I changed my timing belt yesterday. When i lined up the timing marks the cam appeared to be two teeth out. In the Haynes manual it tells you that the marks are not accurate, but this seems excessive. They do not bother to tell you how to set the timing properly (these books are next to useless these days). Anyway I put the new belt on the same as the old one but would like to check the timing properly. Can somebody tell me how this is done? I'm guessing removing the cam cover and measuring lift but how much.

The car is a 1999 A4 with a 1.6 AHL petrol engine.

 

There are technical articals on AUDIWORLD. If the belt is in the same
you should be able to rotate the engine by hand, to make sure valves
and pistons have clearance.

 

personally i would turn engine by hand at least 4 or 5 times completely then try starting on the key, if its out it will run like a sick dog if its to far out ..just wait for the bang.
seriously u will be ok just do it by hand before.

 

The marks are not totally acurate but they are very close. You are at least one tooth out. What you want is for the tooth with the mark on it to be the closest tooth to the mark on the valvecover. You can use anthing straight and run it along the top of the belt where the peak of the tooth is over to the valvecover and compare how close it is to the mark on the valvecover verses the teeth on either side of the marked tooth.

 

Looks like I might have to play with different settings.

The emmissions were a littel high when last checked and the engine has to turn more times before it fiers than it used to, when cold starting. I supose this could be down to the valve timimg.

Fingers crossed that i don't get high speed metal to metal contact.