# I thought I should check my cam follower at 85k miles.....



## iGen3 (Mar 21, 2002)

I'm not sure, but I think it's a little worn. HPFP seems to be showing a little wear also. Cam might be ok, hard to tell. Bone Stock 2006 GLI, 0w40Mobil1 every 10k. misfiring at idle since about 60k miles. have been chasing coils and plugs, but perhaps this is the culprit. 
discuss. 
notice compared to the new one, the entire rounded crown is gone, giving it a pointy top edge.


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## OOOO-A3 (Jul 20, 2004)

*Re: I thought I should check my cam follower at 85k miles..... (iGen3)*


_Quote, originally posted by *iGen3* »_I'm not sure, but I think it's a little worn.

















I'm at 53k, need to check mine soon. 
Edit, 20 December: See page 2 of this thread for my post with a WORSE failure on a Rev. 'B' .



_Modified by OOOO-A3 at 10:07 PM 12-20-2008_


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## yvrnycracer (Apr 17, 2007)

WOW...


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## OOOO-A3 (Jul 20, 2004)

*Re: I thought I should check my cam follower at 85k miles..... (OOOO-A3)*

...and just in case that wasn't sarcasm in your post....
1. You need a new pump
2. You need a new camshaft
3. You need talk to the VW regional rep to see about getting that covered under warranty, citing the camshaft TSB.


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## dsire (Jan 21, 2001)

*Re: I thought I should check my cam follower at 85k miles..... (OOOO-A3)*

Where does the punched out portion of the cam follower usually wind up? Does it stay in the valve cover area?
You might have a NJ Parkway token in there somewhere. 


_Modified by dsire at 10:22 PM 12-16-2008_


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## iGen3 (Mar 21, 2002)

*Re: I thought I should check my cam follower at 85k miles..... (OOOO-A3)*


_Quote, originally posted by *OOOO-A3* »_...and just in case that wasn't sarcasm in your post....
1. You need a new pump
2. You need a new camshaft
3. You need talk to the VW regional rep to see about getting that covered under warranty, citing the camshaft TSB.

it was sarcasm, and I am very much out of warranty, but I do have an appointment Friday with Autohaus Lancaster. I will be telling them how excited I am to let the thousands of vortexers following this forum know what excellent service I will get there. 
My family and I have had a bunch (22+) vws over the years, most run up to well over 120 k, a few to well over 250k miles, and I can count on 3 or 4 fingers the times we've had to spend money on something other than wearing parts: bearings, seals, hoses, wires, plugs, etc. I expect to maintain my car well, drive it long, and keep it for a long time. This self-destruckto catastrophic failure thing is new to me.


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## dsire (Jan 21, 2001)

*Re: I thought I should check my cam follower at 85k miles..... (dsire)*

VW needs to add a new code to their scan tool "cam follower punched through" because we all know a tech is not allowed to do anything that the scan tool does not tell them to do


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## iGen3 (Mar 21, 2002)

*Re: I thought I should check my cam follower at 85k miles..... (dsire)*


_Quote, originally posted by *dsire* »_VW needs to add a new code to their scan tool "cam follower punched through" because we all know a tech is not allowed to do anything that the scan tool does not tell them to do


perhaps if I submit the failed follower, in the "born on" dated cup to the service dept. with instructions to "scan this"


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## iGen3 (Mar 21, 2002)

*Re: I thought I should check my cam follower at 85k miles..... (dsire)*


_Quote, originally posted by *dsire* »_Where does the punched out portion of the cam follower usually wind up? Does it stay in the valve cover area?
You might have a NJ Parkway token in there somewhere. 

_Modified by dsire at 10:22 PM 12-16-2008_

haven't looked yet. I'm hearing parts stay in that end section near the cam. 
I did have a penny drop into the 12 power and short it out, a new fuse fixed that. who's idea is a power thingy in the bottom of the change tray.


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## yohoitztho (Jul 27, 2008)

dam. what was the car doing when you decided to check the cam/follower/shaft, etc?


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## iGen3 (Mar 21, 2002)

*Re: (yohoitztho)*


_Quote, originally posted by *yohoitztho* »_dam. what was the car doing when you decided to check the cam/follower/shaft, etc?

nuthin. I'd highly recommend y'all check yours....esp older or high miles. Again, I'm totally stock, never chipped, all highway miles and don't hit redline. 
like I said. mild misfires at idle only. 85 K miles. new coils and plugs. tired of CEL on all the time and misfire codes. saw the pictures in the FAQ and figured I'm way overdue to check mine.


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## rippie74 (Sep 26, 2007)

HOLY SCHNIKES


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## SP00LN (Oct 18, 2002)

They just dont make them like they used to......


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## fahrenheit 525 (Nov 3, 2007)

*Re: I thought I should check my cam follower at 85k miles..... (iGen3)*

I would very much try to get VOA/Dealer to warrenty that if you were getting oil changes or any work done they should have checked that TSB.


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## iGen3 (Mar 21, 2002)

*Re: I thought I should check my cam follower at 85k miles..... (fahrenheit 525)*


_Quote, originally posted by *fahrenheit 525* »_I would very much try to get VOA/Dealer to warrenty that if you were getting oil changes or any work done they should have checked that TSB. 

I'm not faulting the dealer, just the design, and VOA policy of only looking for this when the fuel codes are present. I'm guessing everybody with a revA cam will get this result eventually. 
I don't think they are looking for this unless you are displaying the fuel codes. 
It was not sending codes while under warranty, has never shown fuel codes (only misfire codes) and I do my own oil changes, so they've only seen it for annual inspection and when coil #1 shorted to ground and left me stuck on the side of the road (a different dealer for that episode, as I was on the road elsewhere) 
Again, I'm hoping Autohaus will make good on it.


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## aeproberts21 (Apr 10, 2007)

*Re: I thought I should check my cam follower at 85k miles..... (iGen3)*

WOW....I thought this was really only a major problem with those that changed the fuel pump. 
I am going to have to check mine in the summer. 
Just curious to those with more know-how than me: If you were to maintain the follower and fuel pump regularly would you definitely be saving yourself the cam issues? By that I mean if I were to check my follower and fuel pump and catch it early enough would there be any damage to the cam shaft or theoretically could the cam shaft be damaged without much wear to the other 2.


_Modified by aeproberts21 at 9:07 AM 12-17-2008_


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## gunot55 (Oct 2, 2007)

*Re: I thought I should check my cam follower at 85k miles..... (aeproberts21)*

if you regularly maintain your follower you should have no problems . when the follower starts to see wear you should buy a new OEM one and throw it in there. People with aftermarket pumps tend to check the follower from every oil change to every 10k miles. http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif


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## rbradleymedmd (Feb 24, 2007)

IMO, cam follower check intervals...
Stock...50k miles
Stage I...40k miles
Stage II...20-30k miles
Stage II+ (or higher)...5k miles (better safe than sorry)
OP, sorry to hear about the situation. Best of luck with the warranty. I don't think anyone should have to go through this mess (hint, hint VWOA), especially around the holidays. Please let us know how everything turns out.


_Modified by rbradleymedmd at 9:33 AM 12-17-2008_


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## goin2fast (Mar 23, 2006)

*Re: (rbradleymedmd)*

Sitting in on this one. Best of luck.


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## StuMacLean (Aug 9, 2003)

*Re: (goin2fast)*

man, when is VW going to extend the warranty on the Rev A cams? This is just ridiculous.


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## [email protected] (Sep 10, 2001)

*Re: (goin2fast)*

If your going to do something...go big or go home right?


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## bostonaudi1 (May 14, 2006)

*Re: (SP00LN)*


_Quote, originally posted by *SP00LN* »_They just dont make them like they used to......

What, you mean like a 1955 Bug? 
Watercooled VW's have never been entirely design defect free, or they've had problems with defective components, I fondly remember heater cores, and window regulator clips, self machining tranny cases etc.


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## MFZERO (Mar 13, 2002)

*FV-QR*








holy crap!
this reminds me to check the GF's car this weekend when changing the oil and tires


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## TooLFan46n2 (Oct 18, 1999)

*Re: FV-QR (MFZERO)*

Let us know how you make out. Not sure who your service advisor is but Micah is great, hopefully they will take care of you.


