[Jr16]

Hey everyone,

I had just picked up a 2014 Jetta TDI with a Manual gearbox and 126k miles. Of course, with this mileage, it was about due for a timing belt. Picked up a timing belt kit from FCP Euro, along with water pump, idlers, tensioners, etc. to do the full job. Although, upon researching the procedure, every technician and instruction sheet says that once you've got the timing in the correct position, pinned up, to loosen the bolts holding the Cam gear to the hub, as well as the fuel pump gear. Feeling over fishy about messing up the timing ever so slightly, I attempted to the install without loosening those pulleys, of which was successful, and the car went back together without any issue and runs like a top.

My question is why loosen those pulleys? Seems like an unneeded step that could lead to fueling/timing issues. Those pulley's are set perfectly from factory for the most precise timing and I feel like it would be extremely difficult, especially with a new belt, to get those pulleys back to the same exact spot on the hub.

May also be good to mention that this is my first German car and first TDI. So far so good, and almost 5k miles later, I have no problems to report! Maybe that might save me from some beatings from the more "know-it-all" forum members, haha.

 

[kksniper]

Hey everyone,

I had just picked up a 2014 Jetta TDI with a Manual gearbox and 126k miles. Of course, with this mileage, it was about due for a timing belt. Picked up a timing belt kit from FCP Euro, along with water pump, idlers, tensioners, etc. to do the full job. Although, upon researching the procedure, every technician and instruction sheet says that once you've got the timing in the correct position, pinned up, to loosen the bolts holding the Cam gear to the hub, as well as the fuel pump gear. Feeling over fishy about messing up the timing ever so slightly, I attempted to the install without loosening those pulleys, of which was successful, and the car went back together without any issue and runs like a top.

My question is why loosen those pulleys? Seems like an unneeded step that could lead to fueling/timing issues. Those pulley's are set perfectly from factory for the most precise timing and I feel like it would be extremely difficult, especially with a new belt, to get those pulleys back to the same exact spot on the hub.

May also be good to mention that this is my first German car and first TDI. So far so good, and almost 5k miles later, I have no problems to report! Maybe that might save me from some beatings from the more "know-it-all" forum members, haha.

those are for the tensioner, if you mark the old belt with 1 to 3 points and mark the new exactly the same it works without loosing the HPFP and the cam shaft, but the point of those bolts is to get the right tension without loosing the time.

 

[Jr16]

those are for the tensioner, if you mark the old belt with 1 to 3 points and mark the new exactly the same it works without loosing the HPFP and the cam shaft, but the point of those bolts is to get the right tension without loosing the time.

Understood, makes sense. Thank you.

I suppose there are always more than one way to cook and egg. I did end up marking the belt with gears to verify correct gearing.

As long as the cogs are in the correct slots from where the old belt came off, it should be at the correct tension, no?

 

[amtruckn]

Loosening the pulley neutralizes the belt tension so it doesn't cause the timing to change.