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Engine pulls better after cambelt change...?

muddyboots

Still hanging around
Oct 16, 2002
5,739
1
Had the cambelt changed on the Passat last week, and I swear it's pulling more strongly above 3k rpm, and holding the power for longer.

It was giving good power figures before the change ( 175bhp & fly and 270lbft @ wheels : http://www.awesome-gti.co.uk/rollingroad/rr.scn_18.11.06.html ) so was obviously fairly healthy - especially given it's mileage of nearly 120k.

I'm now wondering whether it's because the old belt might have got slightly stretched with age, or whether the previous belt was a tooth out when it was replaced first time round - either of which could have affected the cam timing ?

Any idea what kind of effect being one tooth out would have on performance of a TDI 130 ?
 

muddyboots

Still hanging around
Oct 16, 2002
5,739
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Hi Colin

It's not been serviced yet though, just had the cambelt (& other two drivebelts) changed....
 

stoneyfordNI

GGG GGG GGGIGITYYY
Jan 9, 2005
2,673
1
Lisburn NI
i think the most noticable thing you get lee , being a tooth out is a nice code in the engine block telling you the crankshaft and camshaft sensor are not seeing eye to eye , TBH i had my belt done 2 weeks ago ( no service done) and mine is feeling very revvy too ( yes i know its a turf cutter)
 

craig-pd130

Full Member
May 7, 2003
353
0
Manchester
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On motorbike engines it's common for ham-fisted home mechanics to rebuild them one tooth out on the camshaft sprocket, which would make the engine less than ideal but would NOT cause valve / piston clashes.

Is there both a crank AND a cam position sensor on the PDs?

Lee, disappointed at the lack of smoke on the dyno run video ;):D Good power though!
 

muddyboots

Still hanging around
Oct 16, 2002
5,739
1
Perhaps it was just the effects of a slightly stretched old belt.

Cambelt change on the Passat is a big job, and very expensive when combined with water pump replacement, fitting of new front dampers, replacing of a CV boot, oh and an MOT :(

Craig - yes good power, but was a bit disappointed how it peaked quite early and drops quite a bit by 4k, but there's a modified map on the way to sort that ;) Then we might see a bit more smoke :D
 

_weeman_

Guest
more likely to have been the timing out slightly, there are three bolts on all PD cam pulleys to allow fine timing adjustments.
 

OLDOILER

Full Member
Jul 28, 2005
1,292
1
Wiltshire, UK
Perhaps it was just the effects of a slightly stretched old belt.

Cambelt change on the Passat is a big job, and very expensive when combined with water pump replacement, fitting of new front dampers, replacing of a CV boot, oh and an MOT :(

Craig - yes good power, but was a bit disappointed how it peaked quite early and drops quite a bit by 4k, but there's a modified map on the way to sort that ;) Then we might see a bit more smoke :D

Who's remap are you using my old Passat pulled clean from 2k thro to 5k on a Upsolute mapping (new belt replaced at 38k under warranty)
 

Ibiza Monkey

Guest
Sometimes you just hit the sweet spot on the pump timing. I did one on a Escort TDI which ran like a bag of cr#p before the cambelt change. It was a completely different car afterwards.
 

muddyboots

Still hanging around
Oct 16, 2002
5,739
1
Who's remap are you using my old Passat pulled clean from 2k thro to 5k on a Upsolute mapping (new belt replaced at 38k under warranty)
This is an Upsolute map, based on their "standard" map but with torque capped between 2-3k to stop the clutch slip I was getting.

I might do a couple of runs with vag-com and measure the torque curve, see if the shape has changed since it was on the RR.
 
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