# Rookie info hub: Autotech 270* camshaft / mkIV installation



## Cee-dub (Feb 20, 2007)

The purpose of this thread is just a spot for me to collect all of the great info I've found on throwing the above cam into my mkIV 2.0L. I haven't been sleeping well lately because I'd been thinking I was going to have to pay a shop to do the installation, which doesn't jive with my DIY ethic, but after further research I've got myself 90% convinced I can do this. (Don't worry, I'll get to 100% before starting.) Yes, I've got all this info bookmarked, but I want to dump it here too because somebody else in the same shoes would find it helpful. http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif 
*The car:*
2002 AZG Golf (2.0L 8V)
176,000 km
Relevant mods: K&N drop-in, GIAC chip, full Magnaflow 2.25" exhaust incl. hi-flow cat.
I'm the original owner, and she's been a pillar of reliability over the years. The valve cover's never been removed, and I feel a bit like an idiot to f*ck with it -- but that's loser talk! On with it!
*The job:*
Autotech 270* camshaft installation, plus all collateral stuff to 'do it right'
_Parts list_
1. Autotech 270* camshaft
2. Heavy duty valve spring set. I chose the Autotech set since they were on sale. Includes HD springs, (steel) retainers, and seats.
3. Lifters x 8. (New lifters to wear with the new cam).
4. Valve stem seals x 10. (Two extra for when I drop one in the floor drain.)
5. Camshaft seal x 2. (Cheap insurance. Did I mention I'm a rookie?)
6. Valve cover gasket x 1.
7. Upper intake manifold gasket x 1.
_Tools & supplies list_
1-100. The usual suspects, including every imaginable socket, swivel, weird-arse pliers, etc. which you know are required to do anything on your VW
101. Masking tape
102. Spring compressor tool (still need to buy/borrow/make)
103. Short length of heat shrink & heat gun (to make protective sleeve when installing valve stem seals)
104. Spark plug boot tool (pliers work, but why not now)
105. Compressed air fitting for spark plug OR a bag of nylon rope (to hold the valves). Haven't figured out what I'll do here yet.
106. Pick-up magnet
107. Moly engine assembly lube
108. Permatex Ultra Gray or Ultra Copper RTV (for arch spot on cam retaining cap #1)
109. Snap ring pliers or timing belt tensioner spanner (for that purpose)

*The info:*
_DIYs_
- The main 2.0L camshaft DIY's references by vasillalov and redzone98.
- This mkIII DIY which (a) is awesome, and (b) covers the valvetrain rebuild.
- Autotech's installation instructions for the cam
- Bentley manual, chapter 15c
_Cam selection_
This topic has been beaten to death here, and I am eternally grateful for all the info here, here, here, here, here, here, etc., etc.

*The idiot:*
I've got some mechanical sense and a brain on my shoulders, but I've never been inside an engine. Thanks to the 'tex, I tackle everything I can myself with a DIY. I end up working slowly but meticulously, due to my inexperience. So far I've managed to not screw up exhaust, suspension, timing belt, and a host of boring maintenance -- thanks entirely to DIY writeups and being fortunate enough to have access to a well-equipped shop and a couple of mechanic buddies. For me the t-belt job was (to borrow a line from Morgan Freeman) "intimidating to contemplate but simple to do." And that's exactly how I feel about the valvetrain rebuild at the moment.
I'll probably add a couple posts to this as I collect all my stuff and then when I'm done. In the meantime, please let me know if I'm headed for disaster (or any other suggestions).
A big thanks to the 2.0 gods -- tdogg74, Jay-Bee, Jeff, vasilllalov, et al -- for making it possible!


























_Modified by Cee-dub at 7:13 PM 4-3-2010_


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## Jay-Bee (Sep 22, 2007)

*FV-QR*

I vote add to DIY/FAQ Sticky when it's complete... will notify mods.
Great work dude.


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## TMTuned99.5Golf (Jan 27, 2004)

*Re: FV-QR (Jay-Bee)*


_Quote, originally posted by *Jay-Bee* »_I vote add to DIY/FAQ Sticky when it's complete... will notify mods.
Great work dude.

x2! 
Sticky?

