Best/easiest way to check timing

[UrS6]

I have reason to think my car may have had it's t-belt jump a tooth while it was not running (long story). What is the best way to look at the timing reference marks to check this. Are the marks visible without taking a bunch of stuff off the motor?

[kevin]

Ewww.... Extend front carrier, pull upper t-belt covers, spin engine by hand using socket and ratchet. There is a reference point on the crank dampner. The plates in front of the cams should be horizontal. If this did happen it will create a crank/cam correlation MIL. But I'd be a little worried starting it.

[905084]

Just get it to this point.....13995 and you kinda need the tool to check it. If the tbelt was done without the tool ever, it's easy to lose 20-30 hp because the cams aren't correct.

[UrS6]

Just get it to this point.....13995 and you kinda need the tool to check it. If the tbelt was done without the tool ever, it's easy to lose 20-30 hp because the cams aren't correct.

Are there any lines that line up so that you can visually check them? Most cars i've had in the past have a line on the sprocket and one on the harmonic balancer and marks on the block and heads. No such things on the RS?

[905084]

Line on the crank pulley that lines up with the lower timing cover. Have to take off the two upper covers to see the cam pulleys. No marks, just the holes on the sprockets (large holes to the center). No way to really eyeball that I can tell as these can be off by 2-3 degrees and you would never see it.

[UrS6]

Line on the crank pulley that lines up with the lower timing cover. Have to take off the two upper covers to see the cam pulleys. No marks, just the holes on the sprockets (large holes to the center). No way to really eyeball that I can tell as these can be off by 2-3 degrees and you would never see it.

I know that there are lots of places that rent BMW tools. Anyone know of a place that rents this particular tool?

[UrS6]

I know that there are lots of places that rent BMW tools. Anyone know of a place that rents this particular tool?

http://www.blauparts.com/proddetail.asp?prod=N1A1017-G

[TozoM8]

Vag-com will show it. Very unlikely that both side jumped so the ignition angle reading should be the same on both sides.

[UrS6]

Vag-com will show it. Very unlikely that both side jumped so the ignition angle reading should be the same on both sides.

Anyway to read it with VCDS without starting the car? I'd rather be sure that it's not off before I start it. Or does the car have to be running? I know VCDS will read throttle angle etc. without the car running.

[905084]

I have reason to think my car may have had it's t-belt jump a tooth while it was not running (long story). What is the best way to look at the timing reference marks to check this. Are the marks visible without taking a bunch of stuff off the motor?

Give us the "long story" and that may help....I'm the king of stupid stuff, don't worry....

[ttboost]

Give us the "long story" and that may help....I'm the king of stupid stuff, don't worry....

Don't sell yourself short..plenty of us idiots walking around unsupervised...

[UrS6]

Give us the "long story" and that may help....I'm the king of stupid stuff, don't worry....

I had a 6 speed put in recently and there seems to be a problem with the flywheel we think. It has not been confirmed yet. I am waiting on a new flywheel before we pull the old one out. So when I try to start it it screeches and then starts. Or it used to. More and more it would not start as the starter gear was not engaging the flywheel. It was like a starter with a bad bendix. But if I rolled the car forward in 6th I could find a sweet spot where the starter would engage. More recently that sweet spot was getting harder to find so I pulled the car into the garage and left it for the last 4 months or so. Last week I figured I should take it for a spin.

I had to pull (drag) the car out of my garage with my truck since the brakes froze up. The car was in 6th--thought i'd kill 2 birds with one stone-- when I pulled it and I only went about 3 feet. 2 of those feet was with locked wheels and there are skid marks to prove it. Then the brakes broke free. Once i had the rear wheels out of the garage I kept rolling it backward about 3-4 inches (it was on a very slight incline and with the brakes I couldn't push it forward) and kept trying to start it. I got it started and there seemed to be a slight ticking coming from the right side of the motor. I shut it off and checked the oil. Looked 1 quart low. Checked it again, looked fine. Again looked low. Again, ok. Tried to restart and the starter wouldn't catch. Then I thought more about the tick and thought maybe I should just leave it for now.

I didn't really think much about rolling the car backwards (and thus the motor) with a t-belt. I didn't go far and most was me just pushing it an few inches at a time. I'll keep my fingers crossed.

[kday]

I know that there are lots of places that rent BMW tools. Anyone know of a place that rents this particular tool?

Do you mean the cam alignment bar? I have one you can borrow. The bar is the same as for all of the belt drive 4.2 liter engines. (And incidentally the other piece needed for a proper timing belt job -- the crank lock pin -- is the same one as for the 12 valve V6. Had that one on hand already.)

[kevin]

Mind if a ask who did the work and who's flywheel/starter/adaptor plate kit you used? If you don't wish to release that info openly, send me a pm. thanks

[905084]

Hey...did they forget the upper starter bolt?? I did... :/ and as for the brakes.....holy crap the rotors are soft and the pads will lock onto rotors like a girl on a 58 Buick bumper (sorry ya'll, but they will)....try leaving your RS parked with the parking brake on for a month....it will take 2000 rpm to break it free....

[UrS6]

Hey...did they forget the upper starter bolt?? I did... :/ and as for the brakes.....holy crap the rotors are soft and the pads will lock onto rotors like a girl on a 58 Buick bumper (sorry ya'll, but they will)....try leaving your RS parked with the parking brake on for a month....it will take 2000 rpm to break it free....
Yeah, if you can start it

[UrS6]

Mind if a ask who did the work and who's flywheel/starter/adaptor plate kit you used? If you don't wish to release that info openly, send me a pm. thanks
The guy who installed it and did the software is Marc Swanson at EFI Express. Working with what he had I presume. Marc generally gets a 5 star plus rating from the Audi community for many years running and I'd add a sixth.

[ttboost]

Mark sold me my pedals...