VW Golf TDI crankshaft sprocket CJAA engine problem *pics*

[chittychittybangbang]

Hi, has anyone else seen this problem or have any ideas? The crankshaft appears to be almost 180 degrees out. Background and history:

A friend bought a 2011 CJAA swap package from a crashed Canadian Golf TDI with. Junkyard sold him the entire swap package that was crashed on the first test drive with only 7 miles! The engine is on a stand and turns over smoothly. The flywheel was off because it's on a stand so I couldn't check TDC stamp on flywheel. It has not been started or run since receipt.

I took off the timing belt covers and the crank sprocket appears to be almost 180 degress out from where it shouldl be. The crank sprocket and crankshaft are the same PN# as the CBEA engine and I only have the 05.5-10 Jetta CBEA manual. The only thing that I can think of if nothing is wrong is that VW somehow used a new tool for the CJAA engine that is way off from the CBEA engines, otherwise something is wrong with the engine.

The cam and HPFP sprocket pins are PERFECTLY aligned but the crank sprocket is almost 180 degrees out, about 160 degress out. I find that very suspicious. Here is a picture of the cam and HPFP just in case I'm insane, and of the crank sprocket. I didn't want to remove a glow plug or take apart the belt in case there's something wrong with the engine. Nothing was loosened or adjusted from how I found it. Either VW changed something on the CJAA engine and we don't know it yet or there's something wrong with the engine.

What it isn't: it's not possible to remove the belt and turn the crank sprocket 180 out because the pistons will hit the valves. The camshaft and HPFP sprocket pins go in way too easily for me to think that someone removed their sprockets and put them back on off. In addition, even if the cam sprocket was off, the HPFP sprocket position was right at the same spot. So someone had to fool with that too or it was a coincidence.

the position the cam and HPFP should be at


but at that position the crank is way out. That dash at the bottom should be just to the left of the hole on the front seal carrier for use with VW tool T10050.


when the crank is in the right position the cam and HPFP are way out

[xeno555]

I would check against the correct manual.

[chittychittybangbang]

I just realized that the CJAA engine is in the 2010 Jetta and sportwagen so the 05.5-10 manual for Jetta should cover it. I thought that maybe they didn't because the manual was published 2009. There is currently no mk6 Golf manual (CJAA engine) released to the public.

I asked someone else and he said he doesn't know of any change in the CBEA engine timing belt to the CJAA.

[xeno555]

Do you think that someone altered the timing belt position. I would sure check a few references before rotating that alignment.

[2micron]

Hello Chittychittybangbang,
Just a thought, was the car a manual?
If so, during the accident, it may have stalled, then the engine may have been forced violently in reverse?
The belt may have skipped the 10 teeth it is out because the tensioner isn't made to work properly during CCW rotation?
Wouldn't hurt to put low pressure air into each glow plug hole at TDC (compression stroke) for a quick leak down reference check.
Hope all the best for your friend's awesome engine.
Can't wait to see the swap project!
All the best.