3-cylinder TDI performance camshaft...

[udo]

Hello,

Does anybody make a performance camshaft for the VW 3-cylinder TDI's?
I was unable to locate one, does that mean there is none?


Kind regards,
Udo

 

[Yucca]

Just send original one for regrind.

 

[udo]

Just send original one for regrind.

Is that really enough?!
If so: who in Europe can do a decent job at that?

 

[Mongler98]

Is that really enough?!
If so: who in Europe can do a decent job at that?

regrind will be better than new. new profile. cam will take up the smaller radius via the hydraulic lifter and thus the lobe will be longer.
Magic i know!

 

[adamss24]

Thing is manufacturers does get it pretty well so it’s the right blend of emissions, power and fuel economy !! Vag group does get it pretty well from the drawing board...you get more results spending your money on better turbo and fueling mods...each to their own I suppose !

 

[udo]

Thing is manufacturers does get it pretty well so it’s the right blend of emissions, power and fuel economy !! Vag group does get it pretty well from the drawing board...you get more results spending your money on better turbo and fueling mods...each to their own I suppose !

Hmm. OK...
So what about camshaft wear and tear?
Would it make sense to replace the camshaft after XXX amount of KM's/miles?
If so: what number would be more or less 'correct'?


The car already went from stock to a VNT turbo, has bigger injectors.
That is why I am looking at other things to improve.
Adding lightness? (without sacrificing features)

 

[adamss24]

I like AVE's quote: if its not broken, fix-it till is ! Just replace like for like or get a cam and get it ground to fit your needs as advised above...I personally would not spend money on a cam but swap a new engine with more potential or get a new car altogether and start fresh on that !

 

[Mongler98]

unless you have some really good head work and a HUGE turbo and fuel demands, a cam is nearly the lowest bang for your buck.

 

[udo]

`New` car means a lot of work and perhaps stricter regulations w.r.t. what I can do to the car. The current chassis has no such regulations (cat, sootfilter, adblue, EGR, etc).
Changing to four cylinders is expensive too as the registration has to be changed, but I'd have to find out if the regulations w.r.t. the chassis can stay intact.
FWIW I live in the Netherlands.



This means that I will not yet bet on a different car; how many KMs until a preventive cam swap should be in order?

 

[adamss24]

Best to whip the cam cover off and check the lobes for wear. If it needs it then replace it by all means ! PD engines makes weird noises when cams do wear...

 

[Mongler98]

Yes. Cars are expensive and heavily regulated. So what's the problem?

 

[TDIMeister]

Agree with all the posts here advising to spend your money where it will do more good. The 3-cylinder TDIs are all PDs (except some newer CRs), and PDs will never be ideal for high RPM where a cam will benefit. If your camshaft needs to be replaced anyway because it's worn, that's a different matter.

An upgraded turbo and injectors will be far more beneficial, from mild to wild. Pistons and rods also mostly interchange with other VAG engines if you cross the stage of very drastic modifications. Once you've done all these, then, yes, you could go back to the head and do a port, polish and big-valve upgrade with custom ground cam. You should be past 240 HP for that to even begin to make sense, though.