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I am in the process of changing my timing belt. In fact, I’m really almost done. I took the old belt off and started routing the new belt. However, I can’t get it on because I can’t loosen the tensioner. If you’re wondering how I got the old belt off without using the tensioner, I actually just took off the tensioner pulley. It was pretty easy. Now that I got it back on, there is no more play with the belt and I have no choice but to loosen the tensioner. I know there is oil pressure and you have to move the tensioner slowly, but I can only lossen the tension about 1/4″. Not enough to get the whole belt on. I have the belt installed like 98%. It’s on the crankshaft, it’s on the left camshaft, and it’s on the routing pulleys. I have it on the right camshaft as much as possible and tried to loosen the tension, but it’s a no go. I’m stumped. somebody please help. I have a 2005 VW Touareg V8 4.2L DOHC. All I need to do is get the belt on and I’m basically done.
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Quoted From 3SheetsDiesel:
Based on what you’re describing, that tensioner is what I refer to as a “grenade pin” type. It’s got a little piston growing out of the top of it which has a little hole in it, which needs to line up with a matching hole in the body of the tensioner. What you’re going to need to do is get a little drill bit, or a little allen key, or something along those lines that will fit in that hole to hold the piston down. The way you get the piston compressed is to use a vise and slowly squeeze the piston back into the tensioner until the holes line up, then stick your retaining device (the drill bit/allen key/etc) through the holes to hold the piston down. Then, bolt the tensioner back onto the engine, route the belt and then pull the retaining device back out, letting the piston come free and adding tension back onto the belt.
Admittedly, I’ve never seen your engines timing setup with my own eyes, I’m just giving you advice based upon what you’re describing, it’s possible I’m wrong.
Thanks 3sheets. I’m really not looking forward to taking it out, but I guess I gotta do it. I’m really dreading doing this. I actually figured that’s what I had to do, but I wanted to see if there was an alternative. If there is another way, somebody please come forward. Anyway, I’m gonna get started on taking it out. I hate my life.
Quoted From EndSupremacy:
Thanks 3sheets. I’m really not looking forward to taking it out, but I guess I gotta do it. I’m really dreading doing this. I actually figured that’s what I had to do, but I wanted to see if there was an alternative. If there is another way, somebody please come forward. Anyway, I’m gonna get started on taking it out. I hate my life.
OK. I went to go and do it and I just can’t get it done. I am going to try to enlist the help of my uncle because this is turning out to be a 2 man job.
Most hydraulic tensioners need to be removed and compressed before installing them as has been suggested. You might do well to see if you can track down the service procedure for your application as there could be some special procedure that needs to be performed in order to install the belt correctly, too many expensive parts that could get ruined not to at least take that step.
Based on what you’re describing, that tensioner is what I refer to as a “grenade pin” type. It’s got a little piston growing out of the top of it which has a little hole in it, which needs to line up with a matching hole in the body of the tensioner. What you’re going to need to do is get a little drill bit, or a little allen key, or something along those lines that will fit in that hole to hold the piston down. The way you get the piston compressed is to use a vise and slowly squeeze the piston back into the tensioner until the holes line up, then stick your retaining device (the drill bit/allen key/etc) through the holes to hold the piston down. Then, bolt the tensioner back onto the engine, route the belt and then pull the retaining device back out, letting the piston come free and adding tension back onto the belt.
Admittedly, I’ve never seen your engines timing setup with my own eyes, I’m just giving you advice based upon what you’re describing, it’s possible I’m wrong.
Quoted From EricTheCarGuy:
Most hydraulic tensioners need to be removed and compressed before installing them as has been suggested. You might do well to see if you can track down the service procedure for your application as there could be some special procedure that needs to be performed in order to install the belt correctly, too many expensive parts that could get ruined not to at least take that step.
I actually have the whole procedure printed out from AllData. They say to leave it in there and press the piston down with the tensioner. They obviously haven’t tried to do it themselves, otherwise they would have realized you need to take it out. Also, there is a guard that they do tell you to take out. However, when I try to take it out, there is one bolt that I can’t take out because it wedges itself onto something else. So…what I’m going to do is sand or grind down the housing that’s in the way, just enough so I can take the bolt out and then the rest is all mine. Thanks everyone for your input. I appreciate it. Stay dirty everyone!