__
Image uploading. Refresh page to view









Oh ya, throw rags all around the lifters to clog up ALL oil return lines to the oil pan as not to drop a keeper down there... trust me, I know from experience

















_Modified by TMTuned99.5Golf at 3:12 PM 12-31-2009_


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## tdogg74 (Mar 1, 2002)

*Re: FV-QR (TMTuned99.5Golf)*

http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif


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## dfpimp (Sep 1, 2007)

Just a heads up mjmautohaus has the 270 for a slightly lower price. Can't wait to hear your results http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif
http://www.mjmautohaus.com/cat..._1418


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## Cee-dub (Feb 20, 2007)

*Re: (dfpimp)*


_Quote, originally posted by *dfpimp* »_Just a heads up mjmautohaus has the 270 for a slightly lower price. Can't wait to hear your results http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif
http://www.mjmautohaus.com/cat..._1418

That's a great regular price... but I paid $112 on Black Friday.


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## Cee-dub (Feb 20, 2007)

*Re: (Cee-dub)*

Alright, all parts are on hand! In the spirit of "pics or it ain't happenin'," here's some kitchen counter action. Referencing the original list:
1:
 
2:


3:

4 & 5:

6 & 7:


Still working on the tools/supplies end of things (yeah, it's amateur hour, things move slowly). Still need to figure out a spring compressor but some progress otherwise:
104:

105. Picked this air fitting up for like $5. Anybody know the thread size on our plugs? 14mm seems believable but so far I've been too lazy to pull one to check.
 
107:

108:


More to come... sometime.










_Modified by Cee-dub at 7:43 PM 1-30-2010_


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## MK4_BORA (Nov 13, 2009)

any recent progress?


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## 8valvesofFURY (Dec 31, 2006)

any luck?


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## Cee-dub (Feb 20, 2007)

*Re: (MK4_BORA)*


_Quote, originally posted by *MK4_BORA* »_any recent progress?


_Quote, originally posted by *8valvesofFURY* »_any luck?

Not in the last 20 hrs., no. Hold your horses.


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## O_Matt (May 7, 2007)

*FV-QR*

Glad my thread helped your choice. Good luck with the install, you will love it. http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif


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## dfpimp (Sep 1, 2007)

Coat hangers work great for plug pullers as well.


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## chasem407 (Feb 19, 2008)

*Re: (dfpimp)*

anything new?


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## vdubbugman53 (Nov 7, 2006)

*FV-QR*

man if you can do your own timing belt you can do your own camshaft that is for sure.
get a bowl and fill it with oil then plop your lifters in that bowl with the round hols on the side in the groove up.
this will let oil get in to the lifters....you can tap the bowl on the ground and watch bubbles come out of the holes at the lifters begin to fill with oil...i let mine sit there for a few days


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## TheNuge (Feb 3, 2010)

*Re: Rookie info hub: Autotech 270* camshaft / mkIV installation (Cee-dub)*

Curious how much money have you spent so far on the cam, lifters....etc. I am about to jump on this same build when I get my extra head finished up with a port/polish


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## vdubbugman53 (Nov 7, 2006)

*FV-QR*


_Quote, originally posted by *TheNuge* »_Curious how much money have you spent so far on the cam, lifters....etc. I am about to jump on this same build when I get my extra head finished up with a port/polish



look to get everyting you need for the 270 cam for right around 450.
http://www.mjmautohaus.com/cat...=2765


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## TheNuge (Feb 3, 2010)

*Re: FV-QR (vdubbugman53)*

Thanks man, completely forgot about that website. If I don't bookmark them, they leave my memory bank. Out of sight out of mind. Sweet Beetle btw http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif


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## vdubbugman53 (Nov 7, 2006)

*FV-QR*

no problem and thank you.


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## Cee-dub (Feb 20, 2007)

*Re: Rookie info hub: Autotech 270* camshaft / mkIV installation (TheNuge)*


_Quote, originally posted by *TheNuge* »_Curious how much money have you spent so far...

$112 Cam (sale)
$217 HD springs kit (sale)
$118 Lifters
$8 Valve stem seals
$5 Cam seal
$12 Valve cover gasket
$3 Upper intake manifold gasket
----
$475 for parts. Tools/supplies on top of that.


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## TheNuge (Feb 3, 2010)

Bump for updates on the progess


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## vwhotrodder 2 (Feb 10, 2003)

*Re: (TheNuge)*

X2 Bump...You can do it OP...


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## Cee-dub (Feb 20, 2007)

*Re: (vwhotrodder 2)*

Thanks for the interest guys... I've been preoccupied resolving an exhaust issue, replacing LCA bushings, and collecting scrap material to build a valve spring compressor... Maybe next weekend.


