Oskar
A2OC Donor
This job is not hugely difficult, but has some intricate elements, and you need the right tools.
This is not a ‘how to’ but some comments and photos to show what to expect, if you are about to take on your own project.
I have no idea when my cambelt was last done, and as I am suspicious that the motor has been changed (more to come on that in a later post), the 2017 56,000 mile ‘claim’ in the service book may be irrelevant. Even so, at 77,000 miles it was definitely due.
I made a quick visit to the knowledgeable and generous @Andrew , who has a real treasure trove of A2 parts and bits, and like many of you, a second A2 in the garage receiving care and attention. A necessary tool was borrowed, thanks.
As expected, the pulley bolt was a real sticker, and it was not until the second day of trying, with a hot engine, that I shifted it.
Once past that hurdle, it was a case of following the instructions in the workshop manual.
A couple of points….
You will need to get the front of the car up about a foot, in order to get underneath with the ability to utilise tools etc. If you can get some height, you don’t need to remove the driver’s side wheel-arch liner. It helps if you do, but only really necessary to detach if you cannot get under the car.
I had the engine stropped up to the garage roof, and also a jack underneath, which allowed me to move the engine around at will (and to feel safer).
The lower belt plastic cover is held on with 3 bolts. One of these is pretty much impossible to access. I took off the auxiliary belt tensioner pulley (just the pulley, not the actual tensioner itself, so just a single bolt), and that really helped. No mention of that in the manual!
You will need a number of sockets, 19mm, 17mm, 16mm, 15mm, 13mm 10mm, various handles and extensions, and I find my ‘deep offset’ ring spanner set really useful. Also a Pulley Holder, and very necessary, the cam lock tool.
In my case, as you will see in the photos, my water pump had been leaking at some stage. I have not had any water level issues in my 6 months of ownership, however it had been leaking earlier for some time.
From what I found in the pump cavity, it looks like someone had put some goop in the system, to block the leak. It may have worked, but that’s not a good fix!
Some cleaning up was required…..
All the parts were VW originals (branded VW, not the four rings) so I am not sure if they are originals or at least VW genuine parts. There were markings on the camshafts, so someone has certainly been in there before, at some stage, so most likely replacements.
I purchased a Dayco kit, with all new parts including replacement bolts, so £106 well spent I think.
The hardest part for me was sorting the new main belt positioning, right at the end.
I just could not get it so the crankshaft marking and the 2 camshafts were all correct. I didn’t have a third hand to hold the belt in the correct place to stop it jumping 1 tooth, but I finally got there on about the fourth position/tighten sequence……
Obviously getting those marks in the correct place is rather important!
With the leak and the cracks in the belt, it was certainly a timely fix. Not so keen to do another any time soon, but if I still have Oskar in another 30,000 miles, I’ll be happy to!
One good thing that has resulted, which may just be co-incidental, is the car now starts on the first key turn. It used to often only start on the second crank. Perhaps this is a camshaft positioning issue, or something else those of you more experienced could comment on.
Comments also on the photos.
Glad this is finished. Matt
This is not a ‘how to’ but some comments and photos to show what to expect, if you are about to take on your own project.
I have no idea when my cambelt was last done, and as I am suspicious that the motor has been changed (more to come on that in a later post), the 2017 56,000 mile ‘claim’ in the service book may be irrelevant. Even so, at 77,000 miles it was definitely due.
I made a quick visit to the knowledgeable and generous @Andrew , who has a real treasure trove of A2 parts and bits, and like many of you, a second A2 in the garage receiving care and attention. A necessary tool was borrowed, thanks.
As expected, the pulley bolt was a real sticker, and it was not until the second day of trying, with a hot engine, that I shifted it.
Once past that hurdle, it was a case of following the instructions in the workshop manual.
A couple of points….
You will need to get the front of the car up about a foot, in order to get underneath with the ability to utilise tools etc. If you can get some height, you don’t need to remove the driver’s side wheel-arch liner. It helps if you do, but only really necessary to detach if you cannot get under the car.
I had the engine stropped up to the garage roof, and also a jack underneath, which allowed me to move the engine around at will (and to feel safer).
The lower belt plastic cover is held on with 3 bolts. One of these is pretty much impossible to access. I took off the auxiliary belt tensioner pulley (just the pulley, not the actual tensioner itself, so just a single bolt), and that really helped. No mention of that in the manual!
You will need a number of sockets, 19mm, 17mm, 16mm, 15mm, 13mm 10mm, various handles and extensions, and I find my ‘deep offset’ ring spanner set really useful. Also a Pulley Holder, and very necessary, the cam lock tool.
In my case, as you will see in the photos, my water pump had been leaking at some stage. I have not had any water level issues in my 6 months of ownership, however it had been leaking earlier for some time.
From what I found in the pump cavity, it looks like someone had put some goop in the system, to block the leak. It may have worked, but that’s not a good fix!
Some cleaning up was required…..
All the parts were VW originals (branded VW, not the four rings) so I am not sure if they are originals or at least VW genuine parts. There were markings on the camshafts, so someone has certainly been in there before, at some stage, so most likely replacements.
I purchased a Dayco kit, with all new parts including replacement bolts, so £106 well spent I think.
The hardest part for me was sorting the new main belt positioning, right at the end.
I just could not get it so the crankshaft marking and the 2 camshafts were all correct. I didn’t have a third hand to hold the belt in the correct place to stop it jumping 1 tooth, but I finally got there on about the fourth position/tighten sequence……
Obviously getting those marks in the correct place is rather important!
With the leak and the cracks in the belt, it was certainly a timely fix. Not so keen to do another any time soon, but if I still have Oskar in another 30,000 miles, I’ll be happy to!
One good thing that has resulted, which may just be co-incidental, is the car now starts on the first key turn. It used to often only start on the second crank. Perhaps this is a camshaft positioning issue, or something else those of you more experienced could comment on.
Comments also on the photos.
Glad this is finished. Matt
