PD Reprofiled Stage II Chrome-Plated Cams

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Franko6

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No Drill PD Cam Bearing Mod

About two years ago, we introduced a modification to the PD cam bearings that markedly improves oil flow for the cam bearings and the journals for the PD engine. (see Reengineering PD cam bearings, http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=253137&highlight=reengineering )

Besides improving oil flow to the journals, the additional benefit is that the oil is ejected from the top bearing shell is doubled. That increased oil flow improves cooling of the cam followers. We feel this is the one of two major reasons for cam/ cam follower failure.

We recommend using these modified cam bearing shells with our reprofiled Stage II cams with chrome-plated journals.

The method was to modify the top bearing shell with a radial slot. then change the oiling by drilling a path to the rocker shaft galley hole.

However, the drilling leaves many DIY'ers uncomfortable about the possibility of broken bits, chips in the oil galley, and the chance of causing a big delay in what should be a one-day project. Some are squeamish about drilling a very small hole that is in some cases, an inch deep. If I perform the alterations to the caps, it can cost a week of down-time in mailing delays.

The solution:

NO-DRILL CAM BEARINGS!


This is our original bearing slot for the top bearing. This allows oiling as in typical for crankshaft top journal bearings. Oil is full penetration on the non-loaded bearing, which improves oil flow and oil wedging to the pressure-loaded bottom bearing.


This is the slot in the outside of the shell, allowing oil to come from the original oil galley hole, directly to the top bearing shell. Please note, this is before the outside shell has been deburred.


Placement is done as follows:

After the cam is removed, mark the cam bearings as follows. The #1 bearing and #5 bearings are marked on the internal side. # 2, 3 and 4 can be marked no both sides This is done for location purposes, because the tang is removed on the bottom bearing shell to allow the shell to be reversed.




Remove the original bearings and assemble the new bearings as marked. This shows the #1 bearing and slot. Note arrow pointing to front of engine.

Align bearings between the marks and press into place. That's IT!






Top shells with slot are installed the same direction as OEM using the tang.
 
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Franko6

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We have our own reprofiled, chrome-plated Stage II cams in stock. We can ship with all reassembly parts. Our pricing can be with or without the chrome-plating, but we seriously feel that the plating is a big improvement in performance and wear resistance.

WE WILL WARRANT OUR CAMS FOR THREE YEARS, UNLIMITED MILES




To qualify for warranty, each kit must be 'complete', which means each kit will include the choice of chrome-plated cam with the BRM or BEW/BHW injector profile, our modified cam bearings must be properly installed, new nitrided INA lifters, PTFE cam seal, tandem pump seal. We will also mandate our break-in procedure and Joe Gibbs break-in oil. The customer will be required to document use of a VW/Audi designated 505.01 oil that is a 5-40 weight. Our preferred brand is Schaeffer's 9000 5-40, however we will accept other products, as long as they meet the proper ratings. If you are not sure if your oil would qualify, please check with us.

We will not warrant damages arising from abuse or neglect.

The chrome-plating is not like what you see all shiny on you old Cadillac bumpers, but is referred to as hard-chrome, or hexane chrome. The hardness layer increases the journal hardness to Rockwell 72-74. There is only a slight color-shift from the forged steel of the injector lobes and the chrome-plating of the cam journals. This is a performance modification with a well-established benefit. It reduces parasitic horsepower loss, while improving bearing life through reduced friction and excellent heat transfer properties. Also, oil flows through the bearings with less resistance on a smoother finish.

This hexane chrome coating along with the use of our 'no drill' cam bearings doubles the flow of oil through the bearings to the cam followers. Elimination of the cam follower oil starvation is the main purpose of the cam bearing modifications. The secondary purpose is to help overcome an inherent engineering problem of the bottom journal bearing. The lack of bearing support lends it to premature wear. The cam and bearing mods will create improvement in bearing performance.


Chrome-plated BEW/BHW cam..........$695.
Chrome-plated BRM cam....................$725.

Email or PM for kit pricing
 
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OlyTDI

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Olympia, WA
TDI
'04 Golf
Frank,

Glad to see the launch. Some questions:

What do you project availability to be?

How quickly could someone get one of these in a pinch?

How would a current "mild" PD tune interact with this swap, i,e., would a tune tweek likely be needed?

Lastly, cost as mentioned above?

Thanks! Glad to see this!
 

OlyTDI

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'04 Golf
Frank,

Can these be used with existing stock cams that have not yet bit the dust or should they only be installed with a new cam?

Thanks!
 

Franko6

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Jetta, 99, Silver`
These cams are in stock and ready to ship. We have about 25 in stock right now and have our producer on schedule for more on a regular basis.

We have been quietly selling these for months. I did want to get some measurable feedback before hitting the streets. They are exceeding expectations.

The cam does not require a chip tune, however we have seen some interesting findings. Rather than having to reduce fueling due to overboost as in some other cams, the profile seem to be able to handle additional fueling without issue.

I can only assume that reduced fueling to compensate for the boost creep in a tune interferes with the production of power. I'm not sure if this is due to our attention given the torsion value or if the profile is simply better. Time will tell.

As for pricing, the base cams recently had an increase in pricing. We had been selling the cam for $650. However, that is now the current pricing for a non-chrome-plated journal version, which we are not aggressively marketing. The Chrome-plated version is currently set at $685.

Chrome-plating adds hardness to the journal. It is a scuff-resistant material that wears better than steel and polishes to a higher luster. The smoother, the better.
 