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## yvrnycracer (Apr 17, 2007)

the problem with cars that are heavily computer controlled... especially when a tech can't search for a problem without ponying up the cash... Unless there is a fault code there is nothing wrong...


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## rracerguy717 (Apr 8, 2003)

*Re: (bostonaudi1)*


_Quote, originally posted by *bostonaudi1* »_
What, you mean like a 1955 Bug? 
Watercooled VW's have never been entirely design defect free, or they've had problems with defective components, I fondly remember heater cores, and window regulator clips, self machining tranny cases etc.
 
In this day and age with CAD that pretty sad to have a failures looking like that on a bone stock car with its maintenance up to-date ,VAG should have a full recall and have a replacement re-design follower IMO .







Bob.G


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## velocidub (Oct 27, 2002)

*Re: I thought I should check my cam follower at 85k miles..... (iGen3)*

This is *PATHETIC!!!!* Come on VW!! 
Maybe I should have kept my 2003 GTI with the 1.8T?








I *HATE* waiting around for this to happen to me. (early 06 GTI owner)


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## velocidub (Oct 27, 2002)

*Re: I thought I should check my cam follower at 85k miles..... (velocidub)*

OP,
How often did you run your engine low on oil? 
Seriously, I'm wondering if this is part of the problem with these followers failing. 
I've read so many threads about people running engines low on oil till the warning light comes on. 
I gotta stop reading the tech forum. It's depressing.


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## jeff2.0t (Dec 6, 2007)

*Re: I thought I should check my cam follower at 85k miles..... (velocidub)*

I am dumb about this... is it an A or B version? Probably an A...


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## GTI4john74 (Sep 23, 2008)

That is one sick worn-out Cam Follower! Yikes! I think mine's the B version since my car's a 2008, later 2007 build (11/2007).
How much does this cost to replace from the dealer? I'll probably DIY this particular one and get an Aftermarket KMD Cam Follower


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## jeff2.0t (Dec 6, 2007)

*Re: (GTI4john74)*


_Quote, originally posted by *GTI4john74* »_That is one sick worn-out Cam Follower! Yikes! I think mine's the B version since my car's a 2008, later 2007 build (11/2007).
How much does this cost to replace from the dealer? I'll probably DIY this particular one and get an Aftermarket KMD Cam Follower

Most 2007 have the B so your ok.


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## iGen3 (Mar 21, 2002)

*Re: I thought I should check my cam follower at 85k miles..... (velocidub)*


_Quote, originally posted by *velocidub* »_OP,
How often did you run your engine low on oil? 
Seriously, I'm wondering if this is part of the problem with these followers failing. 
I've read so many threads about people running engines low on oil till the warning light comes on. 
I gotta stop reading the tech forum. It's depressing.

This motor hasn't been too bad on oil. I did break in by the manual, and check it every few thousand, all highway miles. I think I hit the tip of the stick once, but there is a big difference on this thing checking hot or cold, it must hold a bunch up top that drains down. certainly never hit any warning light, that's just wrong. It was sitting in a puddle of oil when I took it out--from what I understand there is a squirter that squirts right on it all the time.


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## brian8smith (Sep 26, 2006)

*FV-QR*

couldnt this just be an isolated issue? I mean I havent seen many others completely stock finding a follower this bad. Certainly though correct me if I am wrong because I have stage 1 flash and will check mine this summer when I am nearing 30K.


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## iGen3 (Mar 21, 2002)

*Re: FV-QR (brian8smith)*


_Quote, originally posted by *brian8smith* »_couldnt this just be an isolated issue? I mean I havent seen many others completely stock finding a follower this bad. Certainly though correct me if I am wrong because I have stage 1 flash and will check mine this summer when I am nearing 30K. 

The TSB is to yank the revA soft cam and replace it with a revB hardened cam. I am a 2006, you are an 07, you probably have the revB. check the excellent DIY in the FAQ


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## brian8smith (Sep 26, 2006)

*Re: FV-QR (iGen3)*


_Quote, originally posted by *iGen3* »_
The TSB is to yank the revA soft cam and replace it with a revB hardened cam. I am a 2006, you are an 07, you probably have the revB. check the excellent DIY in the FAQ

Ya I have read through most of that long original follower thread and seen the DIY, seemed pretty straight forward. I just figured at the time when I was stock and low miles it wasn't of utmost concern. But now I might take a look when its warm again. If I were to find a bad follower and damage to my cam shouldn't I just take it to the dealer and get it fixed under warranty? Bad follower only, should I just replace it myself, or again dealer?


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## iGen3 (Mar 21, 2002)

*Re: FV-QR (brian8smith)*


_Quote, originally posted by *brian8smith* »_
Ya I have read through most of that long original follower thread and seen the DIY, seemed pretty straight forward. I just figured at the time when I was stock and low miles it wasn't of utmost concern. But now I might take a look when its warm again. If I were to find a bad follower and damage to my cam shouldn't I just take it to the dealer and get it fixed under warranty? Bad follower only, should I just replace it myself, or again dealer?

if you are under warranty, get thee to the dealer (after you identify a good one. ) formally, as the TSB reads, you need follower damage, cam damage, AND have specific codes set. I'm hoping the follower carnage makes it obvious...will find out Friday..or after that if they need to get the regional rep involved.


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## LeadFootA3 (Sep 13, 2008)

oh god I'm scared... I started getting mild misfires last month and have now had 3 soft CEL... this thing is coming out the day after I get back home.
Did you have any of these codes?
8851 2
Fuel Pressure Regulator valve
Mechanical Malfunction
sporadic
768 8 
Random Multiple Cylinder. Misfire Detected
sporadic


_Modified by LeadFootA3 at 11:27 PM 12-17-2008_


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## rippie74 (Sep 26, 2007)

*Re: (GTI4john74)*


_Quote, originally posted by *GTI4john74* »_That is one sick worn-out Cam Follower! Yikes! I think mine's the B version since my car's a 2008, later 2007 build (11/2007).
How much does this cost to replace from the dealer? I'll probably DIY this particular one and get an Aftermarket KMD Cam Follower

Yo man... I have a 2008 GTI & my car had the "soft cam" in it. I brought my car into the dealership & they took it apart (after I told them I did already & all I needed was a cam follower because my cam looked great, _not a scratch on it_). 
Turns out I needed a new cam & follower & a new hpfp. All work was under warranty. 
The lesson here is *NEVER ASSUME ANYTHING*. Check your cam follower


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## SuckSquishBangBlow (Apr 5, 2007)

*Re: FV-QR (iGen3)*

Two quick points... Can you confirm that this is a revision A "one piece" cam? Because my mid 06 has a B cam...and if you absolutely need an MIL to get proper attention from a dealer/VOA go get a free revo trial and go WOT in 6th gear at 1500 rpm, you should have no problem getting a nasty fuel cut at stage 1 with that kind fueling wear.


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## csullivan (Jun 1, 2008)

I don't understand why there are so many people that are still operating under the "well, my car is a late 07, so I probably have the B cam."
CHECK. it takes 2 seconds.
And if you have an A, it's not the end of the world. Just means you need to be more attentive and check your follower. Plus, you'll know to watch it for further issues while you're still under warranty.


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## csullivan (Jun 1, 2008)

*Re: FV-QR (SuckSquishBangBlow)*


_Quote, originally posted by *SuckSquishBangBlow* »_ go get a free revo trial and go WOT in 6th gear at 1500 rpm, you should have no problem getting a nasty fuel cut at stage 1 with that kind fueling wear.

Can't you just pull a fuse and accomplish the same code?


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## b0mb3r (Nov 9, 2006)

*Re: FV-QR*

wow... this is a further proof that this thing needs to be checked and replaced regularly.... Hopefully you will get it fixed.


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## brekdown29 (Jun 26, 2007)

this thread really drives the point home...i will absolutely be checking for wear on the follower every 10,000 miles from now on and when it needs replacing, i'll spring for kmd's solution.