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## TheNuge (Feb 3, 2010)

*Re: (Cee-dub)*

Are you using your stock head or did you have any work done to it? I am in the market of getting my spare worked on.


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## TheNuge (Feb 3, 2010)

Monday Bump


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## Cee-dub (Feb 20, 2007)

*Re: (TheNuge)*

Alright... tomorrow's the day!








 


_Modified by Cee-dub at 10:12 PM 4-1-2010_


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## MonkeyBusiness (Jun 11, 2009)

*Re: (Cee-dub)*

good luck... grab a friend and some







for payment


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## J.R.Freeman (Apr 19, 2008)

Good luck! Subscribed







. What sort of gains go with a cam like this?


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## Cee-dub (Feb 20, 2007)

*Re: (Cee-dub)*


_Quote, originally posted by *Cee-dub* »_Alright... tomorrow's the day!









Success! Here's the recap. I'm not going to repeat the whole story, because the DIYs referenced in my original post are great, but these were the "interesting" parts for me:
1. The borrowed valve spring compressor that I'd planned to use didn't work for me. The "plunger" part of it was bigger than the spring retainers, and therefore it wouldn't fit into the lifter bore. And with the sizes of things, there wasn't room to stick a smaller spacer in between the tool and the retainer. I should have caught this in advance, simply by looking at the tool alongside my new springs.
So we improvised, and ended up piecing together a a tool that worked _great_. My help turned down a piece of aluminum round bar roughly the diameter of a retainer, then hogged a slot in one end to give access to the keepers. We used this with a 2-jaw puller/press kit. We also made two lengths of 1-1/2" aluminum angle which we fastened to the valve cover studs, to give a lip for the puller jaws to grab. Worked like a cat's a$$. While fussing putting the keepers back in, it was great to be using a tool that didn't need to be held in place.
Mad shout-out to Mister Andersen for the help!
Rough dimensions of the piece:
diameter = 1-1/4"
length ~ 4-1/2"
slot ~ 1/2" wide x 1-1/2" long




2. I spent a lot more time than planned resetting the timing while finishing up. During the install, I match-marked the belt & cam pulley, then bungeed the belt to my hood while the cam was out. I expected everything to line right back up after finishing, but it didn't: When I put the belt back on the cam with my marks re-matched, the flywheel mark wasn't visible anymore. I spent a good half hour in denial, double-checking for the marks. Then I spent a good hour trying to re-find the timing mark on the flywheel. By this time, I was working alone, so after screwing around unsuccessfully setting up my camera to record video while I turned the crank, I resorted to cranking/looking/cranking/looking/cranking/looking/... until stumbling across it. Then I replaced the belt on the cam. It turned out that it had jumped two teeth from the match marks I made at the start.
My only guess is that the belt jumped two teeth at the crank one of the times that it tried to roll over a little bit when I pressurized the cylinder with compressed air (to hold the valves).

Moral of the story: When it's late and you just want to be done, that doesn't mean that your timing is magically still set despite the indicators. (Ask me where my head was.) Trust the timing marks, no matter how much you don't want to accept reality.
Also, I hadn't anticipated how tricky it would be to manipulate the timing belt tensioner with everything in place on that side of the engine bay. I got luck and found a pair of snap ring pliers nearby that worked perfectly. But I could have been caught. I'll add this to the tools list up top.
That's it. End of story. I've been driving around all day today! http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif
A few other randoms:


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## J.R.Freeman (Apr 19, 2008)

Congratulations man! Good job!


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## MonkeyBusiness (Jun 11, 2009)

*Re: (Cee-dub)*

good work... I bet/hope you enjoy the cam http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif


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## vdubbugman53 (Nov 7, 2006)

*FV-QR*

wow have some more lube lol


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## Cee-dub (Feb 20, 2007)

*Re: FV-QR (vdubbugman53)*


_Quote, originally posted by *vdubbugman53* »_wow have some more lube lol


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## Mr. EüroMatt (May 9, 2007)

*Re: FV-QR (Cee-dub)*

Looking to do a cam swap on my Golf soon... subscribed http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif 


_Modified by 97JettaGLXVR6 at 11:34 PM 4-12-2010_


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## vdubbugman53 (Nov 7, 2006)

*FV-QR*

why thumb down?


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## Mr. EüroMatt (May 9, 2007)

*Re: FV-QR (vdubbugman53)*


_Quote, originally posted by *vdubbugman53* »_why thumb down?

Woops. wrong click.


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