Is my cam fried? 2004 PD BEW

Hatchet Ratchet

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 6, 2006
Location
Freedom, WI
TDI
2004 Jetta PD
I've noticed an increasing amount of exhaust smoke, loss of fuel economy, and recently a limp mode and UNDER boost condition engine code.

unplugged MAF, resumed driving at low power, still has substantial exhaust smoke. tried to clean the MAF with rubbing alcohol, thought the recent clean and oil of K&N Filter crapped up the MAF. this didn't work. ordered and replaced MAF. power has resumed. still very smokey exhaust at peak power.

does this mean that my cam is fried? how do you know if your cam is dying? do i need to pull the valve cover off to visually inspect the cam?

I also, just changed the oil at 185k and the oil level seems like its a half a quart down from the change. mileage has dropped to 37mpg.

2004 PD BEW, 185,400 miles, InmotionUSA stage 2 tune

if i need to replace the cam, what source do you go to for a cam replacement kit with good hardened lifters and a good through hardened cam? stay away from the ebay kits or other ?
 
Last edited:

mjydrafter

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 12, 2015
Location
dsm, ia
TDI
2004 Jetta Wagon
Pull the cover and have a look at it. It's pretty easy on the PD. Just pull the EGR, fuel line holders and pop the cover/bolts.



Bad cam wouldn't cause smoke, that I know of. It depends on the smokes color as well, is it blue or is it white/black?


Generally:
Black means soot, may be a boost leak.
White is fuel, unburnt.
Blue is oil.
 

JETaah

Vendor , w/Business number
Joined
Jan 18, 2001
Location
mi 48836
TDI
96 B4V, 1999.5 jettaIV,2005 BEW Beetle
The overboost condition would lead me to believe that the turbo is the cause of oil loss and smoke.
What color smoke is it?
What are you using to read the code?
How does the code read?



The cam may be a problem, too, but you would have to look at it to be sure.

Do you know what to look for?
 

Hatchet Ratchet

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 6, 2006
Location
Freedom, WI
TDI
2004 Jetta PD
smoke is pretty black. like a dump truck getting up to speed.
Pull the cover and have a look at it. It's pretty easy on the PD. Just pull the EGR, fuel line holders and pop the cover/bolts.
Bad cam wouldn't cause smoke, that I know of. It depends on the smokes color as well, is it blue or is it white/black?
Generally:
Black means soot, may be a boost leak.
White is fuel, unburnt.
Blue is oil.
 

Hatchet Ratchet

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 6, 2006
Location
Freedom, WI
TDI
2004 Jetta PD
corrected post - condition error code was for Under Boost, not over-boost.
Smoke color is pretty black like a rich mix / not enough air.
i don't have the code handy. i had it read at autozone or o'Riley's i believe?

i'm not totally sure what to look for in a worn cam(sharp and worn edges?). the lifters i'm guessing would look pitted if those were shot?

The overboost condition would lead me to believe that the turbo is the cause of oil loss and smoke.
What color smoke is it?
What are you using to read the code?
How does the code read?



The cam may be a problem, too, but you would have to look at it to be sure.

Do you know what to look for?
 

BobnOH

not-a-mechanic
Joined
May 29, 2004
Location
central Ohio
TDI
New Beetle 2003 manual
The cam should look more or less perfect. Minor wear is acceptable, but anything "into the material" is a no go. Rotate the engine and inspect everything you can see.

If it comes to it, forum user Franko6 can help, if he's available. He also repairs/refreshes heads, cams and such.
 

steve6

Veteran Member
Joined
May 25, 2010
Location
Beaverton, ON
TDI
2003 jetta tdi
the lobes typically start to get sharp, they will start to scuff the lifters. you can google pics of bad cams, lots around
 

Enabled

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 23, 2013
Location
Houston, TX
TDI
2003 Jetta TDI Manual, BMW 328d SW
You have a boost leak most likely. Hopefully your turbo didn't have much over-run to cause wear.

Camshafts definitely cause some smoke, but very minor. Many times not enough to notice easily. Example, you can usually see bad camshaft wear on MK5 brm simply by looking on the bumper around the tailpipe. They all get a good sooty area there with worn cam.

BEW with the exhaust tips pointed down won't really have this feature.
 

mjydrafter

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 12, 2015
Location
dsm, ia
TDI
2004 Jetta Wagon
smoke is pretty black. like a dump truck getting up to speed.