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## GTI4john74 (Sep 23, 2008)

Just a quick question, when you check the CAM and removing the plate cover, do I need to depressurize the bleeder valve first? and then remove the plate to sneak into it?
the DIY here in Vortex didn't say anything...so I was kind of concerned cause replacing the Cam follower meant you had to depressurize the bleeder valve. anyone?
pardon the noob question











_Modified by GTI4john74 at 3:50 PM 12-18-2008_


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## iGen3 (Mar 21, 2002)

*Re: (GTI4john74)*

just dropped it off at the dealer. 
should it turn out that I need to call/write VOA, what number/email address do I use? 
Never did this before.....
I'd actually rather write and email/send a letter than call...
never mind--looks like I have to call the "customer CARE" number first. tomorrow, as they close at 5p. 


_Modified by iGen3 at 6:31 PM 12-18-2008_


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## dsire (Jan 21, 2001)

*Re: (iGen3)*

So let me guess. VW offered you a free driver gear keychain if you buy a new car?


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## awb17x (Jun 20, 2008)

*Re: (iGen3)*


_Quote, originally posted by *iGen3* »_just dropped it off at the dealer. 
should it turn out that I need to call/write VOA, what number/email address do I use? 
Never did this before.....
I'd actually rather write and email/send a letter than call...
never mind--looks like I have to call the "customer CARE" number first. tomorrow, as they close at 5p. 

_Modified by iGen3 at 6:31 PM 12-18-2008_

also not open on weekens







When i make my payments i always forget.


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## iGen3 (Mar 21, 2002)

*Re: (awb17x)*

for "check out fee" dealer has confirmed my diagnosis. 
But they have escalated to regional factory rep, waiting to hear from him. 
We'll see what happens. 
VOA was not around yesterday, building closed for emergency??? I guess it snowed there or something, everybody out doing donuts.


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## iSot (Mar 6, 2008)

*Re: I thought I should check my cam follower at 85k miles..... (iGen3)*


_Quote, originally posted by *iGen3* »_I'm not sure, but I think it's a little worn. 

Just a little bit, not too much !! You are good to go another "50 grand"







-iSot


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## SpeedVision (Jul 7, 2008)

*Re: I thought I should check my cam follower at 85k miles..... (iGen3)*

5,000 mile oil changes > 10,000 mile oil changes. Given the fuel and water saturation of the oil in these cars, it's a crime for VW to suggest any interval greater than 5,000 miles.
Anything less than a roller follower will fail, period. VW should eat this since you serviced as specified.
Think of the 2.0t owners out there that are clueless about the ticking time bomb under the hood.
I like the driving experience of the 2.0t, but the 160,000 K04 miles on my 1.8t Passat was a joy as well.


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## OOOO-A3 (Jul 20, 2004)

*Re: I thought I should check my cam follower at 85k miles..... (iGen3)*










Back in May of this year, I took the vacuum pump cover off to determine which camshaft I have. This is the "good" 'B' cam. You can see the line between the two pieces that make it up.








Since I found that I had the 'B' cam, and had no symptoms, I didn't worry about it.
---------------------
*Now (December):*
I decided that since I have 53,000 miles on the original cam follower, I should go ahead and replace it. I figured it would have the black coating worn a bit, and maybe a mark on the inside.... You know, nothing major since the engine has the 'B' cam, NO aftermarket fuel pump, NO chip, oil changes every 5000 miles with Castrol 5w40 VW 502.00 oil, not beaten-on.... NO fuel cuts, NO CEL.
I bought a new follower Friday, thinking that it was probably a waste of money since the original was probably just fine.... but it wouldn't hurt to replace it "just in case"....
When I pulled the pump out Saturday to change the follower, I was like "Oh, **** me!" I wasn't prepared for this:
























































































"Wait..." you might say. "Where's the ****ing clip from the bottom of the follower?!?"








Well, if you look back up at the pics of the pump, you might just see it hanging on the pump spring.... I retrieved it with a pair of needle-nose pliers, and it's all stretched out.

I couldn't see any pieces of the old follower anywhere, so I had nothing else to do but put in the brand new follower that I just spent $60+ on, and reassemble everything. I cranked it afterwards, let it idle to warmup, rev'd it and didn't hear any odd noises or see any fuel leakage from the fittings, so it's at least as drivable as it has been.
Due to a settlement with Audi over my A/C compressor, my warranty goes to 62k. Monday morning first thing I'll be going to the dealer (who hates me, I'm sure), and politely but firmly insisting on it being repaired ASAFP and me having a loaner in the mean time, since I need to do some roadtrips over the holidays. 
I ****ing hate this engine. I hate it, I hate it, I hate it..... It is the biggest steaming pile of scheisse. I've wasted a metric assload of money on this car, and I'd like nothing better than to feed it into a crusher. I'm done with VW/Audi. I'm serious this time. Unless I can find a way to do a TDI swap, it's time for a Subaru.








(Edited for timeline clarity.)



_Modified by OOOO-A3 at 11:49 AM 12-22-2008_


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## iGen3 (Mar 21, 2002)

*Re: I thought I should check my cam follower at 85k miles..... (OOOO-A3)*

hmm. that looks really familiar. But your pictures are better. 
I wonder how long the warranty is on replacement parts? long enough to catch the next time they fail? 
rotate tires....check follower...
change pollen filter and camshaft and HPFP....


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## SpeedVision (Jul 7, 2008)

*Re: I thought I should check my cam follower at 85k miles..... (OOOO-A3)*


_Quote, originally posted by *OOOO-A3* »_ 
(THEN???)Back in May of this year, I took the vacuum pump cover off to determine which camshaft I have...I decided that since I had 53,000 miles on the original cam follower, I'd go ahead and replace it. 
(NOW???)Monday morning first thing I'll be going to the dealer (who hates me, I'm sure), and politely but firmly insisting on it being repaired ASAFP and me having a loaner in the mean time, since I need to do some roadtrips over the holidays. 


So you just took apart our HPFP? Monday is this monday? Let us know what they do...


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## iGen3 (Mar 21, 2002)

*Re: I thought I should check my cam follower at 85k miles..... (SpeedVision)*


_Quote, originally posted by *SpeedVision* »_
So you just took apart our HPFP? Monday is this monday? Let us know what they do...

looks like he just checked cam version in May by popping end cap only, and now (after seeing my mess at 85k) at 53 K checked follower to find carnage above. 
note he's got rev b cam, and has been throwing NO CODES.


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## OOOO-A3 (Jul 20, 2004)

*Re: I thought I should check my cam follower at 85k miles..... (SpeedVision)*

In May, someone posted that you can take off the plate from the end of the vacuum pump, pull out the pump impeller, and see the end of the camshaft. That was a quick and easy way to see whether the shaft is an A or B, since the ends are visually distinct (1-piece vs. 2-piece). I looked at it in May, determined that it was a 'B', and didn't worry about it since it was otherwise not giving any symptoms.
Based on iGen3's post, I decided that I would replace the follower whether it needed it or not just as preventive maintenance. I figured if the first one lasted 50,000, a replacement would be good for the next 50k, so I bought a new follower on Friday (yesterday).
Today I went to put in the follower, not expecting the original one to have failed like it did. Since I had already bought a new follower, I put the new one in and will carry the old one with me on Monday (day after tomorrow) to the dealer to say "WTF?!?"


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## GermanRob (Mar 1, 2007)

*Re: (yvrnycracer)*

TO ANY AND ALL VW ENGINEERS INVOLVED WITH THIS..... WHAT THE HECK MAN!?!


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## dsire (Jan 21, 2001)

*Re: (GermanRob)*

I've got two of these in my driveway. 07 Eos 2.0T and 07 A4 2.0T. Both still under warranty though, and I have the ability to keep a close eye on them. But what about the 70 year old woman across the the street from my parents who bought a Jetta because she saw what good luck myself and my parents had with their VW's? Is she going to get the "sorry ma'am, that will be $2500 for a new cam, new fuel pump, and a new follower"?


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## dsire (Jan 21, 2001)

*Re: (dsire)*

The "cap" on the HPFP is replaceable, but I would imagine that the side loads of the fuel pump riding directly on the cam would damage and require replacement of the plunger and cylinder as well. AWE tuning has a nice video of how to take the pump apart. But VW does not sell a stock pump rebuild kit. Maybe Hitachi does?


