Quick question is this just secured with the long thin bolt at the side of the head? Had the cover off tonight as I'm having a few troubles and I noticed that there is a hole on the back of the cover (would bolt it to the back of the head) checked on ETKA but it doesnt list any bolts, should it have one? Also is it ok to drive the car without the cambelt cover fitted? It'll only be for a approx twenty miles pete
I always leave the top cover off, to keep an eye on the cambelt........ as far as I remember there is one wee bolt at the front, onto the block, and a recessed allen bolt.
There is the recessed allen bolt in the side of the head and a smaller one into the back of the head through that hole you mention as I recall. To be honest mine's just held on with the long side bolt as I lost the rear one a while ago. Yes, no problem to leave the cover off, make sure to tie any vacuum lines, speedo cables or anything that might get caught in the top pulley to one side though.
I've never had a top cover on mine, boss moans at me every time he looks under the bonnet [ yes dad ] "You will if you go in a gravel trap boy!!" [/ yes dad ] (a stone could get under the cam belt and fetch it off...)
Cheers guys, sounds like I should be ok, Out of interest has anybody has anybody experienced a similar problem, when the car is up to temperature there is a slight tapping noise which is coming from the camblet pulley area, applying downward pressure with my hand to the plastic cover made it go away, had this problem before and it was fixed the mechanic said that the tensioner was fitted the wrong way round and was coming into contact with the plastic cover all was fine for a month or so now the problem has returned, there is a also an occasional squealing noise again from the same area (like something is touching metal) when the car is really hot Pete
Pete, is the metal plate behind the intermediate shaft pulley touching the back of the pulley? Did you fit the square headed bolt that fits through the water pump/plate and the nut that secures the cover?
Pete - I had a similar screeching metallic noise on my 6A just after I'd installed it. After taking loads of bits apart, taking belts off, checking pulleys and that metal plate Gary mentions it turned out to be the very bottom plastic cambelt cover, underneath, around the crankshaft pulley. It seems that when it warms up it warps a little and just catches the bottom pulley making a terrible noise, it's very difficult to access once everything is together so I employed a large hammer and screwdriver to give it a slight DIY 'adjustment' - fine since!
I havent got any covers on mine, mostly due to the sensor bracket next to the bottom pulley.... it'll be alright!
If your unlucky enough and have a cam belt that snaps it could cut through a fuel line if you don't fit the cover.
On a valver? Can't see it happening. Normally they just snap, die and do nothing while you coast over to the side of the road wondering if you've bent many valves.......
Thanks for the advice fellas, took the car into central VW the other day he seems to think something is touching on the lower plastic cover, when it get really hot the loud metallic noise seems to be coming from the plate which goes between the block and pulleys, applying pressure seems to make it go away, I remember fitting the bolts and the T shaped bolt which goes through the water pump, need to get the lower cover off to investigate more ideally, its booked in for the 11th so hopefully it can get fixed , pete
