[s-cars] No Start ABY/AAN engine - Problem Found?

[qshipq at aol.com]

 Ben = STOP!
Here is where I was confused as to what you were doing when I responded the other day.  First there is *only* 1 timing reference pin on the 3B and the AAN (hardware and software).  If you have no pin on the block side of the FW, that's why your engine doesn't start.

On the 3B FW there is THE timing reference pin located exactly 35.5 teeth from the -0- mark on the FW.  IT IS LOCATED ON THE BLOCK SIDE OF THE FW.  To your project, you should have 2 pickups (AAN/3B/MC = ALL): 1 is the TRP on the block side of the FW, the other counts the FW teeth (rpm).  

The two long roll pins on the CLUTCH side of the FW on the 3B are old VAG-Com diagnostic pins, which I haven't seen actually used in almost 20 years.  I used to leave them on if intact, but most of the used 3B FW I get now have them broken or damaged, so I just take them out.  They are not needed for the running of any engine, and completely useless unless you like to collect old VAG-com diagnostic equipment.

Back to the original problem:  If you have no pin on the block side of the FW, your engine won't start.  I suppose you *could* change the pin and pickup to the trans side of the FW, but that sounds like a lot of work to reinvent the wheel.  The good news is, you can pull the starter and put the missing pin back in the FW without pulling the trans.  If you want to remove the trans, I don't think it's that hard myself, but I've done several urqs...  Years ago, when I did was testing one of the first prototype Fidanza FW on an urq, I pulled the trans 6 times in less than 3 days myself (from fully road tested to FW bolts), without a lift, I got that procedure down to just over an hour.  Air hammer and air ratchet, drop the subframe (leaving ball joints attached).

I'm starting to see the reason for my confusion.  IME on any and all 3B/MC/v8/urS, no FW pin on the engine side = no start.  It's just that simple.

HTH

Scott J



-----Original Message-----
From: Ben Swann <benswann at verizon.net>
To: 'John Cody Forbes' <cody at 5000tq.com>
Cc: 'JC' <jc at j2c3.com>; qshipq at aol.com; s-car-list at audifans.com; chris.miller at bqconsultants.com
Sent: Sun, Oct 3, 2010 8:58 pm
Subject: RE: [s-cars] No Start ABY/AAN engine - Problem Found?


Not based on what I see - there are no pins or protrusions whatsoever on the 
block side
of the flywheel.  The pins go out toward the pressure plate side.  These roll 
pins
protrude out about 1" from the flywheel.  They are on the same side as the pins 
that
retain the pressure plate.  In the stock 3B setup, the pins come out between one 
of
three "void areas of the pressure plate. 

Again, the pins do not come out block-side.  If they did, finding the location 
of where
to drill for a new pin would be a piece of cake.  Instead to do this in situ, I 
need to
drill all the way through the flywheel and drive a pin in all the way through so 
it
comes out - hopefully through an existing hole in the pressure plate and not 
drilling a
new hole.  

I'm not doing anything untill I get a warm fuzzy that I won't damage something 
doing
this.  

I wish it were trivial to do a clutch/flywheel swap.  I know whats involved and 
quite
frankly is the major part of doing the entire job.  You know my setup - I don't 
have
access to a lift, etc. and am a one man show, so this has turned my dream 
project into
somewhat of a nightmare.  The only thing I can say positively is that since 
everything
is new, it won't be as messy and no stuck fasteners.  FWIW, I generally find it 
easier
to pull the entire engine and trans to do a transmission separation than to do 
it in the
car.

Ben