You'll need a 12 point or bi-hex socket to undo that bolt, but you'll need to lock the flywheel to stop it turning or use an impact air gun as it will be tight !!

It's a 16v VVT engine Nigel, the weighted crank pulley is fine, it only has the one bolt. Only 8v engines have the four smaller ones.

Now you've taken the cam carrier off, do the cams turn freely? A stripped belt does suggest bent valves but you'll have to get the head off to find out. I don't see what's caused it though, but it is looking like water pump failure.

If you need parts i have them. I have a complete GTi cylinder head - can you clear up what engine that is?

How do I lock the fly wheel?

The cams turn freely and all 8 valves are bent I think because they don't sit flat in the head.

Yeah the water pump had failed when I get it out I'll post a picture, to say it failed is an understatement.

I have all the parts already, thanks though.

It's a 16v VVT engine Nigel, the weighted crank pulley is fine, it only has the one bolt. Only 8v engines have the four smaller ones.

Yes, when I looked at the document I posted in the OP's other posting, it shows a special tool that fits into the slots in the pulley to stop it turning while undoing the central bolt :)

As you wont have the special tool, remove the starter motor and jam a screwdriver into the teeth on the flywheel ring gear.

Jam a screwdriver in... That wont damage the fly? I guess that's the only way without the tool.

Unlikely to break a tooth, but can be fiddly. Alternatively, there's a clutch inspection hole in the top of the gearbox bell housing - drop a 1/3in extension bar in there and it'll lock the crank when it catches the clutch, that'll be within a 3rd turn. If you don't have one, other tools people have used include 11/12mm deep socket and the end of a 1/2in T-bar wrench, just make sure it's long enough to stick out an inch so it doesn't get pulled in..

Cleaned off the old oil with a break cleaner type product then sprayed some mech oil so it wasn't dry if that makes any difference?

Should I put some fresh oil in to rinse it off before I put it on the car or does it not need it.

Also am I just lining up the two cam or does anything else need aligning?

From memory on an AHW 16v, the two cam pulley 8mm holes at 45mm apart and locked, a single sloped crank pulley tooth with a marker on block and piston #1 at exact dead top centre point of travel.

With a distributor car it's worth marking timing points with a bit of white paint.

Ideally you find TDC with a dial guage, but I've used a wooden chopstick down a spark plug hole before. using a pen you can mark what you think is highest point of travel on one edge, then turn the engine half to a full cam pulley tooth and see if that point moves at all and mark it on another edge, then back off half to two teeth until you see movement, mark it, and the mid point is your TDC.

Put all pistons back to level before putting the head on, then you can spin the cams as much as you like

(did you replace smaller belt?)

then it's simple 1/4 turn clockwise without spark plugs in to regain TDC and check crank marks line up.

Edited 3 April, 201610 yr by dvderlm

So just the cams holes 45mm apart and piston #1 at TDC and its lined up.

Checking the bottom pulley tooth or some other TDC mark you make on it surely ensures the belt to inlet pulley is not out by a tooth

when tensioned.

What state was the tensioner in?

All you need to align the cams are two M8 bolts. Forget all that 45mm tool business - there are holes in the head for the bolts to slot into. The 8mm location holes in the pulleys simply line up with them, the bolts will hold the pulleys in place.

On the vvt, the inlet one is over at about 8 o'clock and the exhaust one at about 10 o'clock. The inlet is in a different place than on non-vvt versions.

Does it matter where that hexagon type hole goes on the first pully and where does that white timing mark need to be.

The second picture was included in my kit but there's nothing on the car that looked like that.. Any ideas?

The third picture is the "water pump" if you can call it that.. It explains the leak.

The forth picture is what was in my starter motor when I took it off.

The first picture pulley is actually a tensioner. It is offset axle and has the lug behind to engage it in correct place, but I can't see the indicator pointer.

The second picture is of a tensioner. On the AHW I had to rotate the tensioner's cam with an Allen key against the belt until the pointer arrow was in the middle of the arc.

That water pump... I can hardly type for chuckling. Does did it have a metal impeller?

Edited 5 April, 201610 yr by dvderlm

The crank pulley timing mark needs to point at a useful fixed point when number 1 piston is at TDC, so you can be sure

it's not moved by feeding the belt and tensioning it.

Normally you find TDC, mark it on pulleys and fixed point top and bottom of engine, rotate crank back a quarter turn so all pistons are level, put head on, bring camshafts to TDC (number 1 piston intake and exhaust valve lobes upwards maybe 40 degrees), then rotate crank forward to the crank pulley's TDC mark, then fit belt and tension (with tensioning device or so longest belt section manages a half twist in your fingers).

Then carefully and slowly with no plugs rotate crank twice fully by hand (socket on crank nut) and check all rotating marks realign to TDC fixed marks as though engine has done all four strokes. That will detect any stupid mistakes that could cause valves to collide with pistons (like on a Mk2 Polo you can refit the cam pulley back to front and mistakenly believe a random indent is the real timing mark).

Sadly I can't open the document in this post on my computer.

http://www.clubpolo.co.uk/forum/index.php?showtopic=346149&p=2696883

You have two tensioners, for the two belts, so two new tensioners are correct.

With the belt in place, you turn the tensioner lever using the a 6mm Allen key in the hex hole, until the tension indicator arrow lines up with it's marking. You can go just before or after the marking but these are sprung tensioners - so too far over and the belts will be too tight, too far under and there's a risk of them slipping a tooth (either would have to be extreme, tbh).

This all applies to both tensioners (one by the crank pulley, the other on the cylinder head under the sprockets.

Right, I get the cam lining.

So what does the indicator arrow line up with on the tensioner. Is it the fixed metal part on the back?

Where does the engine crank line up with? Am I using the white dot or the raised dot the opposite side.

And any ideas on the broken spring type clip in the starter motor?

Also does anyone have any pictures of a timed up engine?

​pmmonline try this for pictures

​I'm not familiar with the insides of that model of starter motor. I guess the spring could have been holding a brush against the commutator but looks a bit fat for that. You might be able to get a new brush box or reconditioned starter motor if it turns out to be bust. Is the toothed cog always engaged with flywheel or does it spin out Bendix style?

Edited 6 April, 201610 yr by dvderlm

Thanks for the link. I'm not sure about the starter motor. I'll try and find some pictures if one.

Almost there though! Euro sent me the wrong length belt so hopefully they'll change it, otherwise I'd be a bit closer to getting it done.

I just need to fit the aux belt, put the head back on and fit the cam carrier apart from little bits it should be all working. 👌

What's this called? A new one wasn't in the kit and it sounds a bit noisy when spinning like a bad bearing.

Looking at this starter motor for 6n2 gti I'm pretty sure a the 9 toothed cog spins out and engages.

It does this because the solenoid (which also switches the power from fat cable to motor windings) pushes on a stirrup lever.

Maybe there's a spring to pull that lever back which has broken, perhaps when you tried to restart the engine with two pistons touching open valves. All guess work,

What's this called? A new one wasn't in the kit and it sounds a bit noisy when spinning like a bad bearing.

I call it an idler pulley.

Google images says its a fanbelt tensioner pulley

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/161868794964

Edited 7 April, 201610 yr by dvderlm

I couldn't see any spring clips on the pictures though.

Any ideas if there's anywhere that stock these tensioner pullys? I don't wanna wait that long for it.

VW dealer? or try a TPS branch with part number 030 145 299 C, but that might include the whole spring arrangement.