Confused on Setting the VVT in my '99 T6

Post by **JDS60R** » 07 Dec 2010, 11:47

Compression test first.

"Tight spots" sounds bad

VVT has to be set from the beginning if it is not right. Line the motor marks up as if you were replacing the cambelt ( remember the 90 degrees forward and then reverse). marks should be correct.

If not, then remove belt. With cam locked and center of VVT fully clockwise you should be on the timing marks. If not you did it wrong or it slipped. If its wrong then start again.

Either way compression test first. If its ok then pull cam covers on trans side to determine if you had the cam spun 180.
Post pics

Post by **boosted5cyl** » 07 Dec 2010, 12:50

Yeah im not liking the "tight spots" either. Whats weird is that It cranked by hand fine and then I cranked it with the starter (fueses for ECU and fuel pulled out) for a total of at least 1minute to get some oil flowing.......

I think I might have a pic of the exhaust cam before I placed the valve cover on. That will tell me pretty quick if it was right or not. I also noticed a small notch where the cam position sensor goes into the cam on the rear. Any ideas on where this should be if the camshaft is correctly oriented?

Finger crossed the tight spots were a combo of compression and a dying battery. I dont understand having to take the belt off to check the VVT, but im not really in a position to debate LOL.

Post by **JDS60R** » 07 Dec 2010, 19:45

Its hard to rotate the outer pulley with the belt on. I always do it with it off.

Start by lining the marks up using the VVT pressure release procedure (crank forward then back)
If the lines are ok then you should be fine.

Let us know the compression results

Post by **boosted5cyl** » 08 Dec 2010, 06:40

Good news, I was on crack it seems......

I only tested two clyinders (2 and 6) for compression, figured if they had any at all I was good to go. They registered around 120psi. Not stellar, but then it was 9f and the cylinders were washed with fuel. Turns out the timing is fine, or at least its only a bit out if it is. The "tight spots" do appear to be an electrical issue where while starting the starter motor practically stops and the dash goes blank. Awesome. The rough running and real bad noises were a combination of an exhaust leak at the second bank manifold, a misfire and a rubbing inner timing belt cover.

Happy days. Still throwing the p0014 but im not worried about it, I can drive it to work now so happy days. It does backfire a little when Im cranking it and it take a while to fire up, so the timing is probably still a hair out on the exhaust side. Thanks for all your help folks.

Never been so happy to have a badly running car in my life ha.

Post by **boosted5cyl** » 15 Dec 2010, 08:46

Thought I'd give an update on this. The misfire was a coil connector issue. The plug for #6 still had remnants of the connector from the coil that was in there previously. I just happened to swap it with 2 (Dont need to remove turbo pipes) and this turned out to the the old #6 coil. Fitted together perfectly. Misfire gone.

Exhaust leak was as I thought, the gasket dropped down on #6 causing the leak. This caused an engine bay smoulder last Sat!!!! I had to remove a lot of the insulation that was burning and douse the rest in snow. Last night I unbolted the manifold, repositioned the gasket, tested nice. Did a quick pull in 2nd today, car really pulls nice now, much better than before the rebuild so I'm a happy camper again.

Cam timing still needs to be tweaked, it stumbles and backfires to the point where it stops the starter when I crank it and the coolant level sensor is not working, it thinks its empty when its not. I reseated the connector and it helped for a while. I'll just keep checking in each time I drive it and tend to it later. Got a lot of other stuff taken care of during the rebuild, PCV system, general de-oiling of the engine bay, replaced the sheathes on the cables, rerouted the CKP sensor cable (still jumping when I crank however), decoked the piston tops and rings, timing belt, dampener and pulleys changed, cleaned the ETM (wasnt that bad to be fair), cleaned all the turbo plumbing and inspected the turbos.

docdave · Post by **docdave** » 17 Jul 2011, 07:31

Hi yo all , i would be happy to pay for a video on how to do this & not f**k it up . i have been working on cars for 45 yrs & this is a mess i would like to shoot the guy who though up this mess . dave

tshaw62 · Post by **tshaw62** » 27 Feb 2013, 00:33

setting the vvt is no joke I had a valve job done and now its back together. Ive spent a week trying to get it running I cant seem to get the camshafts right.i have no compression

Post by **boosted5cyl** » 27 Feb 2013, 10:15

If you have no compression then your issue goes beyond being just VVT. You may already know this, but if not, well now you do.
Post a new thread and we'll try and get you running again.

tshaw62 · Post by **tshaw62** » 27 Feb 2013, 21:07

I set the vvt and it seem to be right on. can anyone tell me is that mark at twelve oclock above the crank top dead center? I had the spark plug out and put a screwdriver in the hole and the piston wasnt at the top of the cylinder until I turned the crankshaft to around the three oclock position. I had the head to the machine shop to get it a valve job and I put it together carefully lining up the timingg marks and turning the motor over by hand. I got a code cam position sensor low voltage?????? any help would be apreciated . It turns over like it has no compression I dont know what to do

Post by **boosted5cyl** » 01 Mar 2013, 11:05

I see you have started a new thread so ill respond there. If you have no compression it is not a VVT issue. The cam and sprockets are not keyed. If the sprocket was removed from the cam the chances are they are in the wrong relative positions.

No the marks are not at TDC.

Confused on Setting the VVT in my '99 T6

Re: Confused on Setting the VVT in my '99 T6