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## GermanRob (Mar 1, 2007)

*Re: (dsire)*

man damn that.... its an engineering error and they don't wanna admit it


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## b0mb3r (Nov 9, 2006)

*Re: (GermanRob)*

this is really interesting... I wonder how many people are having the same issue?
I am really glad that I did not cheap out and replaced the mofo at 42K... I am still puzzled why they did not use a roller type follower...


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## thetwodubheads (Dec 6, 2004)

*Re: (b0mb3r)*

Yeah... I'll have to be checking mine. About due for the 10k mile service. If I even see scratches on the damned thing the dealer will be getting a serious call. I will not tolerate having a part that both falls under "internally lubricated" and "wear and tear" on a warranty contract.


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## 2.0fsiwagon (Nov 27, 2007)

*Re: (GermanRob)*


_Quote, originally posted by *GermanRob* »_TO ANY AND ALL VW ENGINEERS INVOLVED WITH THIS..... WHAT THE HECK MAN!?!

Yeah no shiyte. That wear is not healthy at all, and has anyone heard about a problem like this on another? or is it a case of the FSI. 
I have a late production 07, am I cursed?
I plan on getting a chip and probably the APR Fuel Pump at some point, are there other things I should beef up?


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## thetwodubheads (Dec 6, 2004)

*Re: (2.0fsiwagon)*

I wonder if BMW's direct injection turbo motors have this issue, or fords, or chevy.......


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## 2.0fsiwagon (Nov 27, 2007)

*Re: (thetwodubheads)*


_Quote, originally posted by *thetwodubheads* »_I wonder if BMW's direct injection turbo motors have this issue, or fords, or chevy.......

bimmerforums here I come! 
I own a 02 7 series so I keep up at a distance from all the 16 year olds with 50k M3's
Will Report Back


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## GolfRS (Feb 4, 2006)

*FV-QR*

Still puzzled why none of the aftermarket tuning companies hasn't looked into getting a replacement system altogether...
I'm pretty sure there's tons of cash to be made if an adaptable roller system could be manufactured.I'm sure some of us might be interested in installing a "set it and forget it" system for a reasonable price, instead of worrying about followers, stripped threads, and ground camshafts...
So why aren't there any ??


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## thetwodubheads (Dec 6, 2004)

*Re: FV-QR (GolfRS)*

I thought the same thing, but was given the reason that it wouldn't work was because the cam was not designed for a roller. This was by the 'experts' on here. I know some people know a lot about motors and engineering, but what could possibly be wrong about just getting a replacement follower that has a roller on the tip, and an adapter made to shim out the pump by that new follower's extra length?


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## GolfRS (Feb 4, 2006)

*Re: FV-QR (thetwodubheads)*


_Quote, originally posted by *thetwodubheads* »_I thought the same thing, but was given the reason that it wouldn't work was because the cam was not designed for a roller. This was by the 'experts' on here. I know some people know a lot about motors and engineering, but what could possibly be wrong about just getting a replacement follower that has a roller on the tip, and an adapter made to shim out the pump by that new follower's extra length?

Yeah that seems like an easy enough idea...
But, i'm guessing as with all good things in life, production costs probably don't justify the
profit, so no company is gonna waste time with it...
And what exactly makes a cam "not designed" for a roller ?Its much less stressful to a cam to have something rolling on it rather than SCRAPPING IT ....


----------



## KrayzieHotSauce (Apr 28, 2008)

This sounds like all those 1st generation Porsche Boxster engines catching fire and the factory had to eventually honor free engine replacements for life.
Maybe we need to put together a petition for a recall. Just a thought ^^;


----------



## OOOO-A3 (Jul 20, 2004)

*FV-QR*

Actually, this is more like the BMW V8 nickasil/alusil fiasco about 10 years ago. Eventually BMW had to replace any and all nickasil engines regardless of age.
Petition, my ass. 
Class-action lawsuit. Unfortunately, that won't help me. Due to my previous settlement regarding the A/C compressor, I am prevented from suing Audi for anything else related to this particular car. 
If mine is fixed under warranty, it will be with the SAME camshaft (Rev. B), SAME follower and SAME pump as I've had, which failed on me. It won't be a fix, it'll just be resetting the countdown to another failure, only this one will be out-of-warranty for sure. 
Think about that for a minute. Would you have bought your car if you KNEW for a fact that under normal operation it will have a catastrophic failure in 50,000 miles that would cost you ~$2500? That's what I (and iGen3 and everyone else) will be looking at. That's unacceptable to me. There's no other car I really want right now, but I can't see living with this impending failure for much longer.


----------



## csullivan (Jun 1, 2008)

*FV-QR*

It might be time to get in touch with a lawyer. This is getting a little ridiculous. Isolated failures with enthusiasts are one thing, but failures at 11k with normal scheduled maintenance is a different situation.


----------



## KrayzieHotSauce (Apr 28, 2008)

Yea you're right, class action lawsuit more likely.
Now I don't know which would blow up first; the cam follower or the dual mass flywheel at 50k >.<


----------



## iGen3 (Mar 21, 2002)

*Re: (KrayzieHotSauce)*

hopefully will hear back today from the factory rep, via the good folks at Autohaus Lancaster, whether they are going to cover this or not.


----------



## OOOO-A3 (Jul 20, 2004)

*FV-QR*

Using the dealer's WiFi right now.... dropped it off with no hassle. It's not the first one they've seen, so that made it easy. They're supposed to call around noon and let me know when I can get it back. If I can get it back completely done by tomorrow evening, I'll be amazed and happy. (I can has camshaft for Christmas?)


----------



## dsire (Jan 21, 2001)

*Re: FV-QR (OOOO-A3)*

I can hear people singing now............All I want for Christmas is an intake cam?


----------



## Rogerthat (Oct 23, 2005)

*Re: FV-QR (OOOO-A3)*

Oh WoW if this happened to you I'm really scared to check my car at 65,000 miles................. I also have no chip/engine modification and don't drive my car hard.
I'm going to try to check on the cam this weekend...


----------



## jeff2.0t (Dec 6, 2007)

*Re: FV-QR (Rogerthat)*

Yeah check that before your engine warranty end. Is it 5 years/60 000 milles in USA?
I will check mine at 35 000, if I have the B cam I may consider upgrading the FP, if not I wont push my luck...


----------



## iGen3 (Mar 21, 2002)

*Re: FV-QR (OOOO-A3)*


_Quote, originally posted by *OOOO-A3* »_Using the dealer's WiFi right now.... dropped it off with no hassle. It's not the first one they've seen, so that made it easy. They're supposed to call around noon and let me know when I can get it back. If I can get it back completely done by tomorrow evening, I'll be amazed and happy. (I can has camshaft for Christmas?)
 
I guess your extended warranty has saved you. OH, and you have an Audi.









They are offering me a little over half the cost to repair it towards the repair--with 12 mo. 12,000 mile warranty, and I think I will have to take them up on it. 
The alternative is 
A: spend about the same amount on tools and parts to do it myself and have no warranty extension, or 
B: take them to court. but given my high mileage and history of never having dealer service, ( do all my own oil changes, duh) I don't exactly have the posterchild case. 
somebody else with a stock car, just out of warranty, and history of dealer service will have to take that route. 
I'm not happy, but it could be a lot worse. I hope all this attention gets you all to check yours...I'll be checking mine every few months for the next 10 years I guess.







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


----------



## rracerguy717 (Apr 8, 2003)

*Re: FV-QR (iGen3)*


_Quote, originally posted by *iGen3* »_ 
I guess your extended warranty has saved you. OH, and you have an Audi.









 
They are ALOT easier on AUDI warranty repair compared to warranty work with VW . Its really sad this has to happen to any one with a late model car espec VAG which is knowed for there high quality/ engineered engines and drivetrain. 
I think this is the tip of the iceberg with these cam/ follower IMO save your receipts and document everything just in case of a lawsuit or recall in the future . 
Hope it all works out







Bob.G



_Modified by rracerguy717 at 7:08 PM 12-22-2008_


----------



## csullivan (Jun 1, 2008)

*Re: FV-QR (rracerguy717)*


_Quote, originally posted by *rracerguy717* »_ espec VAG which is knowed for there high quality/ engineered engines and drivetrain.


