specsalot

Hmmm - I validated in the Porsche Shop Manual and also within their parts catalog that the lip on the cam belt drive cog must be on the forward side.

I just did belts a couple months ago. I think mine is on backward. If so, it's always been that way, as I've always put it back as I've found it. I've also always been off ~ 1/2 tooth on marks. Now I've got to check mine (after I figure out why there's no spark - no start).

harveyf

The engagement of the various pieces of the oil pump drive is pretty sensitive from a clearance standpoint. I have put mine together on more than 1 occasion where it was locked. A simple test would be to release the torque on the big nut and see if that releases the engine for rotation. You can check by putting the car in gear and rotating a tire, looking for movement of the crankshaft (with crankshaft lock removed). I agree with other comments that the shoulder on the timing belt cog appears to be forward in the PET. Make sure you are not binding/pinching on the plastic cover in between the cog and the oil pump. Make sure the splined shaft is seated fully into the oil pump. Make sure you have the spacer (PET Item 21) installed. With everything assembled and no crankshaft lock in place, you should be able to rotate the engine slightly with minimal torque. Dont' go crazy and rotate it a lot but it's OK to rock it a little as a test. Then put the timing mark back into correct position (using the mark in the viewport on the top of the bell housing), lock it down and put on a decent torque. Since you're having this problem, you might want to then release the lock and see if the engine can still be rocked by hand. Again, small motions only. Be safe and disconnet the battery so there is no way you can hit the starter by accident, which would probably do some real damage.

Warnings to not rotate your engine with the timing belt removed are well intended and sound advice. That said, on the 944 2 pistons are at TDC at the same time and 2 are at BDC at the same time. For the 2 pistons at TDC all the valves are fully or partially closed, so no interference exists. For the 2 pistons at BDC, some of the valves are fully opened and would interfere (and be bent) if you were to rotate the crankshaft 180 deg. without the timing belt installed. My tests above do not envision you moving the crankshaft by more than a few degrees with the timing belt not installed. If you do otherwise, you most certainly will not be happy with the results but again, you would need to rotate 180 deg to get into deep ca ca. Again, small motions only and disconnect the starter/electrical system and you should be fine troubleshooting your problem.

You can also remove your spark plugs to make rotating the engine go a little easier. With no plugs installed, it really turns quite easily.

harveyf

One more data point. With the parts correctly assembled, about 80% of the length of the woodruff key is covered up by the timing belt cog, with maybe an 1/8" showing to engage the accesory drive pulley. If there is no woodruff key visible to engage the accesory drive pulley, then you have most likely have not seated the splines into the oil pump correctly. Left in this incorrect position and tightened, it will certainly lock the engine. Been there, done that!

RoyaleWithCheese

Thanks for all the great advice!

I should have some time tonight to check it out and try some of the things you all recommended.

The picture I attached was after I hand pressed the cog on so at that point it wasn't seated all the way back fully. I had it seated with a small amount of the key showing out the front before I installed the accessory pulley though.

It's for sure the crank that's locked though so It has to be something on that shaft that's holding it in place. I'll try de-torqueing that bolt to see if that will free it up.

If it is the oil drive gear not being seated properly is there a way to grab it and work it in there without damaging the seal? Once I pushed it in there was only a slight lip protruding so I feel I would be almost impossible to do anything with it without removing the seal first.

harveyf

As I recall, when the oil pump drive gear is fully seated there is a pretty small surface that extends beyond the seal. Since you have had it off by now and thus know it is seized to the shaft, you should be able to grab it with a pair of channel locks and work it out without removing the oil seal. You may scratch the end of the piece but you are out beyond the seal surface so no harm there. (There is also a small green O ring in there that you can remove with a small screwdriver, being careful). But listening to your description it sounds like yours is fully seated or there would be like a 1/2" of it showing. Also, I think you saying that you have a little bit of woodruff key showing. If the oil pump drive was not seated you probably wouldn't see any key showing at all.

I have learned to insert the oil pump drive with a pushing motion while also rotating it. When it engages the oil pump that way it is pretty obvious, as it moves an additional 1/2" or so inward when the slots line up.

kev951

Royal, did u check timing marks on the flywheel both in the timing (OT) window and on the flywheel to bellhousing underneath? Something on the bottom end had to have rotated.

RoyaleWithCheese

This was my first time doing a belt service on one of these cars so I was super careful when it came to keeping everything timed.

The cam gear didn't move a mm the whole process and the crank key was facing straight up the entire time with the flywheel lock firmly in place after I pulled the pulleys off.

I haven't had any time this week to play around with it any more because I'm leaving on vacation tomorrow and have been running around crazy trying to get things for work finished up.

I'll give an update once I'm back and have time to properly give the issue some attention.

kev951

well, the crank key shouldnt be exactly straight up , should be pointing slightly towards the passenger side like 10:30 ish on a clock ........ how was this car running before all of this work?

kev951

Still.. did u check both marks on the flywheel, one at window and one underneath in the center.? Besides your cam gear mark.