That is what mine does if I forget the clip/clamp on one of the boost hoses. It runs good until the hose pops, and then it smokes and runs horribly.



If you search around you can find a boost leak tester I built to check mine out.



IIRC some folks have had a hard time finding leaks, since they need a decent amount of boost to open up.


You could also remove all of the piping and check it over carefully, for splits or bad spots.
 

BobnOH

not-a-mechanic
Joined
May 29, 2004
Location
central Ohio
TDI
New Beetle 2003 manual
....................................IIRC some folks have had a hard time finding leaks, since they need a decent amount of boost to open up.


You could also remove all of the piping and check it over carefully, for splits or bad spots.
Hard time finding anything when we gotta get underneath|:>
 

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

coalminer16

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Dec 11, 2008
Location
Central Wisconsin
TDI
Golf 2004
Agree - throw the K&N in the trash. The oil gets on the tiny wires in the MAF that heat up to know the amount of air going by. The oil prevents the air from cooling the wire and it burns out. Cleaning it - doesn't do any good as it is already bad. And rarely can you actually clean it. You can't see the wires the way it is designed and protected.

The cam - has a chamfered edge on the lobs. If the chamfer is no there at the tip of the lob - your cam is starting to wear. Not to the point that your oil pump is bad necessarily but enough to plan a replacement soon. Go too long and you do need an oil pump (metal goes into the oil pump before the filter scarring it and making you loose oil pressure). Bump the engine with the starter or turn over by hand to see each lobe. Only one or two go bad - not all at once. I haven't ever seen in person a really bad one - just ones that were getting close to the chamfer so I change them out and put Franko6 bearings and bolts in. I don't always have the money for the better cam but I at least do the bolts/bearings to help prevent.

Can help with the smoking though.
 

JB05

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Oct 20, 2005
Location
Il.USA
TDI
Golf,2005,anthracite blue
Check the hose connections to the IC. I had to replace the small hose that had worn nubs; resulted in same condition as OP's.
 

Hatchet Ratchet

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 6, 2006
Location
Freedom, WI
TDI
2004 Jetta PD
I made a dog collar from a piece of aluminum and hole sawed the correct od/id and mounted it with Allen drive cap screws as i had one leg of the hose clip break off, i did the more robust fix. i'm not expecting that to be the source of a boost leak.

it appears i have 3 things to check
1) crawl under and pull the turbo inlet and feel for any endplay
2) look for boost leaks (especially at the IC)
3) pull the valve cover and inspect lobes.

Do you need to have a spare valve cover gasket on hand when pulling the valve cover to inspect the lobes?

I put 140k on that K&N filter before having a MAF issue. It sounds like they can cause enough issues with the MAF. What is a good alternative to use?
 

Dieselmonkey02

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 26, 2011
Location
Edinburg, Pa
TDI
02 jetta
Factory type paper elements. Good for supposedly over 400 hp as is. I had a K+N a coworker gave me; I noticed that the rubber was only about half as thick as a regular filter. So it’s sitting on a shelf in the garage.
 

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
I have reused my valve cover gasket at least ten times. It doesn't leak.

I'm always popping that thing off to have a look and poke around at stuff.
 

Hatchet Ratchet

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 6, 2006
Location
Freedom, WI
TDI
2004 Jetta PD
after pulling my valve cover, i see at least one lobe that looks like this.
there are some good looking lobes, but this should indicate i need to get a new cam kit.
suggestions on what to get please?
i have an InMotionUSA.COM stage 2 tune and a single mass vr6 flywheel already.

 

Tdijarhead

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Nov 10, 2013
Location
Lawrenceville PA
TDI
2003 TDI Jetta Daughters Car, 2001 TDI Beetle, Wife’s car, 2005 Golf TDI Mine, all 5 spds
There is no chamfer on that lobe and the edges look sharp. A new cam is in your future, several of the trusted vendors sell them. I bought mine last year from idparts, 5 of my lobes looked like that.

My car wasn’t running bad, not like you describe in your original post. You need to continue your search for a boost leak. One lobe is unlikely to cause what you described.
 

coalminer16

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Dec 11, 2008
Location
Central Wisconsin
TDI
Golf 2004
Plenty of places sell cams. Depends on if you want stock or more. Colt cam or Franko6 cams are the two performance cams. Don't want to start a war on that so please leave the opinions out. I have installed two stock cams and one Fanko6 cam. All had Frank's bolt and bearing kit and all followed his break in advice. He knows his engines.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
 
Top