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Franko6

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We have improved results matching up with another Stage II cam. Torque starts quite early; around 1800 rpm.

We will have dynos for a stock profile cam that is in good condition compared to a reprofiled cam shortly. It wouldn't be fair to compare a worn-out stock cam than it would be fair to use Stage II results for a Stage I cam. That would only make exaggerated results. Results will be based on a stock tune. We will try to get some Stage II chip-tune comparisons also.
 

Growler

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Location
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Schmutz, 2015 Golf Sportwagen DSG & Schnurren, 2001 Golf GL 2 door 5M
I just finished installing one of these cams for the first time.

the cam went in perfectly, Franks Modified Cam Bearings worked great. no drilling of cam caps, or drilling into the cylinder head required. it is obvious that the oil will now get to where it is needed most, the dwell side of the cam so it has time to form the film it needs to support the cam.

Customer left here about a half an hour ago with miles of smiles on his face.

Frank, Thanks for all that you do.
 

Growler

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Schmutz, 2015 Golf Sportwagen DSG & Schnurren, 2001 Golf GL 2 door 5M
I just installed a set of these. if you look closely at where the bottom bearing used to be, you can tell where they used to sit on the supports. there will be a line on the aluminum where the edge of the old shell was located. makes reinstallation a breeze. Pay close attention to the #1 bottom bearing. it is not against the inside edge as you would expect.

Frank, Very Good mod. well worth not having to drill holes into the caps or the cylinder head.
 

Bob_Fout

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2003 Jetta - Alaska Green (sold) / 2015 GTI 2.0T
A bit OT I know, but any word on a similar cam for the VE TDIs?
 

Franko6

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Thank you Aaron (Growler). These will probably get another improvement of an alternate tang placed into the bearing. It depends on how well that can be performed. With a bearing like this, neatness counts!
 

Franko6

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Bob, the question of plating the ALH and AHU cams was brought up at Monday's meeting. The cam journals can be plated, even on those cast cams. The question is whether it is worth doing. Plating costs more than $35, believe me. Compared to the price of the cam for the VE motors, the chrome-plating is prohibitive.

Honeydew, the pricing of the cam is subject to review. Our pricing is subject service and materials price changes.
 
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mshubey14

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I had the Chrome Plated Stage II cam installed on my '04 PD a couple of weeks ago by Mike Hevner. I can't believe the difference over the stock cam. If I had to guess I would say there is about 10%-15% increase in power over the stock cam. Frank also was able to get this out the door quick to Mike when we needed it in a crunch. Thanks Frank!!
 

Franko6

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"Why don't they chrome-plate cam lobes on a camshaft?"

I asked the master cam grinder and the immediate answer was 'It would wear out the lifters. It's too hard'. The chrome is wear resistant, which means it would wear in very slowly. In the mean time, any roughness on the chrome would eat up the lifter.

Between the cam and cam followers, there has to be a wear-in so that the cam and followers create a mated surface. The break-in is very precise. Once that break-in is accomplished, the oil film is what keeps the two contact surfaces apart. Each lifter and cam lobe become unique and patterned to each other and should not be exchanged for any other cam follower in the set.

So, basically the cam lobe is 'softer' than the cam follower to allow proper mating of the two surfaces.
 

ncroadwarrior

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bump for smiling stage 2 pd customer

as I have indicated to frank , I have noticed a milage bump with the stage 2 cam kit....04 BEW with tiptronic auto has been knocking out some 50 tanks.... not regular but a lot better than the mid 40's on the stock cam....

I also need new front tires now, can't imagine how that happened!
 

Franko6

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Ed,

As you are not a vendor, you can get by with that competitive and contrary remark.

Have you noticed how I stay off your threads? I don't comment what I think of your ideas. That is the polite thing to do, in my opinion. But since you insist on misleading people like this...

The big difference is not IF you make a back-side cut, but WHERE you make it.
My design is not yours. To draw comparison is point out our differences in more than just our opinions.

That being said, if you have some ideas counter to what I have, I suggest you keep them on your own thread and let people read your personal opinions there.
 

Franko6

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Jetta, 99, Silver`
bump for smiling stage 2 pd customer

as I have indicated to frank , I have noticed a milage bump with the stage 2 cam kit....04 BEW with tiptronic auto has been knocking out some 50 tanks.... not regular but a lot better than the mid 40's on the stock cam....

I also need new front tires now, can't imagine how that happened!
50 TANKS!! I think Bill means 50 MPG tanks of fuel. And that is awesome!

We several that have achieved better fuel economy than they ever got before. Some are like Bill's report and others seem to have lost some economy.

I believe the most critical issue for best economy is setting the Torsion Value, which can be found in the VCDS Engine Module/ Block 4. The range is between -.05 and maybe up to +2.0. We need feedback.

Other issuesthat affect economy may be related to EGR valve not closing, having done an EGR delete (which seems to be a fuel economy loss in each situation), leaking EGR cooler or injector issues.

It could be a change in driving style, as there is a difference in torque, particularly noticed at lower rpms than with a stock cam.
 

diesel-dave

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earth
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Frank,
second picture down. are those cuts supposed to line up perfectly or is it my eyes and the picture...
 

Franko6

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We do not alter the injector lobes.

I think we have much to do with the BEW cam profile being used most commonly for all the PD engines. However, we will be producing the BRM reprofiled cam with it's more aggressive injector lobe.
 

Franko6

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Diesel-Dave, there is a little parallax problem, as the bearing was not perfectly lined up in the picture. Regardless, the oiling path is about double what is required to meet with the needs of the bearing shell.
 
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