Ebay Tools

[aximiliei]

Hey, Just curious has anyone bought tools from this seller? How was the quality (Don't want something that will break the first time I go to time my vdub)?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&_trksid=p4340.m748&item=330554890503&viewitem=&_trkparms=clkid%3D8551062650011705500

Thanks, Aaron

[ToddA1]

Search "prothe". Although the tools needed are very rudimentary, he doesn't have the best reputation for quality.  I'm on the fence about ordering a 1.9 camplate from him. 

Some of the things he sells are decent quality, so it's buyer beware.  If I had to do it again, I'd just order a decent gauge and adapter with 360* tension.  The adapter I have with a set screw is finicky.

-Todd

[aximiliei]

Thanks, that is actually the seller I was looking at. I'm curious of where you would have gone to get your tool instead? I am itching to get my rabbit back on the road.

[ToddA1]

I bought my set on eBay from a German seller.  Price was about $100 shipped, but it's the adapter that I don't like... definitely usable, though.

There were some nice Schley gauges on eBay, recently.  The gauge was probably about $80 shipped, so it's almost what i paid for my kit.  My kit didn't come with a tensioner, either. 

Some people use a deep socket as the lock pin and a flat file or door hinge as the cam lock.  You can definitely piece a kit together, on the cheap.

-Todd

[Luckypabst]

I'll be one of the first to tell you to not buy from that seller, however...

I still haven't found reason to replace the timing kit I bought from him through Ebay several years ago. As a machinist, I can say the finish is on par with a high-schooler just beginning in shop class and the lock pin needed the knurl turned down a bit to fit all the way into the alignment hole. The cam lock is rudimentary but it's been surface ground to just the right thickness for a nice, tight fit in back of the cam with absolutely no angular variation while setting things up.

In short, it's just fine for a home mechanic but don't show up to work with that kit...

Ultimately I ended up buying a commercially made pump locking pin from another vendor that I also won't ever do business with again...

Chris

[aximiliei]

Alright that's the sole purpose for it. Is once and a while for personal use when I change my timing belt.

[Quantum TD]

I have to agree with ToddA1. The set screw on the dial indicator adapter sucks. Both on the Prothe and the German guy's kit. The other tools on the German guy's kit is better, but it has a stupid adapter too. You can make it work, but you never know where the set screw will end up. On mine, it always seemed to line up perfectly with the glow-plug buss bar. Piece of $hit. I ended up buying the tension adapter and pin from Snap on for like $20. Well worth it. If I had to do it again, I'd just get this:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=140520851217&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

And then make my own lock pin and plate.

[aximiliei]

I thought about it but the guy won't send to Ontario. I'm sifting through the internet to try to find another option. But I would like to get this done soon gas is rising steadily up here and showing no sign's of letting up and my V8 truck is eating my pay cheque's  before I even notice they have been deposited. 

[8v-of-fury]

I have this set. It is just as good quality as any. I have timed half dozen idi's with these tools. All have run great. Three of the four tools listed, are chunks of metal.. cant screw that up. And the gauge is more accurate than you need for this purpose..

Why pay $40 more for the exact same thing? just because it was sold by a German guy? I mean the German guy MUST know what he's doing on vw diesels right? lmao.

[ToddA1]

In short, it's just fine for a home mechanic but don't show up to work with that kit...

Chris

Sometimes it's about function over form.  I'm a home mechanic, and Prothe's kit would probably have been fine for me.  I was turned off after I started researching him. After I ordered my kit, I started seeing people say his kit was fine, but crude.  

OP, you may find yourself using the kit more than you think.  Since buying my set last Summer, I bought another diesel, so I've used it many times....  especially when experimenting for cold weather.

Ultimately I ended up buying a commercially made pump locking pin from another vendor that I also won't ever do business with again...

Chris

If there was a quality issue with the lock pin that you bought, maybe you should disclose the seller to warn other forum members.

I have to agree with ToddA1. The set screw on the dial indicator adapter sucks. Both on the Prothe and the German guy's kit. The other tools on the German guy's kit is better, but it has a stupid adapter too. You can make it work, but you never know where the set screw will end up. On mine, it always seemed to line up perfectly with the glow-plug buss bar. Piece of $hit. I ended up buying the tension adapter and pin from Snap on for like $20. Well worth it. If I had to do it again, I'd just get this:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=140520851217&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

And then make my own lock pin and plate.

Hilarious....  I PMed that same gauge to the OP, earlier.  I still want it!

Here's what I had to do to make my adapter usable....

- I cut off maybe 10mm (? it's been a while), and ground the extension nice and smooth so it rode the pump plunger nicely.  I could have cut off more, but wanted to leave it as long as possible, if I needed it for something else.
- Grab a few various washers...  wavy, flat, both thick and thin.
- Play with various washers so when the adapter is tight in the pump, the set screw is at the bottom.  
- I have to set the gauge with at least 6mm preload.  It's at this point, the set screw is at a thick area of the gauge.  The screw won't bind the motion of the needle, here. Check the motion by pulling the gauge plunger and verifying it's all good.

I still wish I had a normal adapter, but I'm being petty at this point.... $20 huh?

Do you know if the threads on that Schley/Mitutoyo adapter is the same as the VW pump?

-Todd

[aximiliei]

Something tells me I will understand all the "issue's" with this kit or any of them for that matter when I get one.  This will be my first timing on a diesel, I will have a buddy walking me through it but I want to make sure I am getting a kit that's not fubar from the start and cause me more headache's then needed vw's cause enough to start with on there own

[Luckypabst]

Ultimately I ended up buying a commercially made pump locking pin from another vendor that I also won't ever do business with again...

Chris

If there was a quality issue with the lock pin that you bought, maybe you should disclose the seller to warn other forum members.




-Todd

No... The lock pin was just fine! But I've been very unhappy with this supplier's quality on other products and their complete lack of interest in customer feedback. Oh yea, different salespeople apparently have access to different stock. I've posted my grievances in the past, no need to repeat myself.

Chris

[Quantum TD]

I still wish I had a normal adapter, but I'm being petty at this point.... $20 huh?

Do you know if the threads on that Schley/Mitutoyo adapter is the same as the VW pump?

-Todd

Yeah, I tried the washer trick, and when I tightened the German guy's adapter into my pump,it broke off the nose of the adapter in my pump. I got by with it, until I finally lost my isht.

I bought mine at VW Special Tools and Equipment:

http://buy.equipmentsolutions.com/vwaudiecom/home.aspx

I found the part numbers in the Bentley Manual and Samtag Sale's catalog:

http://www.samstagsales.com/vwaudi.htm

Samtag gets $30 for theirs. VWSTEP is actually Snap-On in Michigan. You may need to sign-in/create an account to see prices. I had to pay sales tax and shipping, but if you say you're a shop, you don't have to pay sales tax I think. No resale number required to create an account. It probably worked out to be a bit cheaper than Samtag Sales had I bought just that, but I bought other stuff too, so it worked out to be about $25ish.

Part number is 2066. Just enter into the search slot and it will come up. It's both parts: the pin and the collar. They will fit any, standard dial gauge. They fit my "German" one just fine. I may grind a bit off the pin though, as there's too much preload stock.

Be careful. That VWSTEP is VERY addictive. I think I blew about $150 on several items. I think the best of the set I bought were the dial adapter, and the MKIV rear-brake caliper tool. Sweet.

[Quantum TD]

Try this link:

http://buy.equipmentsolutions.com/VWAudiEcom/SpecialToolsDetail.aspx?type=Tools&itemId=29100012

[aximiliei]

thanks every one and thanks quantum I'm checking those links now.