[Vwdiesel] timing belt r&r questions

[Roger Brown]

Gary Shea wrote:
> > i didn't have a rubber plug in the bellhousing hole, its a largeish (50mm+)
> > plastic bung with a large hex (19mm) hole and a plastic hex plug that looks
> > like a nut with a single tab to pull on.  its right about on top of the
> > bellhousing.
> > does this sound right? seems like a really small hole to be looking into.
>
> You've identified the problem ;)
>
> The platic hex plug needs to be removed before you can see the pointer,
> which on my bell housing is on the engine side of the hole.  I don't
> know why you haven't seen a mark on the flywheel... there is typically a
> v-shaped notch, almost like it was created wtih a triangular file, on
> the tranny side of the outermost edge of the flywheel.

I made a plug remover out of a length of wooden dowel (old closet rod I think) and just whittle down 6 sides to fit the plastic
plug.  Once I found the timing mark, I painted it with a brite colored paint.

Anyone have any tips on finding TDC with a 1.9 hydraulic head?  It has a metal cover over the cam inside the valve cover, and
w/o pulling the cover you can't see the valves.  I now have marks painted on the sprocket, but the first time I was just
guessing, turning the flywheel to TDC and I got lucky (50% chance).