Thanks for the reply. I've heard of the locking tool being used for checking the timing but I also heard it's easy to damage the IP by using it this way so I was kind of put off by that. From your comment I'm not clear on whether I actually need this tool to check the timing. Are you saying I can just look for the "raised vee" in the plug hole at 15 deg ATDC? I looked at that pdf file and I'm still not sure what this vee is supposed to look like, but I guess I'll know when I see it.

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2004 VW Jetta TDI (manual)

Past MB's: '96 E300D, '83 240D, '82 300D, '87 300D, '87 420SEL