I give up.......out of ideas

Inexperienced Joined: Jul 12, 2010 Posts: 23

6 months ago i decided to change the cam belt on my coupe 16v (ace). After that it seems to developed a strange habit. Its almost if its to far advanced. Its difficult to explain but when starting its almost if its trying to fire before it should as if its sparking before the piston gets to top of its stroke. Also there seems a lack of power low down. Over the summer i`ve just put up with it but now the colder weather has arrived it seems to have got worse.
So today out in the cold i go take the belt off and started again. I`ve checked and double checked the timing marks and all spot on. Went for a drive and still the same. I was so hoping to find it was a tooth out but found nothing. So now stumped and out of ideas..... Help Question

Posted: Wed Dec 05, 2012 9:45 pm

Have you checked in triplicate all timing marks,crank,flywheel,cam belt sprocket,dots on both cams and the dizzy??

Inexperienced Joined: Jul 12, 2010 Posts: 23

Yep had the cam pulley mark is spot on, the "0" on the flywheel lines up with the edge of the casing and the (with cap off) the rota is bang in the middle of the line on casing with is no 1.
I found this in another post which i don`t understand
"normal method is to the stick a fuse in the fuel pump relay to enable diag mode if you want to run a strobe"
were do you put the fuse? removed fuel pump relay but the tabs dont line up to take a fuse so don`t understand.

Posted: Wed Dec 05, 2012 10:21 pm

your engine doesnt have a blink test for getting codes or The fuel pump relay ( which is silver/grey in colour ) would have a slot in the top for a fuse, that you need to put in if you want to fault find using a blink test. I beleive your ACE engine just plugs into vagcom hence no need for that system

That a side i dont think that the fuse in that relay has anything to do with timing setup its soley for fault finding ( which is hopeless and doesnt work anyway )

Posted: Wed Dec 05, 2012 11:11 pm

have you had the cam cover off and checked the dots are aligned,I only ask as I had similar and it was only 1 tooth out at th chain end.

Site Moderator Joined: Jan 31, 2003 Posts: 9144

Thought the 16v was 6 degrees btdc for timing. this link suggests it is

http://freespace.virgin.net/carmechanic.co/audi/audi4.htm#Audi%2080,%20Coupe/quattro,%201985%20cc,%201992-,%20Engine%20Code%20ACE

If you're setting it at 0, that's for basic settings. The adjustment to 6 deg btdc needs to be done using a strobe or a timing light with built in advance.

The FPR would have a slot in the top for a fuse - that might only be the 6A engine version though.

Posted: Thu Dec 06, 2012 12:22 pm

so would the models with the fuel pump relay that uses the fuse need the fuse to be fitted in order to adjust timing mike?

Posted: Thu Dec 06, 2012 5:45 pm

when you line up the dizzy, if the flywheel and cam is at tdc the dizzy arm should be at 6 degrees past the line on the edge of the distributor body. i dont know if the flywheel marks are the same on the 16v but on the 8v there is a line at 6 degrees before tdc number1 and then a O which is lined up half way with the edge of the veiwing hole, the line at 6 degrees before is what i used to line up the dizzy arm with the line on the egde of the body and it runs perfect. from what you said it sounds as i did the same as you may have done and lined the dizzy pulley a tooth out which puts the marks all at tdc and not having the 6 degrees for the ignition timing.

Site Moderator Joined: Jan 31, 2003 Posts: 9144

it's to enable diagnostic mode. you can't run a strobe light off #1 plug lead if not in diag mode.

regarding the flywheel. there are 144 teeth and the flywheel rotates twice for each camshaft rotation.

each tooth represents 5 degrees (5*144 = 720)

Inexperienced Joined: Jul 12, 2010 Posts: 23

Blimey getting more confused. There are two marks on flywheel one for TDC and the others the 6 degree advance and one on the dizzy. Lined all the TDC marks up including the one on the dizzy static then i adusted the timing with a strobe line to get the 6 degree advance to line up with the edge of the bell housing using the adjustment on the dizzy. So this not right then?

Site Moderator Joined: Jan 31, 2003 Posts: 9144

that sounds correct, although there's some notes about plugging vacuum on the link above.

Never quite sure how important that is. Does the dizzy have vac advance or is it all ecu controlled.

It's essential that the adjustment is made on a warm engine and the that the fan is not running when any adjustments are made.

Inexperienced Joined: Jul 12, 2010 Posts: 23

Cheers got something right..... Laughing

There`s no vacuum on this model its all electronic.

Posted: Fri Dec 07, 2012 6:43 pm

if you haven't got the engine in basic settings you will not be able to set the timing with a stobe, i made a mess of my timing by moving the dizzy around. the way i sorted mine out was to line everything up to tdc and then i got a timing dial printed on a piece of paper and fixed that behind the crankshaft pulley( on the lower cam belt cover plastic ), lined that up at 0,then turned the crankshaft back 6 degrees, as indicated by the timing dial, and turned the distributor so the centre line on the rotor arm was in line with the mark on the egde, a basic way to do it but after lots of trys this worked for me, does your distributor/oil pump pulley have a dot on it like this picture,