Hello,
I have a 1981 Rabbit pickup with an 82/38 rebuilt turbo engine. I just installed a new head, but am now having trouble sorting out timing marks. I kept the relatively unworn cam belt, and replaced the cam sprocket, so the latter is not bolted to the camshaft yet. When I started, I pinned the injection pump, but after replacing the head, I can’t get to TDC without removing the pin. (1-2 cm out)
I am no mechanic, just fix things when the fall off, or I break them. Since the belt is the same, and the timing was OK before the head swap, I’m wondering if my issue is that I don’t know whether #1 piston is up to correspond to the cam? I was told to set all pistons about midway while placing the new head & gasket, but now that everything’s bolted down, I’m not sure I’m at the correct TDC. (180 deg out?)
How can I tell which pistons are up when the head is on, but the cam sprocket is not connected yet? If I know how to get the #1 piston fully up, I can take off the belt and rotate the engine to that TDC.
When I was cleaning the head, I could see that the outer two pistons, then the inner two would move up and down. If I have the middle two up at present, then I can rotate the engine around once (belt off), then put the belt back on and see if TDC matches the IP.
Can I assume that TDC means that at least two pistons are fully up?
thanks ahead,
<*>aj