# W8 cam adjuster valve



## G-Boi (Aug 29, 2002)

I read through a whole bunch of old threads/posts in the last little while. I decided to use my vag com to do the output test on the cam actuator. When it was testing bank 1, I could hear only 1 side (passenger side) 'clicking'. There are 2 things that came to my mind, 1st, I thought bank 1 is the driver side. And 2nd, since the driver side did not click during the test, I think there might possibly be something wrong with the cam adjuster valve (those 2 pig tails).
The code that it threw was P0011
I've checked fuses 1,2,4,7, all are okay, and the car idles fine after the output test. The rpm only starts to get a little 'lumpy' after I start driving it for a bit.
Does the 'electro-shock' therapy work, has anyone actually tried it? as posted here, http://www.w8forum.dk/forum_po...r-fix
I got this W8 4 motion variant for really cheap, I know what I may be facing in terms of $$$, but would doing the 'shock' treatment or even replacing those 2 valves be possible to do?
Much help is appreciated



_Modified by G-Boi at 10:28 PM 6-23-2009_


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## alaskadub (Feb 8, 2008)

*Re: W8 cam adjuster valve (G-Boi)*

I hate to be the guy pointing out the giant pink elephant that's in the room, but the reason you got the car cheap is because so many people are having major overhaul issues with the cam adjusters and the torque converters. Lets say you bought a W8 for 6500 dollars and suddenly it needs 9,000 dollars worth of work. Still sound like a great bargain?? It sucks all the way around. Either way, you have nothing to lose if you try the quick fixes and are tripping the p011 or po22 codes. Run the electroshock trial, do a seafoam treatment or whatever type of engine flush you want. If you can't get the problem to be solved than consider doing what the last owner did and dump the car. They would be awesome cars if they didn't need torque converters every 20 thousand miles and cam adjusters every fifty or so. I kind of miss mine, but am happy to not have the maintenance monkey on my back. Now I just watch from the sidelines stess free!


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## G-Boi (Aug 29, 2002)

*Re: W8 cam adjuster valve (alaskadub)*

yea i hear what youre saying, so either way, I'm not losing anything. Even if I part/junk the car, I know I will get more that what I got it for. Just wanted to see if theres anything I can do to fix this issue. The code comes and goes, it went away last night, and nothing today. I will scan it later on again. I put in some synthetic lucuas in there, and it seemed to have helped, but it could very well be the placebo effect.


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## alaskadub (Feb 8, 2008)

*Re: W8 cam adjuster valve (G-Boi)*

I would try the seafoam, then an engine flush shortly after, then 'electroshock therapy.' Unless I was certain I could prove the dealer knew about it early I would keep it off their radar and keep seeing your local guy. The symptoms you describe are nearly identical to the ones my car had. I traded to the dealer (after several unsuccesful engine flush attempts and Seafoam treatments), it then got auctioned a couple of times and now after more than 10,000 dollars of work (presumably) someone else has it now and is having other random problems. Bottom line is that it is not an inexpensive car to keep...especially when the major flaws rear their ugly heads (it did have some of the best handling and snow characteristics of any car I ever had though). Again, Best of luck!


_Modified by alaskadub at 7:16 PM 6-24-2009_


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## G-Boi (Aug 29, 2002)

*Re: W8 cam adjuster valve (alaskadub)*

Yea thanks, ive been using my vag com to keep the actuator 'clicking' to free up the sludge build up (if there are any). I'm also considering swapping the W8 for a 1.8T instead. It can obviously be done because there are other 1.8T 4 motions out there. Anyway, I've got some questions about this swap... made a post here about it. http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=4450231
any help would be great!


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## alaskadub (Feb 8, 2008)

*Re: W8 cam adjuster valve (G-Boi)*

Ummm....you might want to pick a different engine. The 1.8Ts had a class action on sludge problems that were destroying the engines. Google 1.8t and sludge...see what you get. Here is an excerpt of one guys plights. Try the v6 maybe.

>>>>
thought it was a faulty sensor. So did BP when I told them the “Stop Engine” light again came on as I started down the hill to the BP station. They checked the dip-stick. The oil pump was working. Oil all the way up the stick. I was about to leave and call my VW dealership when the car began to spasm. The mechanic said, that’s a bad cam lifter on the turbo. I parked it. Called VW from the service station. No problem, roadside assistance will tow it, and pay for it. The VW dealership is about 10 miles away.
Upon calling the VW Dealership, they said, “you’ll need proof of oil changes.” This was to be the death rattle. While on the phone with VW, I looked at my mechanic, knowing my wife, who drives the car, would never keep them, if they could get them. Shouldn’t be a problem.
Background: Once home, I begin to check this on the Internet. No less than Time Magazine, Newsweek, and AutoWeek have featured stories on the VW 1.8 L turbo engine and the sludge problem that ensues because the turbo gets too hot, prematurely breaks down the oil and the oil filter sump capacity is too small to handle the sludge. It’s sent back to the engine, and the turbo lifters get coked, starve the engine of oil, stop engine light comes on. VW has lost multi-millions fixing this problem. According to Time, there operating profit in the U.S. went from $944 million to $68 million. http://www.time.com/time/globa...,9171,... 
Oil receipts: My BP station doesn’t keep records of oil changes, but they thought they could “re-generate” a non-numerical receipt and reasonable facsimile of the oil changes. Why? The Passat has a plate that covers the bottom of the engine. You can’t take it to a Wal-Mart or Jiffy lube with a walk down bay because they can’t get to the bolts holding the base plate. 
The 17th, I take the ‘re-generated’ receipts down to Three Rivers VW. They copied them and return the originals to me. An hour later the dealership called.
The first words I heard were, "Are you willing to testify in court that these are original documents?" Nice tone, huh? I told the service manager, who wasn’t there when I dropped them off, that I told the other service manager they were "re-generated." "Oh, so they're fake, a fraud" I was told. No, they are facsimiles. 
Well, he said, "they aren't numbered." “Yes. Okay,” I told them. “They're re-generated!” My BP doesn’t keep those records. 
The service manager replies, "Our field rep. called the BP dealer, and he won't stand behind them." Well, "let's see," I stated. Your rep called and used the same tone that you're using with me? Is it any wonder why a small business would not immediately think they'd need to get a lawyer and go to court, and therefore bail out? BTW, I later found out "no rep" had called the BP. It was the dealership service manager.
From there, the service manager tried to jump on me about the 5w-30 oil. "Oh, it may not be the right kind." I reminded them of the VW pamphlet they gave me a few days prior, stating it was. Plus, BP oil is synthetically reinforced. You see VW, realizing the problem sent out a memo http://www.autosafety.org/uplo...ludge... to 426,000 owners telling them they extended the sludge warranty from 4 to 8 years, and maintain your present 6mo/5000 mile oil change. 5w-30 is what my VW’s manual states. The new ‘05’s take synthetic only, and they’ve redesigned the engine, and changed to a much larger oil filter.


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## B5Speedo (May 2, 2001)

*Re: W8 cam adjuster valve (G-Boi)*

I wonder it the 3.2L Audi V6 engine would fit?


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