# Timing Belt (and other parts) Post



## VW Nevada (Feb 28, 2008)

Well, I've owned my '86 QSW for just over two years now (and about 15,000 miles) and the time has finally come. Yes, time for the dreaded timing belt removal and replacement project. 

Here's my QSW hanging with my GTI at the club show one summer.








On this car I've already replaced the radiator, A/C compressor and dryer, brakes, passenger window regulator, V-belts, Hall Effects Sender, starter, coil, exhaust, and the drive shaft. The car has just over 150,000 miles on it. 

The problem with the timing belt job on the QSW is that there are so many other things that you might as well replace while you're down in there that it seams to turn into an epic rather than just a routine service. 

What finally pushed me to replace my timing belt was that my water pump started leaking, so down the rabbit whole I went. 

This is what I've done so far (sparing the gory details):

1. Removed the front bumper (it's easy and you'll be glad you did)
2. Drained coolant through radiator fan switch and thermostat 
3. Removed A/C line from Compressor to Condenser (my A/C was already evacuated and that hose would have been right in the way of everything)
4. Removed V-Belts
5. Unbolted power steering pump from its mounts
6. Removed timing belt covers
7. Removed crankshaft bolt and the four bolts holding the harmonic balancer to the timing belt drive sprocket. I was hoping that the harmonic balancer would come off separate from the drive sprocket, but it didn't. The two came out as one piece and even afterward they were hard to separate. 
8. Removed timing belt and idler pulley. (FYI, The Bentley makes no mention of an idler puller in any picture or diagram, but it's there. It's kind of pressed in and it took some work to get off. I can't imagine that the new one is going to go on any easier. I might have to do some heating and freezing to get the new one to seat right). 
9. Removed the water pump. 

My valve cover, and timing belt covers have been covered in surface rust and a deplorable lack of paint so I took those off while I was at it and sent them off to be sand blasted and painted. This, of course, necessitated removing the nest of hoses running between the intake and the valve cover. I hope I can solve that puzzle when the time comes. 

While I'm at it I decided to replace the spark plugs and wires and replaced the crankshaft and cam shaft seals. 

Spark plugs weren't in bad shape and they were all pretty uniform in color. 









The crankshaft seal doesn't leak, but the camshaft seal does weep a bit. 
*Does anyone have a tried and true method for removing these seals?* Someone has suggested that I run wood screws in four places around the outside of the seals then slowly pull them out. *Has anyone tried this?** Is there a better way that doesn't involve me buying some expensive tool or removing and further dismantling the engine?*

I'm currently in the cleaning and waiting for parts mode. I sent the harmonic balancer off to get rebuilt and I'm still waiting for the engine covers to come back from the paint shop. 

An evening's cleaning work. 


















Anybody remember what this odd temperature sensor is called? It sits on the back of the valve cover.


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## ziddey (Apr 16, 2006)

That would probably work. I replaced mine when I changed out the camshaft, so I guess you could always go that route. A cam off a RD motor would be a nice upgrade on the cheap from the junkyard.

As for the sensor, I'm guessing it's the after-run fan switch.


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## VW Nevada (Feb 28, 2008)

I was thinking that it was something to do with the fan too. I have yet to locate this sensor in the Bentley manual. I wish that book had a better index. 

What's an RD motor? I have an acquaintance with an '84 Audi 4000 Quattro that swapped in a cam from an 5000 turbo that seems to help the 2.2L make a bit more power.


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## ziddey (Apr 16, 2006)

rd would be an 86+ 8v cis-e a2. believe 86-87, or 87.5 or 88.0 or something like that. 86 for sure. has a slightly more aggressive cam


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## VW Nevada (Feb 28, 2008)

I'm guessing that RD cam wouldn't fit my 5 cylinder engine then.

Some parts I sent out are starting to trickle back in. 

The Harmonic Balancer I sent off to be rebuilt came back.


The rubber looks good and he got all the timing marks lined up just right. The paint left something to be desired, but it could have been worse. 



My timing belt and valve covers are taking a little longer, but hopefully they will be worth the wait. 

I'm still trying to work up the nerve to get those cam and crankshaft seals pulled.


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