audi-driver1126

earlier i had advanced my cars timing by sound and feel but recently i took out and cleaned my temp sensor and put it back in. The car ran much better and now my timing advancement is too high. Its a bit sluggish and i would like to properly use a timing light to figure this out.

Is there any specific marks that i point the timing light at while i turn the distributor?

i cant seem to find any.

please give me a few steps on how to use the timing light on my engine. I know how to set up the light just not were to find the reference points and marks.

Rogviler

Yeah, they designed it really stupidly... What you really should do is get your engine to top dead center and then paint the timing mark so it's easier to see. So if your distributor is in there correctly you can rotate the engine either manually or with the starter (although you'll have to get lucky with the latter) until the center of the rotor lines up with a mark on the housing. If I remember correctly, if you're looking straight at it the mark will be at about 8:00.

You can also line up the mark on the back of the cam sprocket with the driver side of the valve cover right at the edge. Or figure out when the first cylinder is at the top of its stroke with the method of your choice.

In any event, the aim is to be able to see the small timing mark (a | or a O) on the flywheel through the slot where the engine meets the transmission on the driver side.

Yeah, Audi expected you to be able to see that with the flash of a timing light...

So put a dot of bright paint on the mark and THEN you'll be able to check the timing.

-Rog

Rogviler

Oh, also there are no other timing marks, unlike most cars, so if you want to dial in a specific advancement you'll have to use a timing light that's capable of that. You can get close with a protractor taped to the distributor.

-Rog

audi-driver1126

wow, thats dumb. the 86 vw jetta i was working on had specific marks in the transmission. all you needed to do was pull out a little cap/plug thing. well, i have no idea how im going to get the engine to TDC anytime soon. i thik i will go back to adjusting by sound and feel...

danmcc86

Like Rog was saying, there are three marks on different places on the car. The first timing mark can be found on the edge of the fly wheel. The viewing port is found(on my 84 WE) on the bell housing at about 1:15(if viewing from the front of the car). It is a rectangle with a small wedge-shaped piece to line up the timing mark with. The timing mark will look like a 0 with a line below it. The easiest way to turn the engine imo is to jack up the car and to turn it with the front crank with a large ratchet.

The other timing mark (a dot) is on the back of the front cam-shaft sprocket(the timing belt sprocket), there is a viewing port(a 1.5" long slot) on the back timing belt cover next to the drivers side edge of the valve cover. This will be lined up with the top edge of the cylinder head every-other revolution of the engine.

The 3rd(and last) mark is on the distributor housing. You will have to take off the distributor cap. It will be a small indent/notch on the top rim of the housing. Loosen up the housing and turn it so the center line of the rotor is lined up with the notch. As long as you have not pulled the entire distributor unit out, you should be at factory TDC.

Again, this was on my '84 CGT with a WE engine. It should be similar with yours.

Good luck!