Valve timing

dipsomaniac

Renewed head gasket and now running lumpy.  Have a feeling I might be one tooth out on the cam chain.  Is there a way to check timing without dismantling engine (1998 VW 2.8 vr6) again.  Don't think people use strobe lights anymore

oh_really

Physically check timing marks are correctly aligned and belt play is in the correct run.

molerat

https://www.vwforum.com/threads/easiest-way-to-check-cam-timing-on-a-vr6.84434/

dipsomaniac

Thanks.  Was hoping to do it without removing the intake as have to also remove most of the front end to access the bolts

coffeehound

Would a cylinder pressure test show it up?

daveyjp

Can you check if cylinder one is at top dead centre through the spark plug hole when compared against the timing marks?

facade

Won't there be a fault code logged  from P0011-P0014 if the timing is out?

The engine has to measure the cam position relative to the crank position to set the variable valve timing.

AdrianC

facade said:

Won't there be a fault code logged  from P0011-P0014 if the timing is out?

It's from a few years before EOBD was required, so it may not do the full diagnostics - or it may require proprietary kit.

What's the engine in? Having had a Mk3 Glof VR6 back in the day, I remember the lump being so tightly shoehorned in there that I'd suspect any major work would require engine out... If it was done in situ, it's entirely possible that access was so poor that it could easily be a bit out.

dipsomaniac

Ford Galaxy.  I had to slide a L shaped metal plate into the slots on the ends of the 2 X camshafts while the timing marks on the flywheel and notch on timing chain sockets were lined up. I just feel that the plate wasn't exactly central in the slots and I could be a tooth out.