1.6 timing belt tracking off of the cam pulley only?

[damac]

I put a jettas working engine into my truck last year and thought all was well with timing belt job.  After the first drive I could see it was starting to walk off the engine pulleys a tad and wanted to fix it.  Figured since I had brackets off engine on stand before changing motor mount/ ip, etc. it was just a bracket adjustment and no big deal.

I was hurt for a long time and am trying to get the truck to be daily driver ready and revisited this now to find if I adjust the ip brackets, the timing belt is reacting accordingly as far as the ip pulley.

But at this point its not effecting the belt at the cam, and actually its even worse since I adjusted the bracket and riding off almost 1/8" inch.

The im bearings were replaced while on the stand and I'm using a pulley with no lips.

I tried searching and can't say I found the same situation.

Looks like the belt is also riding out on the tensioner if that means anything.  I had bought a new pex germany tensioner from a guy on ebay with some of my ebay bucks at the time.  It cross references to correct part.

For the hell of it I just went out to try another stud and noticed that something didn't seem straight on the tensioner although its still in place.  Something I didn't pay attention to at the time since it was "new"  It looks like the bolt was tight but slightly cocked to the tensioner surface.

I pulled the tensioner off and put a little straight edge on bolt side on the inside hub and if I put the tool holes up and run it across the middle where the bolt sits dimples inward on both sides.  If I run the straight edge up/down it rides straight up to bolt hole at the bottom but not from bolt hole up to the top.

So I guess my perception of something be off where the bolt was correct, its dimpled in so the washer/bolt can't sit straight against it, but it held when I tensioned to spec the first time.

That can't be good, but I'm wondering if it could somehow cause a tracking issue?

I think I better run to kragen regardless and try out a new name brand tensioner.

[Quantum TD]

I doubt that your tensioner is at fault. I'd look to the IP bracket. Pull the pump off and set a straightedge on it. After that, check old threads here. Someone posted the original TSB from VW on the alignment procedure.

My guess is that one of the bolts to the IP is loose or missing. Most likely, the one on the REAR of the pump, in the lower corner.

[damac]

I freaked out when I made the thread because I have always been able to adjust the bracket when setting up a new engine.  I even dremeled out the bracket holes trying to lift the ip head up even more.

I had to try another tensioner and noticed the new one is flat and sound where the bolt goes, and the roller is very tight.  The one I had was dimpled like somebody torqued it down too much and the roller I could wiggle and get play.

Slapped it on and cam started tracking better and then it showed my previous bracket move was extreme so I started off the other way and got things to line up close to center.

I never thought twice about using the tensioner because an ebay seller with good feedback gave me a deal on a good used old stock.  I should have caught this so let that be a lesson.