----------



## GolfRS (Feb 4, 2006)

*Re: FV-QR (rracerguy717)*


_Quote, originally posted by *rracerguy717* »_ 
.....IMO save your receipts and document everything just in case of a lawsuit or recall in the future . 


Yeah...you mean like the ones from my K04 , my turbo back and my intake...right ??









These should really come in handy...


----------



## dsire (Jan 21, 2001)

*Re: FV-QR (iGen3)*



iGen3 said:


> They are offering me a little over half the cost to repair it towards the repair--with 12 mo. 12,000 mile warranty, and I think I will have to take them up on it.
> Some comments on the VW offer..................
> 1) with the markups they have on parts this is not really costing them anything except profit
> 2) ask them to put in a new HPFP, not a rebuild with an X suffix
> ...


----------



## Jeffh97 (Jun 29, 2006)

*Re: FV-QR (GolfRS)*


_Quote, originally posted by *GolfRS* »_
Yeah that seems like an easy enough idea...
But, i'm guessing as with all good things in life, production costs probably don't justify the
profit, so no company is gonna waste time with it...
And what exactly makes a cam "not designed" for a roller ?Its much less stressful to a cam to have something rolling on it rather than SCRAPPING IT ....









The problem is that the original cam was designed for a flat follower. Changing out the follower to a roller would completely change the lift curve, which would completely throw the fuel timing out of wack. It is possible to change it to a roller follower, but not without changing out the cam.


----------



## GolfRS (Feb 4, 2006)

*Re: FV-QR (Jeffh97)*


_Quote, originally posted by *Jeffh97* »_
The problem is that the original cam was designed for a flat follower. Changing out the follower to a roller would completely change the lift curve, which would completely throw the fuel timing out of wack. It is possible to change it to a roller follower, but not without changing out the cam.

Yes maybe the cam was designed for a flat follower, and as someone in the other thread said, maybe it's "angled", but no one said the roller had to be straight








You could use an "angled" follower that would lie flat on the angled camshaft surface.Then it would actually follow the lobe's course no ?
Of course then there would be the slight problem of side loading forces, but with careful balancing, maybe it could be done ??

__
Image uploading. Refresh page to view


----------



## iGen3 (Mar 21, 2002)

*Re: FV-QR (GolfRS)*

Oh, just thought I'd let you know, we finally took a peek, and the cam that caused all the carnage at the beginning of this thread is a "B" 
so I guess on Monday I'll get another B. 
and remember, I'm ALL stock. 
Be afraid. 
And check your follower for goodness sakes!


----------



## MFZERO (Mar 13, 2002)

*Re: FV-QR (iGen3)*

oh goody


----------



## g60_corrado_91 (Oct 25, 2004)

*Re: FV-QR (MFZERO)*

I wonder which cams fail worse? I've seen some pretty nasty cam pictures in previous threads of I believe the A cam, but obviously the "revised" B cam can get pretty ugly as well.
I just had my A cam's follower, HPFP, and low fuel pressure sensor replaced under warranty at 38k. Stg 2 since 20k.


----------



## madfella (Oct 6, 2005)

*Re: FV-QR (iGen3)*

I just changed my follower, going into it thinking that it was going to be bad. A little info about my car: 2007 GTI (FSI), 48,843 mi, Pentosin 0w40 at every 4500 mi interval, RevoS2 (B6,T3,F9 for 91 oct; B8,T7,F9 for W/M inj), Autotech HPFP, Snow Performance W/M S2 Kit, P-Flow, Autotech 3" catback with ATP 3" catless DP, BSH DV Kit, DH's PCV fix...yada, yada, yada. I received my car in Tucson with 17 miles on it...immediately drove to BSH in Scottsdale to get my parts transferred from my 06 Jetta 2.0T (More later on this one) to my GTI and have had each and every one of what I listed until now...so for approx. 48,700 miles I've had these mods. I've had little issues here and there, but nothing big. So anyhow, this morning I get the fuel pump off expecting a disaster and to be honest it wasn't bad at all. Take a look.



































_Modified by madfella at 7:54 AM 12-31-2008_


----------



## GolfRS (Feb 4, 2006)

*FV-QR*

Seriously...
You really think THIS isn't bad ??
The follower is worn right down to the metal..
What did you expect to see that would make it worse ?I huge hole in 
the middle of it ??
That follower has been toast for the last (who knows how many) miles, and without the coating, it has most certainly taken something out of your camshaft surface.
Next time i wouldn't let it reach that state cause it may be too late....


----------



## crew219 (Oct 18, 2000)

*Re: FV-QR (madfella)*


_Quote, originally posted by *madfella* »_I just changed my follower, going into it thinking that it was going to be bad. A little info about my car: 2007 GTI (FSI), 48,843 mi, Pentosin 0w40 at every 4500 mi interval, RevoS2 (B6,T3,F9 for 91 oct; B8,T7,F9 for W/M inj), Autotech HPFP, Snow Performance W/M S2 Kit, P-Flow, Autotech 3" catback with ATP 3" catless DP, BSH DV Kit, DH's PCV fix...yada, yada, yada. I received my car in Tucson with 17 miles on it...immediately drove to BSH in Scottsdale to get my parts transferred from my 06 Jetta 2.0T (More later on this one) to my GTI and have had each and every one of what I listed until now...so for approx. 48,700 miles I've had these mods. I've had little issues here and there, but nothing big. So anyhow, this morning I get the fuel pump off expecting a disaster and to be honest it wasn't bad at all. Take a look.

































_Modified by madfella at 7:54 AM 12-31-2008_

You can clearly see that it wore to the point where it was dished in the center . . . . not good at all.
Dave


----------



## madfella (Oct 6, 2005)

*Re: FV-QR (GolfRS)*


_Quote, originally posted by *GolfRS* »_Seriously...
You really think THIS isn't bad ??
The follower is worn right down to the metal...What did you expect to see that would make it worse ?I huge hole in 
the middle of it ?? That follower has been toast for the last (who knows how many) miles, and without the coating, it has most certainly taken something out of your camshaft surface. Next time i wouldn't let it reach that state cause it may be too late....

Geez, chill out...did you have too much coffee this morning? Yes, in fact I was expecting to see a hole in it...that's why I said I was pleasantly surprised when I didn't find one. Upon visual inspection, the camshaft lobe appears to be unscuffed with no marks or scratches on it. I had no idea this was a problem because I very rarely get on the 'Tex but when I read Jeff's thread a couple of weeks ago, I ordered a follower. I will be inspecting it every 4.5k from now on.


----------



## GolfRS (Feb 4, 2006)

*Re: FV-QR (madfella)*


_Quote, originally posted by *madfella* »_
Geez, chill out...did you have too much coffee this morning? Yes, in fact I was expecting to see a hole in it...that's why I said I was pleasantly surprised when I didn't find one. Upon visual inspection, the camshaft lobe appears to be unscuffed with no marks or scratches on it. I had no idea this was a problem because I very rarely get on the 'Tex but when I read Jeff's thread a couple of weeks ago, I ordered a follower. I will be inspecting it every 4.5k from now on. 

Well this is by far the worse damage i have ever seen on the Vortex sort of actually having the 
car at the dealers fro the camshaft replacement and/or looking for the missing follower inside the engine.
Post some pics of your camshaft for us to have a look at......


----------



## madfella (Oct 6, 2005)

*Re: FV-QR (GolfRS)*

Maybe at the next service interval...I've already got it back together and will be making a 900 mile trip in about an hour.


