BEW Timing Belt Install - Cam lock pin a hair off

[ddd8896]

I'm attempting to lock the the cam and crank to TDC. I used the metalnerd universal PD crank lock to lock the crank down. Just before The crank was at TDC I installed the lock onto the crank sprocket, I slowly turned the motor over clockwise by the crank bolt until the precision pin slid into place.

Now I go up top to slide the cam lock pin in and notice that it won't slide all the way into the cylinder head. I used a mirror to take a look and it seems to be the thickness of a hair or two off, just enough so the pin won't slide in. So here are my questions.

- what causes this situation where the cam pin is a hair off? Is some of the tension let off over the first 100,000 miles of my car enough to not mess anything up but still not quite let the lock pin in?

- more importantly, where do I go from here? I'm too nervous to let the tension off the belt until I can understand how it's ok and how I will get the pin to slide in. I know it said that this is ok in the BEW timing belt Writeup but I guess I just need some clarification.

Thanks,

Devon

[chittychittybangbang]

timing belt stretch, release tension and adjust cam to get it in.

[ddd8896]

Thanks Chitty

[ddd8896]

New belt is installed tensioned and all is torqued to spec minus the 8th turn on the tensioner nut. Turn motor over 8 times by hand and set the crank lock back in. When I go to slide the cam lock pin in its a hair off just like when I was uninstalling the old belt. Tension is set correctly btw. Any suggestions? Should I release tension and set the cam lock in again and re-tension the belt? When I released the tension the first time I had my dad turn the cam barely at all so that the cam would slide in but it was a tight fit. This might have something to do with it.

-Devon

[chittychittybangbang]

FYI, no point in turning it over so many times, one rotation is enough to take out the slack. Make sure to turn from crank sprocket since this is where engine "pulls" the belt from.

I would reset it once or twice. Try tugging the belt to take out any slack before tensioning. If you don't have VCDS, it should be right on.

If A HAIR off and you have VCDS, just leave it and adjust timing in the optional step where you adjust torsion. It also moves the cam to the right position.