Adrenaline XXIV

Hey guys, after piecing everything together this winter to go boost, and with a tune scheduled on the 10th, I'd take today to start putting things together. I have a k20a2 swapped ep3 with an a3 tranny. Today, I tackled solid motor mounts and clutch.

Everything was a clean install, except when I went to start the car up, it sounded like complete ****! Backfiring, barely wanted to run and running really rich. It would not rev out past 5.5k so I think it's running in limp mode. I had a check engine light now too, for a Cam Positioning Sensor bank 1.. so what I did was

1: Checked both sensors, cleaned them, made sure they were getting power.
2: Swapped the sensors, still going bank 1.
3: Tried bleeding the clutch.. thinking that maybe the clutch had something to do with my issues, because we also installed a lightened flywheel.

Now, from what I have searched, people say it could be any of those issues or I could have possibly jumped timing, or stretched the chain. I probably won't be able to get back into the car until Monday, but I don't see how this is possible. How would I jump timing or stretch the chain just from doing mounts and a clutch?

Another side note: The car idles just fine, goes into every single gear, but upon deceleration such as coming to a stop, it idles right down and dies. Is this expected with a brand new clutch during the break in period, or could something be wrong internally with the clutch?

As mentioned, this was a clean install that resulted in a shitty night.

zeroprobe

Was your error code P0341?

I did the same and swapped the sensors around but it turned out to be the timing chain had stretched. How many miles has yours done out of interest?

Could be a strange coincidence.

Adrenaline XXIV

Yes thats the code. Well, before messing with the car it pulled hard, just like it should. The mileage on the motor is probably around 140k by now. I will pull the valve cover tomorrow and check,

If the timing chain stretched, do I need a new one? Or can it be tightened back? :p

zeroprobe

You have to replace it, when doing it you change the Guides and Tensioner too.

If it's never been done for 140K miles I would be pretty confident it is the chain. Mine stretched at 68K !

This was the whole process we took

Adrenaline XXIV

Well, we pulled the motor to check it out. When we put the new flywheel on we rotated the engine backwards "counter clockwise" which could have taken the tension off of the tensioner, causing the chain to jump upon first start up. Everything looks fine, just not sure if I should replace the chain and tensioner. I just don't want to put the car back together and it fails, especially under boost this time.

Adrenaline XXIV

Solved the issue.

The chain was off timing, a little stretches, and the tensioner wasn't keeping full pressure on the chain. I've tried pawning my old a3 motor off to people for free and no one would take it, luckily they didn't. I didn't know my chain was stretched or tensioner was weak until I tore apart the a3 and compared the two. The a3 one was replaced by original owner it looks like cause the marked links are a lot more noticeable. It's now all timed, motor's back in the car.

Now I'm having an issue with the clutch. It won't shift into gears while the car is running. May have something to do with the clutch pedal needing to be adjusted since the flywheel, clutch and pp install.

Pics of the stretched chain

Adrenaline XXIV

Here it is, slight stretch. I think the tensioner was the main issue.

zeroprobe

This was mine, seems slightly more stretched.

Adrenaline XXIV

Also figured out why the clutch wouldn't disengage. My clutch came with a spacer that sat in the crank for the input shaft to ride on and once it was together the spacer fell apart and bound the input shaft to the crank so as the pressure plate released from the clutch disc it still wouldn't go into gear due to the input shaft still spinning with the crank. Removed it and problem solved.

Adrenaline XXIV

The clutch kit was for an a3 tranny on an a2 motor.

mizle

thats crazy man i dont think ive ever seen a spacer on the clutch. Glad you figured it out and will keep an eye out for those things when i do a clutch job lol