AAZ crank nose failure

[blackbird82]

As the owner of a 94 Jetta with 400,000 kms on its original engine. I am here to finally nail the coffin shut on the crank nose issue.

I am no engineer, I am a John Deere Tech for 10 years.
ALL of our 4 cylinder engine have a clutched alternator for the reason to reduce pulley death and inertia dampning. That is from Deere itself.

I changed my alternator to a clutch pulley

THe change was monumental. No more shaking of belts, no more random rattles or noises from my tensioner.

And when I did my timing belt I found that my engine already had the TDI crank nose AND THE PULLEY WAS WORN SLIGHTLY! This is the TDI style as a result from 160,000k with no clutch on the alternator.

I put a new pulley on, torqued and loctited to spec. 
And at that time clutched my alternator (the deere one fit on, we run bosch everything as well.)

160,000k later.
timing belt
remove pulley.
no damge or stress at all
 
that is all
engineer or not you can't argue with results.

Good to go

[Quantum TD]

One of the reasons I always hammer on my crank bolt with my 1/2 inch impact wrench. These guys are sissies with their special tools for "properly" torquing the crank bolt. I've ALWAYS used my impact wrench to hammer them suckers on there (350 ft-lbs on high). Once the bolt stops spinning, that's when I stop tightening. I have no idea what the torque spec is, and I don't really care. But I can say this, it's too low.

I honestly think that more than half of the AAZ nose failures are due to people not tightening the snot out of the crank bolt. Do people really think they'll break the nose off the crank with that soft a bolt? Hell, I've never replaced one in my life. If I can hit it with full force on my impact wrench and the bolt doesn't break, it don't need replacin'. Same thing goes for flywheel bolts. I've never done anything but jam them on with an impact wrench (used bolts to boot!), and I've never had a problem.

Now, camshafts and intermediate shafts are another story.

Just sayin...

[blackbird82]

Nailing somethin on with an impact is decent, although it totally depends on the gun!
I've been through about 4 different impacts and tI swear by the Ingersoll Rand 3135 titanium ultra duty.
I've tested what it  can torque to, with a good socket about 400 lb ft or ft lbs, can't ever remember
But others can't get over 300! A lot of impacts are made to have 3 times the torque removing vs installing
And yeah TTY bolts its important to put to spec, no difference if you get 350 lb ft with a torque wrench or impact gun. torque is torque.
But at home if I'm stuck on something, the torque spec quickly becomes "tight as I can get it"! haha

[commuter boy]

And at that time clutched my alternator (the deere one fit on, we run bosch everything as well.)

Got some part numbers?  It's pretty common that Deere parts are cheaper than their automotive equivalent.

[AudiVWguy]

X2--------PART NUMBERS PLEASE-----