Camshaft replacement for brm

Dbg10

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Aug 7, 2016
Location
Tucson
TDI
2006 vw jetta, 2014 Passat
Hello, thank you in advance for the support. I am a bit confused with procedure for advanced method camshaft replacement. I have studied forums and would llike some clarification on method. When camshaft and crank are at TDC locking pins are inserted. Timing belt is then removed. Crank is turned 1/4 CCW. Is locking pin in the camshaft sprocket removed before crankshaft is turned CCW? Or is it left in until after crank is turned?
 

Ol'Rattler

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Jul 3, 2007
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2006 BRM Jetta
No reason to pin the crank or cam yet. Proceed as follows:
  • Put cam and crank a their TDC locations.
  • Remove T/B.
  • Turn crank 1/4th turn CCW.
  • Turn cam 1/4th turn CCW.
At this point the piston are all 1/2 way down in their strokes, well out of harms way from hitting valves and the cam is in a position to remove it without removing the Tandem Pump.

Going back together:
  • Install cam.
  • Adjust injectors.
  • turn cam 1/4 turn CW and pin.
  • Turn crank 1/4 turn CW and pin.
You are now ready to install the T/B.
 

Mike_04GolfTDI

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When you have the cam out, have a good look at the tandem pump drive coupling. Notice how the little metal piece that fits into the slot in the cam can move in and out and has some room to slide around a little.

When replacing the cam, make good and sure that part is going into the slot. It's surprisingly easy to accidentally get part of it trapped between the cam and the edge of the cam bearing. It's very brittle and will break when you tighten the cam bearing caps.

The cam won't just sit down nicely in the bearings, because you have to compress the valve springs as you tighten it down. This can make it less obvious that the tandem pump drive might be getting pinched. Everything may look normal, until you hear a snap.... Ask me how I know.

So, when you put the cam back in, make sure the tandem pump drive coupling is pushed in towards the pump (away from the end of the cam), and you may have to turn the cam back and forth just a tiny bit to make sure it's meshing properly with the coupling.
 

Dbg10

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Aug 7, 2016
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Tucson
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2006 vw jetta, 2014 Passat
Good information to know! So far process has gone very well up to now. I believe you shed some valuable information on my next question. He new cam will not seat well? I replaced lifters and bearings. I'm at the point where I'm ready to button down caps but as I mentioned the one of the lobes close to the tandem pump is sitting on a new lifter which will prevent flush seating. Do I proceed and install caps? I'm assuming the cam will seat but do not want to damage the aluminum head or put to much stress on the new bolts. The lobes and lifters on the old cam were worn pretty bad. In fact, the 3rd lifter from the pump had a hole in it.
 

Mike_04GolfTDI

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Richmond, BC, Canada
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Mine: 2019 Golf R DSG, Wife's: 2015 Golf Comfortline TDI
Good information to know! So far process has gone very well up to now. I believe you shed some valuable information on my next question. He new cam will not seat well? I replaced lifters and bearings. I'm at the point where I'm ready to button down caps but as I mentioned the one of the lobes close to the tandem pump is sitting on a new lifter which will prevent flush seating. Do I proceed and install caps? I'm assuming the cam will seat but do not want to damage the aluminum head or put to much stress on the new bolts. The lobes and lifters on the old cam were worn pretty bad. In fact, the 3rd lifter from the pump had a hole in it.
Tread very carefully at this point. This is exactly what happened to me and it turned out the cam was not being held up by the lifters, but rather the tandem pump drive coupling...until that broke. Major stupid error on my part, and I had to buy a new tandem pump.

While you are putting the cam back in, you should have the engine crankshaft rotated 1/4 turn (90 degrees) counter-clockwise from TDC (top dead center) so the pistons are all far away from the valves. I think you will find that if you lower the cam into place and then slightly rotate it counter-clockwise as the slot slips over the two lobes of the tandem pump drive coupling, it should slip in there without catching on the coupling and breaking it. Then you can carefully tighten the cam bearing caps down, checking that nothing is getting pinched.

Use a flashlight and make sure you can really see what the tandem pump drive coupling is doing. Keep an eye on it. The feeling when it breaks is one of utter despair.

Remember to put a little bit of sealant on the bottoms of the cam bearing caps at each end of the cam, or else it will leak oil. The part of the cap where the valve cover gasket seals against is where the sealant goes, but on the underside that presses against the head. I used some kind of fancy silicone that is supposed to be oil resistant. I don't know what the proper sealant is (if it isn't that).

Also, it wouldn't hurt to put some sealant on the end of the cam cap that goes against the tandem pump gasket, since that has been removed and replaced without replacing the gasket.

Once you get the cam bolted down successfully, then you'll need to re-install the injector rockers. Before you put them in, make sure the adjusting screws are backed out most of the way, so you don't accidentally over-compress an injector plunger. Then follow these instructions to set the injector lash: http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=306911

It's a lot easier to set the injector lash before you put the timing belt on, because you can easily turn the cam around and around without the hassle of having to turn the whole engine.

Once the injector lash is set, you're ready to put the timing belt back on. Get the cam to top dead center and lock it with the pin, and then get the engine to top dead center and put the crankshaft lock in. If you've done everything right, you should be turning the engine clockwise 90 degrees. Don't turn the crank past TDC! If you go a tiny bit too far, turn it back 45 degrees or so, and try again, but certainly don't try spinning it a full turn because pistons will hit valves.
 