----------



## sinned (Jan 28, 2006)

*Re: FV-QR (madfella)*


_Quote, originally posted by *madfella* »_I just changed my follower, going into it thinking that it was going to be bad. A little info about my car: 2007 GTI (FSI), 48,843 mi, Pentosin 0w40 at every 4500 mi interval, RevoS2 (B6,T3,F9 for 91 oct; B8,T7,F9 for W/M inj), Autotech HPFP, Snow Performance W/M S2 Kit, P-Flow, Autotech 3" catback with ATP 3" catless DP, BSH DV Kit, DH's PCV fix...yada, yada, yada. I received my car in Tucson with 17 miles on it...immediately drove to BSH in Scottsdale to get my parts transferred from my 06 Jetta 2.0T (More later on this one) to my GTI and have had each and every one of what I listed until now...so for approx. 48,700 miles I've had these mods. I've had little issues here and there, but nothing big. So anyhow, this morning I get the fuel pump off expecting a disaster and to be honest it wasn't bad at all. Take a look.

































_Modified by madfella at 7:54 AM 12-31-2008_

Also, every darn Autotech HPFP follower pictures I have seen, they have a distinct worn pattern where it meets the fuel pump tip. NOT Goood...


----------



## Rogerthat (Oct 23, 2005)

Well I finally got my Cam Follower in the mail and installed it.
2006 A3:
-66,000 miles exactly








-Dealer Oil service within warranty, which I always topped off with Mobile 1 0w 40 when I would check every 1k because of the quart of oil disappearing act. I have continued to use Mobile 1 since the warranty has expired for 5k intervals. 

-No Engine Modifications
-Don,t drive the car hard and occasionally have spirited runs where I do not hit red line.
Pics...................let me know how bad it looks! The Cam looked bad to me but the top of the Cam Follower did not look as bad as I expected. 
I didn't get a chance to take pics of the tip of the HPFP as my father who was helping me out started to put everything back together as i was taking pictures of the Cam Follower. 










































































_Modified by Rogerthat at 7:16 AM 1-12-2009_


----------



## madfella (Oct 6, 2005)

*Re: (Rogerthat)*

I'm not a tech or anything but I **think** it looks fine...I can't really tell how deep that indention on the inner side of the follower is though. Looks way better off than mine. I have to be careful with my words because the IMTs on here will freak out, but, I've swapped three out now including mine, and all of them were worse off than yours. Cheers...


----------



## agpatel21 (Jun 21, 2006)

The follower looks pretty much new, other then the inner side were it has worn away a nice circle. But for 60k it looks good, like how it is suppose to look, or should look for everyone. The cam itself does seem to have alot of surface scratches, dont know how deep they are but does not seem to be too bad.
Do you know what rev cam you have?


----------



## Rogerthat (Oct 23, 2005)

*Re: (agpatel21)*

I didn't check on that but my guess would be Rev A because of the color. I'm color blind so I could be wrong.








I had such a great time removing the banjo bolt with the a_s long 8mm 12 point bit that I wasted a lot of time and I needed to be off somewhere.


----------



## dmorrow (Jun 9, 2000)

*Re: (Rogerthat)*

I checked mine this weekend and it looked almost like new. I have 71k miles on my car. 
Getting the banjo bolt off was the real chore. I guess I would be better at it if I did it again.


----------



## jmj (Feb 6, 2001)

*Re: (dmorrow)*

80,139 miles. Dealer serviced up to 50k miles. I've done oil changes every 5k since then with 5W-40, either Mobil 1 or Syntec. 
Whoever designed that banjo bolt deserves a kick in the nuts.
I think I'm going to send a letter, with documentation, to VW and see what happens.


----------



## iGen3 (Mar 21, 2002)

*Re: (jmj)*

Hey! looks and sounds just like mine! 
$900 later I got new pump, cam and follower from dealer. fun, eh? http://****************.com/smile/emthdown.gif


----------



## jmj (Feb 6, 2001)

*Re: (iGen3)*

I'm reviewing my service records.


----------



## jmj (Feb 6, 2001)

*Re: (jmj)*

So, I've spoken to VWoA customer care, been denied and given a voucher good for $1K toward the purchase fo a new VW, written a letter with full documentation, been denied again. The last time I asked for written denial, was told it would be sent, but haven't seen it, even though it's been one week since the second denial.
I've sourced a new cam shaft (thanks GolfRS) and used fuel pump (thanks brandonfast), and will have these installed, but I haven't given up on receiving some sort of satisfaction from VW (besides an offer to purchase a different car). I just filled out a defective condition complaint with NHSTA. It doesn't appear anyone else has done this, at least not in the 2006 MY, so I would urge anyone else who is inclined to do so. They have a website, and I filed my complaint online.
I'm considering initiating litigation of some sort against VW, but haven't settled on a game plan just yet.
That's it for now.
Edit: Just got the letter in today's mail. If nothing else (and so far there *is* nothing else), VW has responded promptly to my complaints.


_Modified by jmj at 3:39 PM 4-21-2009_


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## SDNavyCPOVR6 (Sep 11, 2004)

*Re: (rbradleymedmd)*


_Quote, originally posted by *rbradleymedmd* »_IMO, cam follower check intervals...
Stock...50k miles
Stage I...40k miles
Stage II...20-30k miles
Stage II+ (or higher)...5k miles (better safe than sorry)
OP, sorry to hear about the situation. Best of luck with the warranty. I don't think anyone should have to go through this mess (hint, hint VWOA), especially around the holidays. Please let us know how everything turns out.

Crap!!!







I'm at 60K running with APR stage II...guess I know what I'll be doing tomorrow. I'm lucky though because I'm not driving my car due to my wife tearing up the bumper and waiting on a replacement (thanks Dave by the way).
Matt

_Modified by rbradleymedmd at 9:33 AM 12-17-2008_


----------



## phildo69 (Mar 17, 2008)

*Re: (SDNavyCPOVR6)*

This is weak. I sold my A3 a year ago and bought a 135 after a 30+ day service visit for DSG.
with less than 5k on the 135 6MT, i had a hpfp failure (like everyone else i know who had the gen 2 pump).
The major difference...rumor has it that BMW has stepped up and offered to warrant hpfp for 120k miles. Its laughable that VW hasnt extended the warranty for all and its embarrasing that they arent taking care of the unlucky few who have ended up with failures.
It would take a pretty amazing car for me to ever look at Audi or VW again.


----------



## Travis Grundke (May 26, 1999)

*Re: (jmj)*

jmj - great to hear what you've done. I was not aware of the NHTSA complaint process, but I too would recommend that anyone who has had an issue with their 2006 or 2007 file a complaint, regardless whether it was resolved by VoA/AoA.
Appears to be about the only way to prod these guys into action.

_Quote, originally posted by *jmj* »_So, I've spoken to VWoA customer care, been denied and given a voucher good for $1K toward the purchase fo a new VW, written a letter with full documentation, been denied again. The last time I asked for written denial, was told it would be sent, but haven't seen it, even though it's been one week since the second denial.
I've sourced a new cam shaft (thanks GolfRS) and used fuel pump (thanks brandonfast), and will have these installed, but I haven't given up on receiving some sort of satisfaction from VW (besides an offer to purchase a different car). I just filled out a defective condition complaint with NHSTA. It doesn't appear anyone else has done this, at least not in the 2006 MY, so I would urge anyone else who is inclined to do so. They have a website, and I filed my complaint online.
I'm considering initiating litigation of some sort against VW, but haven't settled on a game plan just yet.
That's it for now.
Edit: Just got the letter in today's mail. If nothing else (and so far there *is* nothing else), VW has responded promptly to my complaints.

_Modified by jmj at 3:39 PM 4-21-2009_


----------



## jmj (Feb 6, 2001)

*Re: (Travis Grundke)*

It seems to me that VW will not move on this issue until/unless enough people make a stink. The site to register a complaint is here: http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/ivoq/index.cfm
You can also search other complaints, and there are not many for the 06-07 MY GTI, and at least one of them is pretty weak (complaint about the size of the rear cupholder), so I would not urge anyone to register a complaint unless they've actually had a cam/pump failure. As mentioned above, even if VW has fixed or offered to fix yours, I don't think the NHTSA can do much if they don't see a "trend" in regards to the failures.


