Pinzgauer woes...

[v8volvo]

Originally Posted by ngoma

an otherwise "experienced" mechanic is mightily tempted to "make do" with what logically appears to be a "good enough approximation" that seems like it should work, and that has always worked in the past. Sometimes referred to as "Best Practice."

.....

I, for one, am feeling our best timely help is being impeded because of the "Telephone Game" we are dealing with here. Something is getting lost in the translation between your mechanic, thru you, to us, and vice-versa. Might be time for you to request you mechanic enter into this thread directly instead of relying on what you can relay to us

Great point, well put. I wonder if this is a case where a mechanic's long experience actually works against him (and his customer). A novice approaching a high-stakes job involving the timing system would probably want to follow all instructions exactly and therefore in some respects be less prone to mistakes than a seasoned mechanic with lots of past successes using accustomed methods. Maybe that past success would create temptation to not read instructions and rely instead on those methods -- paint marks, impact guns, and so on. Or even if he did read them, maybe he would be tempted to dismiss many critical steps as unnecessary, given - as you said - no evidence from any past experience that any special procedures should be needed.

Thinking about it, it probably explains a huge proportion of the trouble that techs and owners have had over decades with the common experience we still see, including the OP's situation here: a good-running vehicle being brought in for routine care and being returned to the customer running poorly and/or blowing up the engine quickly after. Volvo dealers were notorious for this -- being accustomed of course to Volvo gas engines with no shared theory or procedures. Meanwhile the otherwise identical 5cyl version of the engine, serviced instead by Audi personnel, didn't wind up with any of the finicky reputation, myths about spontaneously exploding camshafts, etc.

Agreed on the telephone effect as well, making what could be straightforward more difficult.

Originally Posted by jetfiremuck

I ordered the crafter vw timing tool kit when I replaced my timing belt. I cut a slot in the crank tool in the kit with a 41/2" angle grinder to match the slot in the crankto hold the damper pulley. Worked great.

That is a smart idea. Like this one? https://www.ebay.com/itm/VW-2-4-2-5-...8AAOSwnHBdHx6C

So you would just use the Audi type crank holder, designed for a single lug crankshaft pulley, and cut a second slot into it to fit the two lug D24 version. Yes?

Cheap way to get a good setup if so.