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Dbg10

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Aug 7, 2016
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Tucson
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2006 vw jetta, 2014 Passat
I put the crank and cam to TDC and installed and tensioned timing belt. I forgot to adjust injector lash. I turned engine 2 full revolution from crank. Everything feels good and nothing hitting or hanging up. I now need to set injector lash. Can I turn crank clockwise and watch for rockers to get to thier lowest position, bottom out adjusting screw, back off 180 degrees and lock? I can do this in firing order 1-3-4-2? And thanks again for yiur help! I will be sure to pay it forward.
 

Mike_04GolfTDI

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If the injector lash adjustment screws were still locked in their original position, then theoretically they shouldn't need any adjusting and no damage should have occurred.

Of course, that would be assuming your new cam had exactly the same amount of lift as the old one, on the injector lobes. I guess that's probably the case? Regardless, with a new cam you should do a new lash adjustment, just to be sure.

Yes, you can turn the crank clockwise to adjust them. Remove the glowplugs so there's no compression, as this will make it easier to turn.

You should back the adjusters off a bit before starting the adjustment, to ensure they are nowhere near bottoming out. You've already turned the engine over, so whatever was going to happen, has happened. Hopefully the plungers weren't bottomed out hard.

Or did you already back-off the lash adjusters before putting the rocker shafts back in? If that's the case, then you're totally fine.
 
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Dbg10

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Aug 7, 2016
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Tucson
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2006 vw jetta, 2014 Passat
Thank you for write-up. It was very helpful. Everything turned out well with the exception of starting issues. I could not get motor to start? After a half day of researching and removing timing belt again and double checking my work it turned out timing was off. After adjustment she purs like a cat. So my next question for you is thoughts on break in oil? Use or not?
I have researched and there not sure if it's needed seeing that I installed a stock AMC cam?
 

Mike_04GolfTDI

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Personally I wouldn't bother using break in oil. Just drive the car gently for the first few hours. High RPM is what you'd want to avoid.

Microscopic imperfections just need a little time to wear away. If you run the engine at high RPM too soon, imperfections could cause parts to get hot which may cause damage.
 

coalminer16

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I only have experience on the BEW. But it is almost the same. I have done 3 cams. Mixed results on the tandem pump not leaking but that isn't a big deal if you need to replace the seal. Jack up the side of the car as high as you can do not all of the fuel spills out and prime with vcds.

I use Franko6 cam bearings and bolts every time. Don't see why not as at a minimum it isn't hurting anything. I also always set the lash on the injectors as they are always off by about one nut flat. I always do the break in as Frank has posted. Start up and go straight to 2000-2500 rpm for 20 minutes. Then 500 miles and then 2500 miles on oil changes. The 20 min and 500 mile get either the joe Gibbs breakin oil or at least a zinc additive.


If your lifter was worn through consider replacing your oil pump. The very hard metal goes through the pump first before the filter. It can scare it causing less oil pressure.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
 

Ol'Rattler

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Personally I wouldn't bother using break in oil. Just drive the car gently for the first few hours. High RPM is what you'd want to avoid.
Microscopic imperfections just need a little time to wear away. If you run the engine at high RPM too soon, imperfections could cause parts to get hot which may cause damage.
Yup, great way to glaze bearing surfaces and if you do work in the cylinder bores, glaze the cylinder walls and rings. The break in oil helps flush away those imperfections you speak of.
When you break an engine in, you don't drive at "high speed". You drive at normal operating speeds under moderate loads and tend to very your RPM's. "Driving gently" is bad for break in as well.
 

Dbg10

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Aug 7, 2016
Location
Tucson
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2006 vw jetta, 2014 Passat
Great advice gentleman! I'm following break-in procedure. At this time I'm using Amsoil break in oil. I know all the debates regarding Amsoil but I have used it religiously for almost 20 years in my Cummins and Powerstroke with excellent results. Sold my 97 f250 powerstroke with 300,000 on the clock. Amsoil changed once per year or before 25,000 mi. Truck was used as a daily driver and pulled a 5'r and horsetrailer thousands of miles. I did not use Amsoil in the jetta due to not being approved by VW. Maybe I should have? Anyways, I plan to dump the break- in oil at 500 miles and refill with the normal Liquimoly 5-40 high tech. Thoughts?
 

coalminer16

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Dec 11, 2008
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Central Wisconsin
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Golf 2004
I did say the break in that Frank says to do. Does the oil have a high zinc? If not get some. 20 minutes with it and dump, then 500 miles with breakin/zinc and dump. Then 2500 miles normal oil and dump. Then resume normal oil changes.

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dogdots

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Sep 4, 2002
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Kansas City
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I always use break in oil after a cam replacement and run the engine at 2500 rpm for 20 minutes then drain the break in oil out, change the filter, and refill with break in oil. I instruct the customer to change the oil in 500-1000 miles as it is convenient and run their favorite brand of oil.

As far as breaking the tandem pump coupling I broke my first one about a month ago after having done dozens of cam replacements. New rule in the shop is tandem pump off if cam comes out.

I also always adjust injector lash and if the car came in on a flat bed and I couldn't get the previous torsion reading I set them to -1.5.
 
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