----------



## olegg (Jul 22, 2006)

*Re: (jmj)*

07 GLI
16K miles, engine completely stock. Castrol syntec 5w40 every 5000 miles
I got A camshaft








follower
































camshaft doesn`t have any signs of wear











_Modified by olegg at 10:05 PM 4-22-2009_


----------



## saaber2 (Jul 15, 2008)

*Re: (olegg)*

Wow, black coating almost completely gone in only 16k miles? That is horrible! Change that sucka out!
. 
Is it just me or do most of the really bad ones posted here use syntec 5W40? I haven't researched it, it is just an impression. Does anyone want to go back and research it to see if syntec 5W40 consisitently has follower issues?
This makes me want to check mine even though I am only at 13k. I can't believe it looks that bad after so few miles.


----------



## jmj (Feb 6, 2001)

*Re: (saaber2)*

I have used mostly Castrol 5W-40, although I know on at least one change I used Mobil1. Generally I look for M1, but buy Castrol if they don't have it.

Edit: A random thought: the cam shaft TSB indicates that the solution to the problem of premature cam follower/fuel pump plunger tip wear is to install a cam shaft with additional hardening on the lobe. Wouldn't this simply tend to wear the cam follower more quickly? And, if that is the case, shouldn't VW advise owners of TSFI engines that they need to inspect their cam followers every x-thousand miles for wear? One of my arguments to VW is that the maintenance booklet makes no mention of checking the cam follower or fuel pump for the first 100,000 miles, so the fact that mine are worn at 80K with proper engine maintenance is evidence of defective parts, especially since my MIL never went off.



_Modified by jmj at 8:21 AM 4-23-2009_


----------



## saaber2 (Jul 15, 2008)

*Re: (jmj)*

It could be defective parts. But I think it is more likely just a poor design. So many failures with both A and B cams. Solution is regular inspection and using oil with very high antiwear properties IMO. Syntec 5W40 just doesn't cut it is my impression but I need to research more.


----------



## dubiousdub (Mar 10, 2006)

*Re: (saaber2)*

What issue is that cam follower going to cause when it goes through like that? Is this something you have to show to VW to fix under warranty? I just want to know if it's something that's going to break something else.


----------



## saaber2 (Jul 15, 2008)

*Re: (dubiousdub)*

If it has not worn through, roughness will abrade cam and won't damage other parts. Of course the fuel pump and cam could both be worn significantly even though the follower has not broken through.
If it wears through and breaks, you have big chunks of metal floating around in your engine and can cause major damage to other parts. That damage would be in addition to the likely expected damage to the cam and fuel pump. So at a minimum it would be replace cam follower, fuel pump, and cam. At a maximum, who knows? Another good reason to use a magnetic drain plug (to help catch and hold any floating metal bits).


----------



## saaber2 (Jul 15, 2008)

*Re: (saaber2)*

So cuiosity got the best of me and took my cam follower out this morning. I think it looks most excellent. The super macro shot enhances the wear and makes it look more worn than it appears to the naked eye (notice tiny lint particles that were not visible to naked eye). From the wear lines, it looks like the follower is rotating nicely. Cam and end of fuel pump look as new. Used factory fill through 5k, then redline 5w40 and changed at 9k. at 13k on car now. Although this follower has 3k less miles than the bad one posted above, the wear makes my suspicions of syntec 5w40 grow. But I need to research it more. 
I wish I had checked this at 5k to see how much wear was from that first factory fill. On the other hand, the car is now out of break in (based on the 39 UOA database anyway which shows wear metals dropping significantly after about 10k or so) so now is an ideal time to watch wear from here on out.


----------



## Aguilar (Jan 28, 2006)

*FV-QR*

I used Mobil 1 0W-40 in my 2006 GTI which I traded in with 63,xxx miles. Never checked the cam follower.
Now I'm using Castrol 5W-40 since new in my 2008 GTI (stage 2 since new), and the cam follower looked good at 18,xxx miles.
The oil in each case has been changed every 5000 miles, refilling as necessary (more often on the 06) not to let the stick register less than halfway on the min-max marks. 
I think the oil choice doesn't matter as long as you change it frequently (not at 10k).


----------



## jmj (Feb 6, 2001)

*Re: FV-QR (Aguilar)*

My complaint to NHTSA: 
Edit: Looks like you have to go through the "search" function to get to the complaints, but mine was the most recent one there as of this AM.


_Modified by jmj at 4:10 AM 4-24-2009_


----------



## saaber2 (Jul 15, 2008)

*Re: FV-QR (Aguilar)*


_Quote, originally posted by *Aguilar* »_I used Mobil 1 0W-40 in my 2006 GTI which I traded in with 63,xxx miles. Never checked the cam follower.
Now I'm using Castrol 5W-40 since new in my 2008 GTI (stage 2 since new), and the cam follower looked good at 18,xxx miles.
The oil in each case has been changed every 5000 miles, refilling as necessary (more often on the 06) not to let the stick register less than halfway on the min-max marks. 
I think the oil choice doesn't matter as long as you change it frequently (not at 10k).









Interesting, changing regularly at 5k didn't work for these two guys:
"Yeah, same here. Oil changed every 5k at the dealer since the car was new. Oil has been OEM spec, I believe it's 5w40 Kendall. I'm going to go have a conversation with the dealer this week (VW/Audi of Chattanooga)."
"Same thing happened to me, oil change every 5k since new, Castrol Syntec 5w40 VW 502.00."
http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=4337403


----------



## just-jean (Sep 14, 2006)

*Re: FV-QR (saaber2)*

due some family cam issues







, mine was changed at 27,600 this past weekend
here she is......not too bad considering. unlike other family members, my 3 years will be up before my mileage limit














.
2007 2.0T EOS
oil change at 5k, 9+k, 19+k, and 27,600
using whatever i can get a hold of. mobil-one 0W40, ELF, castrol syntec 5W-30


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## iGen3 (Mar 21, 2002)

*Re: FV-QR (just-jean)*


_Quote, originally posted by *just-jean* »_due some family cam issues







, mine was changed at 27,600 this past weekend
here she is......not too bad considering. unlike other family members, my 3 years will be up before my mileage limit














.
2007 2.0T EOS
oil change at 5k, 9+k, 19+k, and 27,600
using whatever i can get a hold of. mobil-one 0W40, ELF, castrol syntec 5W-30 










not bad sis. you got a spare coilpack for the glovebox too?


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## just-jean (Sep 14, 2006)

*Re: FV-QR (iGen3)*


_Quote, originally posted by *iGen3* »_
not bad sis. you got a spare coilpack for the glovebox too? 








spare lipstick goes in the glovebox
coilpack is in the trunk


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## piston (Oct 17, 2008)

May be we should start sending VW corperate HQ our used CF.
Perhaps we can schedule to do this once every quarter so they get a bunch of them at a time.
Might not do anything but it would annoy them when they keep getting these boxes with a used CF for weeks every quarter.
It would get someones attention eventually.


_Modified by piston at 7:43 PM 9-1-2009_


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## Krieger (May 5, 2009)

sounds like a good idea actually...
we can also provide oil tests and pictures of our cams and stuff when we do so. this way they can see how everyone is having massive amounts of wear, sheering, and fuel dilution.


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## oldcorradopower (Dec 17, 2002)

*Re: (Krieger)*

ok I checked my cam follower...
114 000 km still shiny, smooth wear inside and out and cam is perfect !
Running motul 8100 5w40 all the time 10000km drain interval, 90% highway, stage 1 giac chip installed, stock air intake.
Just to let you know that there's no problem at all on some cars.
looks like olegg pictures but cam follower wear is smoother on the top and very shinny.
http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif 

_Modified by oldcorradopower at 2:54 PM 9-2-2009_


_Modified by oldcorradopower at 4:39 AM 9-4-2009_


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## jmj (Feb 6, 2001)

*Re: (oldcorradopower)*


_Quote, originally posted by *oldcorradopower* »_114 000 km still shinny,


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## Krieger (May 5, 2009)

LOL


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## El Brando (Jun 4, 2008)

Im so scared to look at my follower. I've been putting it off for months now, but I've decided to do it this week, regardless. I'm at 56,000 miles in my 06 gti. I just picked up a secondary vehicle though, so if I'm gonna be without my gti for awhile, I won't have to rent a car. How long is the drivetrain warranty on our cars?


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## Krieger (May 5, 2009)

50k miles or 5 years i think. idk... ive never had them cover anything under warranty anyway.


