Huskerbob

so basically when I lined up my crank mark and screwed the crank lock pin in I just got lucky? The crank lock went in (once I found that dang plug) by hand with no reistance and it did lock the crank. If I get to do this agian I will make sure to do a probe.

Huskerbob

spell check dammit Bob! (resistance and again)

4Driver4

Having done this a few times, I can say the only time I ever used anything of than the pin was when the hole was so badly sludged that it needed to be cleaned out first. The hole is tapered. Close enough it good; the pin will move the crank as it goes in. Since you got the cams lined up first, there was nothing to worry about.

Huskerbob

Thanks for all the help gentlemen. I'm learning.

divil

Yeah I think that's what happened in my case. After putting the pin in I could still rock the crank back and forth a little, but after I tightened it down more the crank was completely locked.

jseklund

I am sorry for giving somewhat bad information about it being related to the belt - thanks for further explaining Sloop.

I would not say you are lucky - like 4D4 said, it's kind of unlikely that it's off so far that the pin won't go in (at least IMO), and if the pin goes in, it will line up the shaft. If you just line up the shaft with the marks, however, it could still be off (which the pin would correct) - and it could be off more if there is something wrong (like Sloop pointed out). It's best to just use the pin and be sure...

tartar

How in the world were you able to screw it in by hand??? I've looked everywhere and the only access I found is to rig a couple of extensions in order to reach the hole from the left hand side.

Huskerbob

once I found the plug and got it out I just reached the locking pin up in there and carefully started to thread it in. It went in all the way by hand and I checked the crank to make sure it was locked. I think I got lucky according to what I read on the forums.

Anyway I get to do it all over again this weekend. My brand new timing belt tensioner broke last week. Hope I didn't crach a valve or 12.

geduxaz

Good day!
Might be usefull.
Just did crankshaft lock on S6 4.2 40V 250KW ANK.
Did take wheel on driver's side, found a plug with hex hole.
some photos of plug location:
<a href="http://tinypic.com?ref=w1sdv9" target="_blank"><img src="http://i41.tinypic.com/w1sdv9.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a>
<a href="http://tinypic.com?ref=2v82tdk" target="_blank"><img src="http://i39.tinypic.com/2v82tdk.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a>

Frank Israel

With my 2003 A6 4.2l getting at the plug from the wheel well seemed too troublesome. Especially if I wanted to eventually reach and spin the plug by hand.
So, from lying underneath my raised vehicle, I dropped the front of the anti-sway bar (4- nuts) and then undid the clamp on the bracket holding the oil cooler lines (the bracket is in the second picture) and moved the cooler lines aside. Then I loosened the nut that fastened the same bracket to the block and swung it up out of the way. Leaving plenty of room to get my hand up in there.