope someone can get back to me. First of all while doing the work at some point, after setting TDC (I'm assuming while raising and lowering the motor for the mount removal) My timing moved back a tooth while the old belt was still on. I marked AFTER, I was about to pull the belt off and marked then ND didn't check TDC. Is this a problem?

Basically my crank and cam are marked together in time but a tooth ahead of TDC. I am assuming if I can get it done and aligned together I'll be ok. I have marks on both pulleys so I just have to line them up.
Secondly, I have put the belt on twice going for a third time in the morning. You can see my marks a slightly off a hair. Both times two full rotations they ended the same. I'm going to attempt pulling the plugs tomorrow to release the pressure (rotating the crank the i get obvious compressions and the mark I have are getting pushed around by internal pressure, while I turn the motor a hair to line my marks it will jump a tiny bit forward or backward a hair due to pressure internally)

 

[gudenkau]

Or is there enough tolerance in timing on these cars that I don't have to worry (long shot I know but I could be lucky)

 

[Zach L]

From your pics it looks like you may be one tooth off on the cam gear but they're not really helpful since we don't have photos from before. Only you know how close they were. Next time when putting your pink marks, it's best to do them as far away from the center of the gear as possible. The farther out you go, the more accurate you can be.

On the crank sprocket, the gear mark is slightly AHEAD, but on the cam sprocket the gear mark is slightly BEHIND. That also suggests it being one tooth off.

 

[gudenkau]

Alright, having followed this thread to the t, I must say thank you as well. Took a combined total of 8 hours split between two days, mostly cleanup and set up and fighting with the stupid motor mount. It may have already been said in this thread but here are my two cents to add and help with.
Having a two piece timing cover with no cam chain access I think made it easier. I found it better to fight with the t20s I belive they were holding the cover on and get them all out with the motor mount un bolted but sitting in the same place and then removing the mount and the shroud at the same time. Then put it all back in the same way. A little Hassle but I didn't have to fit with the mount too much that way. Also, for removing and installing the belt tensioner for the accessories, that lower 13 mm sucks ass to get to, so I would definitely add to the tool list a box ended ratcheting 13 mm wrench (gear wrench from sears works, but don't try to break the bolt free or torque it down with the ratcheting part!)
Again I don't know if any one has said th as the before but pull the belt (you could also remove the crank pulley first to gain slightly more access but it doesn't matter and don't have to get out of order) then extend the tensioner all the way and slip on the ratcheting wrench from below (if by your self like I was also makes it easier to grab the tensioner with a 16 mm from below and see what I was doing) and loosen away! I spent damn near 30 minutes spinning the bolt out because if was by myself with no one to hold the wrench and under 3 putting it on like this (either leave the wrench on the bolt once removed and grab another 13 or if you have a bench vice which is what I did for install)

But again. God send to find these instructions.

 

[Zach L]

Glad to see you got it all worked out.

FYI you may have ruined your accessory belt tensioner because you did not use a nail to lock it in place. If you don't lock it, it will overextend and weakens the tensioner. Those are the directions and I even put a picture of the tensioner with the nail.

Also, if you lock the tensioner it will not block any bolts so it comes off quickly and easily.

See the nail...

]12) Disengage ribbed belt tensioner using open-ended wrench and nail. Remove ribbed belt.

 

[gudenkau]

Glad to see you got it all worked out.

FYI you may have ruined your accessory belt tensioner because you did not use a nail to lock it in place. If you don't lock it, it will overextend and weakens the tensioner. Those are the directions and I even put a picture of the tensioner with the nail.

Also, if you lock the tensioner it will not block any bolts so it comes off quickly and easily.

See the nail...

Didn't extend it past that point, just enough to slip it on, after breaking the bolt free without extending it. But I'll be sure to make sure it still tensioning,

 

[live4something]

Anyone ever have an issue with the tensioner getting stuck on the stud? The nut spins, the stud doesn't, yet it won't loosen or tighten.

Kind of at a loss...


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[Zach L]

If the nut is spinning counter clockwise but not backing off the stud, the threads on the stud are stripped.

Try using another nut out two to remove the stud from the engine. Screw on the new nuts then start backing off the inside nut until it hits the outside nut. Keep going and it should start spinning the stud out.

 

[live4something]

There are only two threads visible on the stud and the nut won't move in either direction...it just spins.

Do you know for sure the stud is threaded into the block? If so I'll use an extractor to get it out. Then run down to fastenal to grab another.

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