Lessons Learned Timing Belt and Fuel Pump Leak

[tkmoult]

I've had a small fuel pump leak, but I didn't do any thing about it until it was a good solid stream. I decided to change the timing belt and water pump at the same time. I followed the instructions at http://www.tdiclub.com/articles/A3-TimingBelt/ and at http://www.myturbodiesel.com/1000q/a...emoval-mk3.htm.

I realize now that I probably could have replaced the internal gaskets in the fuel pump with it on the car, but it was really dirty (slow leak for some time). I believe the mechanic before me used loctite on everything. All the screws I took apart had clear plastic like residue on them. I tried to use the autozone 3 arm puller to remove the sprocket / gear from the injection pump shaft, but it didn't budge. I ordered MN2222 - 2-Arm Sprocket Puller from metal nerd, and that worked great. But upon inspection of the removed sprocket I noticed that the 3 arm puller had chipped the sprocket. See pictures below:



Note that this is the smaller puller (2 or 3 ton) that I had on hand, but I did the damage below with the 5 ton puller.



Now that I had taken the pump off the car and replaced all the seals I could find and then replaced it, it was time to put the timing belt back on. But I had not removed the cam sprocket / gear, it hadn't come off with tapping on the back side of it. I tried to put the timing belt back on any ways and I could not get the timing marks lined up.

Thats when I went back to Autozone and tried the 2 or 3 ton puller, with no success (MN2222 does not fit). At this point I was considering pulling the whole camshaft and sprocket and going to a machine shop. In a last ditch effort, www.alldatadiy.com had a reference to this tool: AST tool# T 40001. Which I found from the following two sources: http://www.asttool.com/detail_page.p...keywords=40001 and http://www.worldimpex.com/parts/oem-...r_2008207.html. I ordered the one from worldimpex (note that the worldimpex picture only shows 3 arms, but it does come with four) and it worked great. I used the two single arms only. There was a white strip on the inside like white out, I assume that was the locktite. And again the 3 arm puller did damage the sprocket.





Note that not only was the sprocket damaged with the puller, but also by the tap to remove process that turned into some serious beating and venting of frustrations.

I now have everything back together with new sprockets, and now I'm having a terrible time purging the system of air. I guess I just have to keep vacuum pumping and keep turning over and losing and tighting the fuel lines.

[chittychittybangbang]

Thanks for sharing, I'll add some of these notes to the timing belt writeup. FYI, the writeup on the other site says to use the TB index tools and timing belt to counterhold the crankshaft when loosening the sprocket. Not only is this bad for the timing belt in case it still has plenty of life and you want to reuse it, but the timing belt index tools should never be used to counterhold anything. That's what the sprocket counterhold tool is for.

When you use a puller the arms should be spaced equally for best results. With a fine machined fit like on the camshaft, it will twist and won't work very well. That's why the VW puller worked much better.

And of course, don't use locktite on the camshaft sprocket!

[gasousman]

heat it next time. wacth out for any seals.

[gasousman]

heat it. watch out for seals.