Quoted From EndSupremacy:
I actually have the whole procedure printed out from AllData. They say to leave it in there and press the piston down with the tensioner. They obviously haven’t tried to do it themselves, otherwise they would have realized you need to take it out. Also, there is a guard that they do tell you to take out. However, when I try to take it out, there is one bolt that I can’t take out because it wedges itself onto something else. So…what I’m going to do is sand or grind down the housing that’s in the way, just enough so I can take the bolt out and then the rest is all mine. Thanks everyone for your input. I appreciate it. Stay dirty everyone!
If we had year,make,model and engine size would really help others help you with some first hand knowledge and not some guess of what style tensioner you have!
Quoted From jacobnbr1:
If we had year,make,model and engine size would really help others help you with some first hand knowledge and not some guess of what style tensioner you have!
I did list the year, make, model, and engine in my original post.
Quoted From EndSupremacy:
I did list the year, make, model, and engine in my original post.
Just so you don’t make the people trying to help you go hunting down to the bottom of your original post to find the requested info, I put it here:
2005 VW Touareg V8 4.2L DOHC.
3-Pc. Locking Pin Set
AST tool# T 40011
3 Piece locking pin set used to lock the timing belt tensioner while relieving pressure from the belt. Applicable: VW/Audi 3.0L V6(5V), some 1.8L 4 Cyl 5V turbo and 4.2L V8 5V with timing belt.
[ul]
- Used to Lock the Timing Belt Tensioner While Relieving Pressure from the Belt
[li]The toothed belt tensioner is oil-dampened. Therefore it can only be compressed slowly.
My life just keeps getting better. I did all of that and when I went to put the belt on, guess what I find? My camshaft is mis-aligned. The other one is OK, but my drivers side is not. Simple solution: Just re-align it. WRONG. I go to re-align it and it keeps jumping the mark. I attached a picture. The hole where my right finger is, needs to be where my left finger is. If you really look at the teeth of the camshaft all the way to your right, there is a black mark. That mark needs to be facing up. Do I keep trying to align it until it gets there? I’m really not sure what to do now.
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[quote]Quoted From EndSupremacy:
My life just keeps getting better. I did all of that and when I went to put the belt on, guess what I find? My camshaft is mis-aligned. The other one is OK, but my drivers side is not. Simple solution: Just re-align it. WRONG. I go to re-align it and it keeps jumping the mark. I attached a picture. The hole where my right finger is, needs to be where my left finger is. If you really look at the teeth of the camshaft all the way to your right, there is a black mark. That mark needs to be facing up. Do I keep trying to align it until it gets there? I’m really not sure what to do now.
.OK. Here’s what I did. I was able to re-align the camshaft, and I finished the job…or so I thought. If I’m not mistaking, I was supposed to turn the camshaft 2 revolutions. I did not do that and I didn’t realize it until I tried to start the car. I wanted to cry. I started it and there was a very scary noise. I quickly turned it off. I had it on for about 2-3 seconds. White smoke came out of the mufflers. I tried to start it one more time and it wouldn’t start. Everything is turning, but my guess is the camshaft is mis-aligned. What I was thinking about doing, was to turn the camshaft one more time and make sure it is aligned. Then start the car and hope it is OK. If that doesn’t work, then I’m thinking of taking the heads off to check for damage. I could really use some good advice right now. I don’t know what to do.
Interference/non-interference1.5L DieselInterference1.5L GasolineInterference1.6L DieselInterference1.6L GasolineInterference1.7LFree-Wheeling1.8LInterference1.9L DieselInterference2.0L Gasoline TurboInterference2.0L TDI DieselInterference2.1L & 2.2LFree-Wheeling2.5LInterference2.8LInterference4.0L V6Interference4.0L W8Interference4.2LInterference
If the timing was out then it has damage!I would think about taking it in to the dealer because it sound like you are in over your head and you could possibly destroy the engine if you haven’t already.
Thats not a good sign. I really hope the engine isnt severely damaged.
Did you align the timing marks at TDC before even removing the belt? Some DOHC designs you need a specific tool to hold the cam shafts in place.
I would have rotated the engine by hand with a breaker bar and check for excessive resistance before trying to start the vehicle.
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