I just replaced the timing belt on my 2002 3.0 and I didn't use cam locking tools.
during the process the 2 camshafts on the right side on the engine moved, but since I marked all of the cams and the belt I was able to move them back into place and put on the new belt. All of the marks that I made lined up and after putting the car back together it seems to run fine.

If the car runs does that mean everything is okay?

The only thing is that I think the engine is louder now. Maybe I'm just paranoid, I donnu.

 

If you are even 1 tooth off on one of the cams you will have a code stored in the ECM for cam allocation error. Its virtually impossible to get the timing correct on a 3.0L using the mark method, i would borrow the tools, line up the crank timing mark and see if the tools slip right onto the cam channels. If it slides right on you're good, if it doesn't slide on easilly you are off a tooth and will cause accellerated damage to your engine over time.

 

I'd use the tools if I had access to them, but I don't and I'm not going to go buy them either. Is there another way to check?

Your saying that it would throw a code, so would that give me a check engine light?
I don't have one right now.

Honestly, I don't see how it's "virtually impossible" because it looks quite simple to me, but maybe I'm wrong.
All of the marks lined up perfectly when I finished the job.
This is how I marked it. I transferred the marks on the old belt to the new belt.

 

Because each of those cam pulleys have cam adjusters built into them, so they can turn up to 4* each without moving the camshaft. When you change the belt the hydraulic fluid can leak out of them and cause the pulleys to move sightly, it would would perfect on a 2.8L because the cam tensioners are seperate from the pulleys. It looks they are well lined up on your pics so if you don't have any stored faults (no CEL) then you should be good to go. The engine should be a little louder for a while because it takes a while to get oil back into the tensioners, thats what makes that loud chatter noise when you first start up the car. The car being louder isn't what im worried about, if you don't find any faults, continue to monitor the ECM for the rest of the month. If nothing comes up, i would say the pulleys didn't turn on you.

 

I just did mine (2002 1.8t) and everything is running fine. I also marked everything on mine, but I have one weird thing going on: The car is harder to start. Now, when I say harder to start I by in no way mean it is hard hard to start. Before, I would just barely touch the starter and it would fire right up. Now, I hear it turn over maybe two times at most. It still starts right up, it just feels different. What maybe took 1/10th of a second before now takes 1/2 of a second.

I was EXTRA SUPER careful to get things lined up and not move the cams. The belt went right on and everything lined up perfectly. The car runs great, sounds fine and is driving no different and getting no better or worse gas milage. Also no CEL.

Am I being paranoid?


On a side note: Wasn't doing your own timing belt fun? I had a blast doing mine, it just felt good to do it myself.

-Chris

 

On a 1.8T you have to mark everything, because there isn't any special tools for yours.
You will have a fault code if you messed up the timing by even 1 tooth, check the fault codes! It doesn't need to have a CEL to have a fault! You should also change your fuel filter if you haven't done it in a while, because that can cause extended cranking time.

 

Yeah, the fuel filter is on the list of things to do. I'll pull the code tomorrow.

-Chris

 

When I said that the camshaft moved I meant the pulley. So it did move, but I put it back into place as best a s I could. So even though the marks lined up you're saying that it might be a little off because of the cam adjusters.

Well I'm hoping that I got it right. How do I monitor this? just wait for a CEL?
Can I go get my timing checked or something?
Or can it be off even without the CEL going off?

 

The only way the timing can be checked on the 3.0L is if the cam tools line up on the channels on the cams and the crank is lined up. This requires removing the valve covers to get at the cam channels, so i would just wait and see if any faults come up. Don't wait for a CEL, but DO check the fault memory. A lot of times a cam allocation fault won't trip a CEL unless it detects knocking. So if you have a vag com or code reader, check the fault memory weekly for one month. If nothing shows up, then its fine.

 

Would the ebay cable and free vag-com be okay for this?