Quick question about the cam sprocket and cam

Voluble

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 18, 2018
Location
Oregon
TDI
04 BEW Jetta Wagon
Hey all, this might be a dumb question, but do I need to take the cam sprocket off if I'm replacing both the cam and the sprocket? I will be replacing the cam in my 260k mile BEW shortly, and was going to replace the sprocket as well.

Thanks!
 

Nero Morg

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Oct 19, 2017
Location
OR
TDI
2014 A6 TDI, 2001 Jetta TDI, 2014 Passat TDI
Well yeah, how are you supposed to get it through the timing cover? :) And breaking it isn't the answer!
 

Voluble

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 18, 2018
Location
Oregon
TDI
04 BEW Jetta Wagon
Ok, I didn't know if it just came straight out. I will be doing the timing belt at the same time, if that matters. This is my first TDI, and actually first time doing a timing belt job.

When I was looking at the high mileage T/B kits on IDparts, they recommended changing the sprocket after the 3rd belt.
 

Mike_04GolfTDI

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Nov 19, 2003
Location
Richmond, BC, Canada
TDI
Mine: 2019 Golf R DSG, Wife's: 2015 Golf Comfortline TDI
Well yeah, how are you supposed to get it through the timing cover? :) And breaking it isn't the answer!
On the BEW engine the cam does not go through a hole in the inner timing cover. It is just open.

This picture is upside down. Note the wide open area where the cam sprocket goes.



Very different from the ALH timing cover.

 

runonbeer

Maintenance EnthusiastVendor
Joined
Apr 15, 2002
Location
Austin, TX/Chapel Hill, NC
TDI
'00 Golf 02M, '10 Golf 02E, '02 UTE 02M
Ok, I didn't know if it just came straight out. I will be doing the timing belt at the same time, if that matters. This is my first TDI, and actually first time doing a timing belt job.

When I was looking at the high mileage T/B kits on IDparts, they recommended changing the sprocket after the 3rd belt.
That’s nonsense. Anyway there are two “sprockets” the outer belt driven pulley and the inner pulley hub. The outer pulley is a simple pice of steel. The hub is a very rare and special item on the spare parts market. Try to find one. There will be only one new BEW cam hub available in the entire country, in a warehouse near Los Angeles and it will be $175.
 

Nero Morg

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Oct 19, 2017
Location
OR
TDI
2014 A6 TDI, 2001 Jetta TDI, 2014 Passat TDI
My bad! I've only ever pulled one of these heads before, and I could have sworn that they were enclosed.
 

Mike_04GolfTDI

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Nov 19, 2003
Location
Richmond, BC, Canada
TDI
Mine: 2019 Golf R DSG, Wife's: 2015 Golf Comfortline TDI
My bad! I've only ever pulled one of these heads before, and I could have sworn that they were enclosed.
Pulling the head is a different story. If you’re removing the head, then you do have to remove the cam hub and sprocket first. This is because of the tabs on the back of the hub that are read by the cam position sensor.

Those tabs hook on the plastic lip on the inner timing cover. So to get the head off you have to either remove the cam hub, or remove the whole cam and hub assembly. If you have no reason to remove the cam from the head, then normally you’d just remove the hub, because that’s easier.

TL;DR - Removing cam only, you can leave the hub and sprocket attached. Removing the head, you need to at least remove the hub and sprocket, or the entire cam as well.
 
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