Distributor Rattle and caliper bolt torque settings

[b3robo]

Hi everyone.

I think I may have found the source of my nasty rattle, after a trip to the garage they used a stethoscope to find the source of the noise which seems to be coming from the brand new bosch distributor. Could this be my issue? Found this on audi20v.net:

http://audi20v.net/problems-a-solutions/engine-a-drivetrain/113-distributor-rattle

I had the noise with the old distributor before it was replaced, which was louder due to the timing chain being worn down. I've done the timing chain, pump and cam belt but is still noisy. I have remove the dizzy once and there was a tiny amount of play in the gear backwards and forwards. The noise is more pronounced when the engine is warmed up, like the article says, when at 2krpm and above when you lift off the throttle. Tappets have been checked and are fine, the noise is definitely coming from the top of the engine.

Is this still an issue with the newer bosch dizzys? the old one was a cheap OEM one with brass gear which was completely worn and split, had it replaced by Tom from RCMR.

Where is the best place to get decent washers from? thin stainless with inner diameter of 12.7 mils?

Also on a side note, whats the correct torque settings for the bolts on the caliper carrier? my brake discs may be warped and I was gonna try replacing them with some new ones and new pads to see if it cures the judder.

Thanks in advance for any advice anyone can give me

Rob

[Phil Payne]

Found this on audi20v.net:

http://audi20v.net/problems-a-solutions/engine-a-drivetrain/113-distributor-rattle

Utter twaddle. All Bosch distributors have significant axial play - it matters not one jot because the driven gear is helical and thus produces a force acting to pull the distributor shaft down against the bush.

If a new distributor is rattling (easy to check for yourself with a large screwdriver between the neck of the distributor and your ear) then the problem is more likely to be camshaft related - though I've only ever seen this a couple of times.

[kingfishers2]

Ive just rebuilt a 20v which had the same problem, if you held the engine at roughly 2000 rpm there was a rattle, i changed the cam chain and shimmed out the dizzy this improved it but didnt cure it. while your at it check all the heat shields are tight as they like to come loose and rattle.
I have tried all 3 gears plastic/steel/and brass the plastic one is the quietest. maybe this was audis solution?

[Error404]

IIRC caliper carrier torque is 80nm

[b3robo]

cheers for the replies guys, especially error404. I've managed to f**k it by taking the distributor in and out, cars turning over but not firing! i've removed it 3 times now and re-lined the rotor to where it should sit (I think) but no joy. it has some marks made on the housing and inner rotor as to where it may sit.

Anyone have any clues to where the rotor should sit exactly and what else I can try to get it started again, really doing my head in, blodoy fiddly getting it in and out.

Thanks again for advice regarding rattling, its true what you say Error404, its helical so it'd pull the gear away from the housing, there's also plenty of nice thin washers between the gear and diz body on mine already so I may have to look elsewhere. The noise was definitely coming from the top of the head near the diz.

I'd rather not fit a plastic/nylon gear as i'm told they tend to shear quite quickly, but I may be wrong.

Thanks for the caliper torque

I shall persevere and scratch my head further.

Edit: should I remove the diz cap and see if the rotor turns? this a good/bad idea? sorry for nooby questions i've not that much experience

[Phil Payne]

Anyone have any clues to where the rotor should sit exactly and what else I can try to get it started again, really doing my head in, blodoy fiddly getting it in and out.

IME the difficulty isn't aligning the distributor, it's aligning the crank. There are two pictures of the alignment mark towards the bottom of http://www.isham-research.co.uk/quattro/i5_head.html - it may take you a second or two to even see the mark in the right-hand picture.

[mcandmar]

As above, set engine to TDC, insert dizzy and rotate the body to light up the marks. Turn the engine over a few times and double check they line up. To find TDC use the marks on the crank pulley and on the cam pulley.

[Phil Payne]

As above, set engine to TDC, insert dizzy and rotate the body to light up the marks. Turn the engine over a few times and double check they line up. To find TDC use the marks on the crank pulley and on the cam pulley.

No!

The harmonic damper can move around the shaft with time. Audi quite specifically states it is not to be used except during manufacture - ALL the Audi documentation of which I am aware insists on using the flywheel mark.

I've seen the harmonic damper/lower cambelt cover mark be more than 10 degrees out.

[newsh]

Use the zero mark on the flywheel you can see through the window in the bellhousing as in Phil's pic HERE, the mark on the pulley can be out, the dizzy has to be spot on or you will get problems. Put the car in gear and push forward onto the marks to double check.

[newsh]

^^

[Phil Payne]

Use the zero mark you can see through the crankshaft window as in Phil's pic HERE, ...

<rant>
IMO anyone who reassembles an engine/gearbox without cleaning that part of the flywheel and filling the zero mark with white paint deserves to be hung by the thumbs when the next person starts trying to find alignment, and should only be let down when the job has been done.
</rant>

[newsh]

Crank window, actually in the bellhousing.

Yes, don't know why I wrote camshaft edited above.

[b3robo]

OK as I understand the process:

Line up flywheel in bell housing by cranking the engine by hand to TDC; not sure exactly how to do this...

Reinstall Diz with marks on the housing and body lined up correctly, as here:


Then it should hopefully run over?

This is correct flywheel position?


and this is incorrect?


I gather I may have to push my car around the car park like a nob now?

[Phil Payne]

Line up flywheel in bell housing by cranking the engine by hand to TDC; not sure exactly how to do this...

Car in fifth gear, lift the left front wheel off the floor, put a socket and breaker bar on the hub, adjust to fit.

This is correct flywheel position?

Why do I bother? Audi's drawing 15-242 is on the left of those photos on http://www.isham-research.co.uk/quattro/i5_head.html - my photos are merely illustrative of what the damn thing actually looks like and how hard it can be to spot.

[b3robo]

Thanks for the help Phil and sorry for dumb questions, i've run out of daylight and energy, so i'll persevere with it tomorrow after I've got myself a breaker bar.