I verified there are definitely without a doubt 16 links between each of the 2 arrows including the links in line with the arrows. I was reading the bentley manual and it said the exhaust cam notch is slightly offest inward toward the tensioner. But my intake and exhuast cam notches are exactly even with each other. Does that mean my intake cam is maybe off a tooth and I should move it one tooth to the left?

 

UPDATE: Just checked and I have 0 compression on every cylinder.. I don't see how this happened. Cam is perfectly lined up, counted 16 rollers about 10 times. I don't understand. I'm guessing I bent valves?? I have no idea how though..

 

Was the crankshaft lined up at TDC? It is possible you do not have the cams properly aligned with the crankshaft.

 

This - of you're off a tooth at the cam and another tooth at the crank, that'd create the issue.

 

You gotta count between the timing marks on the cams themselves. The arrows on the caps are for TDC, not timing one cam from the other. Put everything back to top dead center, verify your cam timing is right, and then try the compression test again. I doubt you bent valves just being a little bit off. Iirc the intake cam will be slightly advanced compared to the exhaust cam (meaning when its at tdc, the intake cam will be slightly to the right of the timing mark.)

 

I was thinking the same thing that it is very unlikely I bent valves. So before I did any of this the engine was running perfectly, aside from the ticking cam tensioner, and i did the timing belt about 20k miles ago. So if I turn the engine over by the crankshaft pulley all I should have to do is turn it until the mark on the cam gear is align with mark on the valve cover, correct? Then align the intake cam so both cams are at TDC. The exhaust cam was never touched so it should still be timed correctly. Then align the intake cam so the mark on the intake cam is slightly right of the arrow if the mark on the exhaust cam is perfectly straight witht the arrow? Am I right in the way Im thinking? Im definitely not an expert when it comes to working on audi engines.

 

Start out by aligning your crankshaft first & then look at the cam alignment. Remember , you are aligning the cams to the crankshaft & the camshafts to themselves.

 

I don't understand though why the crankshaft timing would be off at all. So if I line up the mark on the cam gear to the mark on the valve cover wouldn't that mean that the mark on the crank is lined up also? Im trying to not remove the from bumper if I dont have to.

 

For some reason these guys think you had the timing belt off lol. Just set the engine up at TDC again and then count the 16 rollers starting at the timing mark on the exhaust cam. Adjust the intake cam accordingly and bolt it all back down. remember only 10nm for the torque on the cam caps.

 

Thats what I was saying.. Timing belt was not effected in any way.. I have it set up now the correct way and I have no compression... I have the exhaust cam perfectly lined up with the arrow on the cap, and the intake cam perfectly lined up with the cap, also there are 16 roller in between including the ones lined up with the arrows on the caps. And still no compression.. So do you think I should line up the intake cam slightly to the right of the arrow on the cap? I really don't think I could have bent valves.. How likely do you think it is to bend valves by just cranking the motor over with the starter if it was one tooth off or something? I was standing right next to the engine when my friend was turning it over and it didn't sound like any of the valves hit the pistons.