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## GTIROX (Jun 3, 2009)

*Re: I thought I should check my cam follower at 85k miles..... (iGen3)*

Yeah, pulled mine out yesterday at 75K, looks just like original poster's pics - follower punched through. Cam and FP not quite so bad. I'm not going to go ape**** and replace the entire engine compartment... I'll just keep an eye on it every 10K or so.


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## iGen3 (Mar 21, 2002)

*Re: I thought I should check my cam follower at 85k miles..... (GTIROX)*

well, 32K miles later, finally got around to checking the new follower (on at 85k miles, at 117k miles now) 
cam lobe looks good, plunger tip looks good, follower seems to be holding up ok..wearing differently than the last one...almost looks like hot dipped galvanized--like it was scratched with big deep scratches, then beat smooth again. weird. you can def. feel the deep scratches. I"m gonna replace it. (didn't have one handy, but wanted to check it while I was fitting my ProVent finally... LOL! )


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## Krieger (May 5, 2009)

*FV-QR*

damn man, that follower looks like its been riding on rocks and sand paper.


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## iGen3 (Mar 21, 2002)

*Re: FV-QR (Krieger)*


_Quote, originally posted by *Krieger* »_damn man, that follower looks like its been riding on rocks and sand paper.

perhaps there are bits of the old cratered one still in there from when the original blew at 85K miles. You will recall dealer replaced all (my dime for parts) but not sure how well they flushed everything out, what the oil flow is through that end chamber, what the filter catches, etc. I should probably get a magnetic drain plug...


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## Krieger (May 5, 2009)

*FV-QR*

well, if you have been changing your oil as often as 5k or so miles it should have flushed it all out in no time.
a magnetic drain plug wont really catch a ton of stuff at all. I used to use a super strong magnet stuck to my metal filter housing back when i boosted my EP3 with a K24 bottom end and k20A2 head. It used to catch ALOT more than my metallic drain plug did on this car when i ran one.
when I pulled the filter, there would be a ring of black metallic particles an inch wide or so around the spot where the magnet was. This was after 8-10k miles though.
im still thinking that the cam shaft itself probably beat up on that follower more than anything. Cold, dry starts are hell on these followers.


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## rdjr74 (Jun 26, 2007)

*Re: FV-QR (Krieger)*

The VW dealer has a C version of the cam follower for $55. Plan on taking a look this weekend to see if I have any damage. I have a early built 06 GLI with 63K. Man I hope I get lucky but reading all of this doesn't really make you fell very optimistic. While talking with the parts guy he immediately said, "usually the cam shaft and fuel pump need to be replaced." You gotta love it when these things are a well known issues and VW turns a blind eye to it, just like the a/c compressor issues that I already had to get fixed, out of warranty of course. Is there anything else I need to be aware of??? http://****************.com/smile/emthdown.gif


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## yimstab7 (Dec 3, 2009)

*Re: I thought I should check my cam follower at 85k miles..... (iGen3)*

dam im at 68,000 was your cam okay?


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## iGen3 (Mar 21, 2002)

*Re: I thought I should check my cam follower at 85k miles..... (yimstab7)*


_Quote, originally posted by *yimstab7* »_dam im at 68,000 was your cam okay?

read the thread. 
just updating now with 30K on the new follower. (117k miles on car) 
no, my cam and HPFP were toast and were replaced at 85k.


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## x9t (Sep 19, 2005)

Checked mine last month. It looks good. I have 07 2.0T Passat 6MT. 
JT


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## rdjr74 (Jun 26, 2007)

*Re: I thought I should check my cam follower at 85k miles..... (yimstab7)*

Not sure if you were asking me. I am planning on doing this Sunday. I will definitely let you know what I find out. Keeping my fingers crossed. I did ask the VW service guy last night when I got the cam follower how many he has seen of this problem. His answer was only one and it was a couple weeks ago. I'm starting to think though that maybe this issue is with modified cars asking more from the engine then what it provides from stock. Wishful thinking more or less.


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## MK4 Getta (Jun 2, 2006)

*Re: I thought I should check my cam follower at 85k miles..... (rdjr74)*


_Quote, originally posted by *rdjr74* »_Not sure if you were asking me. I am planning on doing this Sunday. I will definitely let you know what I find out. Keeping my fingers crossed. I did ask the VW service guy last night when I got the cam follower how many he has seen of this problem. His answer was only one and it was a couple weeks ago. I'm starting to think though that maybe this issue is with modified cars asking more from the engine then what it provides from stock. Wishful thinking more or less.

i got the same answer from my dealer "just one and a couple weeks ago"


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## iGen3 (Mar 21, 2002)

*Re: I thought I should check my cam follower at 85k miles..... (MK4 Getta)*


_Quote, originally posted by *MK4 Getta* »_
i got the same answer from my dealer "just one and a couple weeks ago"

has nothing to do with mods. I am bone stock and drive only highway miles. 
just check and replace if nec. no big deal, unless yours already cratered.... ; )


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## MK4 Getta (Jun 2, 2006)

*Re: I thought I should check my cam follower at 85k miles..... (iGen3)*

i am checking it this weekend and if i need a hpfp and camshaft i am trading in for a tdi


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## rdjr74 (Jun 26, 2007)

Here is what I found over the weekend. I have 63K on the car. Take a look at the pics:
Cam Follower pic 1:








Cam Follower pic 2:








Cam Follower pic 3:








Fuel pump pic 1:








Fuel pump pic 2:








Cam Shaft:








I was expecting to find more damage then what is in the pictures. Sure there is some wear but it's to be expected since it is metal on metal. I went ahead and put the new one in but I'm sure I could have continued to use the old one.


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## MK4 Getta (Jun 2, 2006)

*Re: (rdjr74)*


_Quote, originally posted by *rdjr74* »_Here is what I found over the weekend. I have 63K on the car. Take a look at the pics:
Cam Follower pic 1:








Cam Follower pic 2:








Cam Follower pic 3:








Fuel pump pic 1:








Fuel pump pic 2:








Cam Shaft:








I was expecting to find more damage then what is in the pictures. Sure there is some wear but it's to be expected since it is metal on metal. I went ahead and put the new one in but I'm sure I could have continued to use the old one.

according to the TSB that went out, your follower is within specification and does not need to be replaced yet. I will post some pics of mine shortly...


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## tbvvw (Jun 19, 2002)

I'm bringing my A3 in for the 55K service in 2 weeks. I asked the SA about this problem on the phone this morning and he says they haven't had any repairs due to this problem that he knows about - yet. And he's been very honest w/ me since I bought the car there 4.5 yrs ago.
Do I have them check it while it's there for the 55K service? (I probably know the answer already) and more importantly, what is the going dealer charge to replace the follower, if they find it out of spec? TIA


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## MK4 Getta (Jun 2, 2006)

*Re: (tbvvw)*

its covered under warranty if your car is still in warranty.


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## MK4 Getta (Jun 2, 2006)

*Re: (MK4 Getta)*


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## tbvvw (Jun 19, 2002)

*Re: (MK4 Getta)*


_Quote, originally posted by *MK4 Getta* »_its covered under warranty if your car is still in warranty.

My 4 yr/50K warranty expired 3 months ago. I don't have anything wrong "yet". Just getting as much education as I can!


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## MK4 Getta (Jun 2, 2006)

*Re: (tbvvw)*

if it is just the cam follower it isnt much. if i was you i would check it out yourself, it will be cheaper. the cam follower is 50-60 dollars, but if you need the flapper motor, camshaft, hpfp and cam follower, with labor it is in the range of $2,500


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## Tanner74 (Jul 28, 2003)

*FV-QR*

Never posted mine so I'll join. Cam follower at 93,500 km (or 58,000 miles), 2006 (or 2005.5 in the US) model. Just followed the regular maintenance schedule.


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## Krieger (May 5, 2009)

*FV-QR*


_Quote, originally posted by *Tanner74* »_Never posted mine so I'll join. Cam follower at 93,500 km (or 58,000 miles), 2006 (or 2005.5 in the US) model. Just followed the regular maintenance schedule.


of 10k mile OCI?


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