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Help me: Refresh my memory. 8V engine swap timing

1K views 2 replies 2 participants last post by  NathansStory 
#1 ·
I have not done this for 10 years. My 90 Cabriolet sat while I was busy for a few years. I fired it back up, it idled for 30-45 minutes, then I brought the RPM's up to about 2500. A terrible sounding low end knock developed EVEN though I had 60+ oil pressure. I put that motor in 10 years ago.

OK, so junkyards only were willing to give me 100 bucks. **** them. I pulled the motor this week. I had a 1987 Golf 8v with the older head, an injection system that I also had for years tucked in my garage. I had to part that 87 Golf, I could not get a clear California title. So I cut the motor and trans out of it. I separated the automatic, now here is where I am stalled.

I had an extra later injection head, I think it needed with AA. I needed that head on my Cabriolet block because the Cabbie uses the electronic injection system. But being an A1 frame, I needed the intake and exhaust manifold swapped.

Here is where I am stuck

I put my flywheel on the replacement block. I loosely installed a head. I did not tighten down anything. Finding TDC and timing the crank to the head is where I am stuck.

I have #1 up at TDC. I sat for an hour trying to get the flywheel to go on over the pressure plate with the timing tab at the top. Also the head. How do I know that the head it timed to #1? On diesels, there was a notch on the back of the cam.

Looking at the cam gear I do not see anything that would indicate where the cam needs to be set, in regards to the crank.... I know its been 10 years since I did this last, I need a bit of a poke. A push, setting the head to TDC and to the block at TDC.

Help me?
 
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#2 ·
Gas motor right?
There should be a little dimple or dot on the back side of the cam sprocket.
That lines up to the top of the machined surface on cylinder head.
Also I think that the lobes on the #1 cylinder are supposed to be pointing up, I cannot remember if that is right or not.

The intermediate gear should line up with marks on the harmonic balancer.
 
#3 ·
THANKS I got it finally. IT was just me having a brain fart. Once I saw it all came together, the only struggle I really had was the flywheel. Once that was correct, I put the block and trans in, only to find out I forgot the plate inside the clutch. It had to come out....dang

its almost back together with only the head needing to be installed and everything hooked up,. I did swap from 2H to a 9A, then I found the axles were 100mm so the 90mm had to be pulled. This is what I get for tampering with what factory built

this is it for me, no more of this stuff. This old body is too broken up from 50 years of racing, breaking bones and healing to keep this crap up again. But the cabbie is soooo much fun!
 
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