Cam and ignition timing help please!

Discussion in '8-valve' started by Nick Evans, Dec 16, 2019.

  1. Nick Evans New Member

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    Hi all, recently bought a mk2 1.6 8v that hasn’t run for a few years, with intentions to get it running at use it as I have most of the bits required if things are broken. I’ve got no spark and upon further inspection I’ve checked the engine timing and all the marks are out despite piston being at tdc and rotor arm facing correct way.
    So the crank pulley Mark is almost 180 degrees the opposite way when pistons at TDC regardless of what stroke it’s on. Can the pulley have been put on wrong? I thought there was a key to stop is being put on wrong.
    The cam gear looks way out when at TDC also regardless of stroke, around 5 teeth past the cam cover mark, however I took the rocker cover off and at TDC both the valves are closed which is correct right? Not sure what I’m missing, I checked it all against the exact same engine which I have in my garage which have all the correct marks and is lined up (was running when came out of my mk1) any help would be appreciated, cheers!
    I’m trying to upload pictures as we speak sorry for
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    Last edited: Dec 16, 2019
  2. Tristan

    Tristan Paid Member Paid Member

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    Take your crank timing from the flywheel mark, in the bung on top of the bell housing. More accurate. And even if you check tdc with a screwdriver down the plug hole, and make your own marks, it doesn't matter as long as you're accurate, and measuring from cylinder 1 or 4.

    The front crank pulley should only go on one way, but there's donkeys out there who could force it. There's no keyway on them , just the bolts slightly offset from square.

    Cam pulley can only go on one way, iirc. That has a woodruff key. Maybe it's missing? If you check the valves are both closed, and both the same sort of "distance" on the lobes from the buckets you'll be close. And valves 7 and 8 should both be opening the same amount as each other too.
    Usually 8v cams iirc have a slot across the rear end that aligns with the top of the head.
    And the actual cam timing on the pulley is at the rocker cover gasket face, on the front, not on the plastic cover.

    If I'm wrong on anything, it's because I'm going on memory, and by 8v GTIs, I've never worked on a 1.6. But I'd be shocked if it's different.
     
  3. Nick Evans New Member

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    Sorted, cheers mate appreciate the help now I just need to figure out why have only 6v into my coil ‍♂️ Haha
     
  4. Tristan

    Tristan Paid Member Paid Member

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    Bad connection somewhere?
     
  5. Tristan

    Tristan Paid Member Paid Member

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    What was the problem after?
     
  6. Nick Evans New Member

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    Too cold and dark for me to be out there so I’ll have a look tomorrow. Have only had the car a week so haven’t been through the car too much, has been sitting a few years so might be a corroded wire or something not sure
     
  7. rubjonny

    rubjonny Administrator Staff Member Admin

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  8. pigbladder Forum Addict

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    do all 8v have the inner cam pulley mark like the g60 does? lines up with surface of head
     
  9. rubjonny

    rubjonny Administrator Staff Member Admin

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    yeah the inner mark is always there, from mk1 onwards. the outer OT mark is only on later cars with the plastic cambelt covers
     
  10. pigbladder Forum Addict

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  11. rubjonny

    rubjonny Administrator Staff Member Admin

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    yeah is what I'm thinking, get the lobes pointing up as per piccy in there and see if any marks line up. if not, pull sprocket and flip it
     
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  12. Nick Evans New Member

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    Cheers dude I’ve timed the motor up and ignition now, however I’m trying to troubleshoot why it has no spark, not getting 12v to the coil, only 6v, tested it with the meter on the battery ground so the coil live and it read 12v, so I guess I have a bath earth, any idea where I should be looking? Cheers
     
  13. rubjonny

    rubjonny Administrator Staff Member Admin

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    the earth on the coil is triggered by the spark module, it shouldn't be permanently earthed. you have 2 wires on the negative side, one form the spark module in the scuttle which is your spark trigger, and a red/black to the fusebox which is the rev counter feed to the cluster.

    1st check would be spark module and wiring to it, in particular earth to battery and 3 wires to the hall sensor on the distributor
     
  14. Nick Evans New Member

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    okay so I have 2 black spades on the coil earths, and the live plug has a red/black wire and a green wire going to the power side of the coil, the ignition module is almost new, how do I test all of these? Wiring also looks good, one of the coil earths appears to go with the loom into the cabin towards the fuse box should I check the earths there? So the battery earth cable isn’t great either would that be a factor? Everything else works on the car so didn’t think it would be a factor
     
  15. rubjonny

    rubjonny Administrator Staff Member Admin

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    The black wires are live, go to terminal + or 15 and your red/black and green are negative to terminal - or 1.

    You have a red/black and black wire back to the fusebox and green and black to the spark module. Spark module earth goes to the battery, and.you have 3 wires from module to the distributor.

    If you unplug the spark module you should see 12v between pin 4 and 2 :)
     
  16. Nick Evans New Member

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    Cheers dude she runs now! Was just a bad earth, well, every earth on the car basically haha all sorted just needs some fresh fuel and dizzy light tune!
     
  17. rubjonny

    rubjonny Administrator Staff Member Admin

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    great stuff :)
     

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