I need a new camshaft?

[aja8888]

Originally Posted by tikal

52 MPG in a non-B5 car, right?

If somebody is achieving consistently above 40 MPG in his/her automatic B5, I would like to know how it is possible (even using a stage II re-profiled cam)!

Many of the owners of B5.5 SEDANS (not wagons) have reported over 40 MPG with the automatic (only trans available as stock). My daughter's '05 Passat B5.5 sedan routinely got 40+ MPG, while my wagon routinely got in the mid-"30s. Both had stock camshafts.

[Franko6]

aja888,

I also, love the Mike Tyson quote. It has come in quite useful lately, as it seems to apply to many recent circumstances.

Tikal,

I don't really want to hijack, but we have DSG transmissions that achieved 'best ever' economy in an '06 that is over 50mpg. We have a 04 Golf, powered up, with a MikeW's tune that has gotten 52. There are similar results with Malone's tune and Rocketchip. However, tuning is not necessary to get great economy. Tuning can enhance economy and particularly, using EGR mods will improve the reliability of the EGR, which can make fuel economy numbers more reliable, in my opinion.

We also have some problem cars with lower than expected fuel economy, usually related to EGRs that don't close properly and/or with torsion values that need tweaked. It's amazing what a minute chance in cam timing will do for economy.

Zambee500,

There is good reason to specify certain oils for our cam warranty. We feel it is reasonable to specify our preferred brands. We recommend the Schaeffer 9000 5-40 oil as our preferred oil.

Other oils we have on our acceptable list:
Pentosin HW II
Lubro Moly
Motul
Valvoline MST
Fuchs

I am excluding Castrol SLX and TXT, Mobile 1 and Rotella T6 from my warranted oils. I will not make the warranty rule retroactive. However, as notify our customers, we expect our cam users to upgrade to one of the preferred oils.

Mobile 1; we have two full highway miles cars with a destroyed piston/ ring set. One has only 90,000 and was religiously changed at 4,000! We see a problem with the Mobile 1 that does not look good.

The Castrol TXT is simply wrong and the SLX has shown numerous cars with disasterous cam failures. We note this is an oil that we often-times find sludge in the crankcase.

The Rotella is basically a lower standard oil than our other preferred oils. Unless I can be convinced otherwise, I am not including Rotella on our accepted oils list for warranty purposes.

I will make an introductory offer elsewhere, but as a teaser, we are going to offer a reduced cost oil analysis with the purchase of a case of Schaeffer's 9000 oil. I will announce the offer in the vendor's section.

[johnboy00]

Originally Posted by tikal

52 MPG in a non-B5 car, right?

If somebody is achieving consistently above 40 MPG in his/her automatic B5, I would like to know how it is possible (even using a stage II re-profiled cam)!

I can consistently get over 42 MPGs in my B5.5 wagon with RC2 but otherwise stock, at 68-70 mph 100% highway miles driving almost exclusively with cruise control.

In reality I only do this a few times a year and normally drive about 60% city/ 40% highway. Average fuel economy is about 33.5 MPGs.

[aja8888]

Originally Posted by johnboy00

I can consistently get over 42 MPGs in my B5.5 wagon with RC2 but otherwise stock, at 68-70 mph 100% highway miles driving almost exclusively with cruise control.

In reality I only do this a few times a year and normally drive about 60% city/ 40% highway. Average fuel economy is about 33.5 MPGs.

John: When I had my B5.5 wagon, my MPG average over 150 tankfuls was exactly 33.3. This was probably 40% city and 60 % highway (highway @ 70 -80+ as we can do in Texas/NM). I had RC1, 17" wheels, torsion set at 0.0, A/C on most of the time. My daughter's B5.5 sedan gets significantly better MPG overall.

[DeliveryValve]

Originally Posted by Franko6

...

There is good reason to specify certain oils for our cam warranty. We feel it is reasonable to specify our preferred brands. We recommend the Schaeffer 9000 5-40 oil as our preferred oil.

Other oils we have on our acceptable list:
Pentosin HW II
Lubro Moly
Motul
Valvoline MST
Fuchs

I am excluding Castrol SLX and TXT, Mobile 1 and Rotella T6 from my warranted oils. I will not make the warranty rule retroactive. However, as notify our customers, we expect our cam users to upgrade to one of the preferred oils.

Mobile 1; we have two full highway miles cars with a destroyed piston/ ring set. One has only 90,000 and was religiously changed at 4,000! We see a problem with the Mobile 1 that does not look good.

The Castrol TXT is simply wrong and the SLX has shown numerous cars with disasterous cam failures. We note this is an oil that we often-times find sludge in the crankcase.

The Rotella is basically a lower standard oil than our other preferred oils. Unless I can be convinced otherwise, I am not including Rotella on our accepted oils list for warranty purposes.....

First off, do you mean Pentosin HP II not HW II?

I'm surprised about your Mobil 1 and Rotella stance where many hear on this board have great oil analysis reports. 4,000 mile oil changes on that car is way too early. Mobil 1 seems to do best if you keep it in there for 10,000 miles. I would imagine that would be the cause of the piston issues.




.

[truman]

Mine does better with torsion -0.5 to -1.5 range. Currently, my setting is right on the edge between -0.5 and -1.0. I'm averaging 35.7, with about 80hwy, 20city. On my 30mi commute I'm getting 38-42, driving 67-68mph, since the weather has been ideal lately- warm, but no/minimal AC.

[turbocharged798]

Originally Posted by aja8888

John: When I had my B5.5 wagon, my MPG average over 150 tankfuls was exactly 33.3. This was probably 40% city and 60 % highway (highway @ 70 -80+ as we can do in Texas/NM). I had RC1, 17" wheels, torsion set at 0.0, A/C on most of the time. My daughter's B5.5 sedan gets significantly better MPG overall.

That's interesting that the sedan gets better FE. I guess it must be due to the aerodynamics of the rear end?

[tikal]

I guess I hold off about any judgments about the mileage quality of my 2004 Passat wagon until I can take my car this summer to Robby to fine tune the torsion value and any other worthwhile variables to adjust (EGR, etc.). Not interested to spend more money on a tune at this point.

Thanks Frank and others for your inputs so far. Good for the folks who are consistently achieving 40+ MPG in their B5s.

Originally Posted by aja8888

John: When I had my B5.5 wagon, my MPG average over 150 tankfuls was exactly 33.3. This was probably 40% city and 60 % highway (highway @ 70 -80+ as we can do in Texas/NM). I had RC1, 17" wheels, torsion set at 0.0, A/C on most of the time. My daughter's B5.5 sedan gets significantly better MPG overall.