Quick Question - adjusting timeing belt - Audi A3 - 2004

[blackbic]

Hey guys,

Real quick question. I have the manual to my 2004 Audi A3 and it said if I want to RE-ADJUST the timing, then to just turn the engine to TDC on the top sprocket and then take the timing belt off and re-align the cam to TDC.


Is this all I have to do? All other articles and videos say I need special tools to line up pistons 1 and 2.



Background:

I replaced my water pump. I put the belt back on my marks. I did a couple quick turns of the key like my instructions said and it didn't sound right on the 3rd turn. I checked my marks and they were slightly off by 4 cm. I moved ONLY the bottom CAM, so the marks re-alligned on the top sprocket. (Yes a nooby move) My car turns over find, but does not start. I have found the TDC marks on the bottom CAM and top sprocket. I just need to make sure I re-adjust everything properly.

The manual did say DO NOT move the bottom CAM unless the top sprocket is at TDC.

Cheers!

 

[SootySport]

You should have changed the belt & tensioner whilst you were doing all this. Afterwards turn the engine by hand so the belt rotates twice and check the timing marks still match up. My guess is the tensioner is causing the misalignment now. Being one tooth out is compensated for by the ecu but as you are by more adrift the engine won't start. You need to start from scratch and do the procedure following a normal cambelt change.

 

[blackbic]

SootySport, thanks for the reply.

I put the belt back on correctly the first time (according to my TOP mark when i took it off. I did not mark the bottom, because the belt did not moved, plus I left the lower cam pulley on and cover) , but after you turn the car over, my paint markings will not line back up right away, until I've turned it over more a couple more times. That is because the crank is larger than the cam.

I am about 20 teeth off now because I moved it, so now I am trying to reset everything and start over. This is the point of my post.

With that said, are my instructions in my original post correct, or should I worry about getting specialty tools?