Totally Destroyed Cam Follower

[jtbizzy]

I took my car to Absolute and had Evan to get the follower checked since I'm driving down to Jacksonville for the show and plan on drag racing as well. I've read quite a few threads about these wearing down quickly especially if you're chipped and really quick if you have the stage2+ w/HPFP so I wanted to see what type of wear it actually had. Holy shit Batman, mine was completely worn. Luckily Evan got me a new one and installed it the same day. For all you chipped MKV guys who haven't checked theirs lately or never, it's definately something you might want to take a look at. Here is a pic of mine. The hole is not suppose to be there.

http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f334/jtbizzy/camfollower.jpg

[djwhiplash2001]

What year is yours? What cam revision? I'm an 08 with the B cam, but pics like these still make me want to go check mine. I've been chipped for about 25k miles now (27k total on the car).

[Vampire Cockroach]

holy damn. :eek:

[jtbizzy]

What year is yours? What cam revision? I'm an 08 with the B cam, but pics like these still make me want to go check mine. I've been chipped for about 25k miles now (27k total on the car).

Mine is an early 2006 with 60,300 miles. Not sure which cam I have though. I've been chipped for probably 50,000+/- miles but it's no telling how long the follower has been worn like this.

[djwhiplash2001]

On an early 06, I've seen them look like this after 20k miles. Sucks that you're out of powertrain warranty, but see if VW will do the TSB to update your camshaft. You can pull your vacuum pump to see which revision you have. I'd highly advise looking in to this. How was the wear on the cam and fuel pump?

[87vr6]

Exactly why I don't buy first year-model cars.

[mk5CherryBomb]

i really need to check my shit im one of the first models made in 05 but im only at 30, 000 miles. but i am stage 2 and hpfp , probably a good idea!

[djwhiplash2001]

Yeah, with a HPFP and a super early model, I'd bet yours is cooked.

[jtbizzy]

So CherryBomb and DJ...how do each of you like the HPFP? Was it worth the investment or not?

[djwhiplash2001]

I don't have one yet... it'll be my next power mod after I get my exhaust sorted out (going to swap my catback for stock + cash, use the cash to buy a catless 3" DP, then sell my AWE catted downpipe, use the money to buy the HPFP :p)

[mk5CherryBomb]

if its a bolt on i have it on that car and i didnt see very much power gain but i could tune the stage 2 plus a little more and my air/fuel was slightly safer but i think i lost power from my forge twintercooler and the euro a3 intercooler by making to much volume for my small turbo to fill!

[gir89]

I recently put my kmd rebuild in a new pump and got my car flashed. I was very disappointed other than i dont have a fuel cut anymore i cant tell a power gain. It mad me a sad panda

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/90/Sad_panda.svg/500px-Sad_panda.svg.png

[bgsapc]

Well, at least it wasn't a $1,000 APR HPFP. I noticed minimal gains too except 4th and 6th gear. Its easy to lose track of speed in 6th gear now.

[jtbizzy]

Wow, all the disappointment in the HPFPs is giving me 2nd thoughts about even considering it specially with the price of them.

[bgsapc]

The hpfp is pretty nice but its not like a night and day difference. 6th gear is finally useful I'd imagine if i had a K04 things would be different if thats what you plan then definatly do it. In regards to your other thread, I'd probably do w/m next.

[djwhiplash2001]

Is 6th really that good of an improvement? I'm debating now between a HPFP or a FMIC. I'll likely end up going with the KMD HPFP if eurowise can hook me up with a good deal on it (I'm sure they can) and get reflashed to the Stage 2+ w/ HPFP file. My 6th already pulls like a champ, I wouldn't call it weak by any means. But, as most of our driving time is spent in 6th, if this offers that nice of an improvement, it may still be on the table for me.

[joe@blackforest]

bizzy - Mine failed in a similar fashion - only it ended up necessitating a new follower, cam,fuel pump and external cam housing.. This is definately one of the better safe than sorry items on a 2.0T

bgsapc- I just replaced my cam follower for the 3rd time, and after almost 7k with an hpfp it looked like your stocker with 40k on it..

[djwhiplash2001]

Joe, are you on the rev B cam now? Do you mind saying what brand and revision HPFP?

[evan@absolute]

Wow, all the disappointment in the HPFPs is giving me 2nd thoughts about even considering it specially with the price of them.

Jason I don't think the hpfp is anything you need. Unless you are going with a bigger turbo. Fuel cut comes from the tune requesting more fuel then the pump can make. If you don't have that issue (fuel cut) then you will only have the placebo effect of a new performance part on your car. Now a tune that runs a lot of boost down low(22+ psi) then it might be needed. Also as Joe mentions any pump that does more work is doing it using the same cam and follower set up as a stock pump. This is going to put more wear on the cam and follower. I personally think the aftermarket need to come out with different cam profiles(maybe this is happening and I haven't seen it yet) for the fuel pump lobes to see if they can help with that.
So I guess my feeling is stock turbo=stock pump. After that be prepared to replace stuff as it wears.
I think the funniest thing is that people talk about running 130bar of fuel pressure when there is a mechanical pressure relief safety valve that opens at 120bar.

[djwhiplash2001]

I agree that there's no sense in getting one if you don't get a tune for it, unless you're getting cuts. But, with a tune, I've seen that it does show some gains. It beats 110 bar, at least :p. I don't really get cuts, except when I run gas from VA with 10% ethanol. Where's this relief valve?

I'd say also that there's not much need for a FMIC with a stock turbo, but I could be mistaken. I'd like to get one anyways, just to prep my car for a BT. Hopefully I'll get some $$$$ one day :p

A hardened cam follower would sure be super.

[evan@absolute]

The pressure limiting valve is mechanical
and only opens at fuel pressures above
1,740 psi (120 bar). The valve releases fuel
from the fuel rail via the return line to the
fuel supply line.
right thur

[joe@blackforest]

DJ - I was on the newer cam in the first place - and on the newest revision now - I don't think the cam has much to do with the problems that are occuring - everything that we've seen starts with the pump side of the follower..

Evan - its not bad advice to stick with a stock pump for stock turbo.. pretty much every tuner has gotten around the fuel cuts so that you don't actually "feel" the cuts the way you did on the earlier versions of the software, you just make less power than you potentially could in certain situations - so as others have said, it doesn't have a big wow factor when you upgrade from stage 2.

[djwhiplash2001]

Usually when total cam failure occurred, it was on the original softer 'A' cam. Definitely something for every 2.0T FSI to watch out for (!). I'll be checking mine before tooo terribly long, 30k miles on my car, 29K of them chipped :p

[Gibson19]

Any tell tale signs of a cam follower failure??

Seems like its an issue with the early models but I'll be watching out for it on my dads car... Still under warranty too but it'd be nice to know how to spot it...

Thanks

[bgsapc]

Okay I don't know how to multi-quote but here goes.

The signs, mostly fuel cuts, and fuel related codes. I wouldn't put all my faith in that though. As JT said, his was TRASHED and he never threw codes or had fuel cuts. Its easy to check so the best way to know is to pull it out and check it out. Heres how http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=3750088

Evan you mentioned a mechanical release after 120 bar. Could this be the cause of fuel cut issues? Requesting 130 bar and only being able to deliver 120? I don't have a vag-com yet so no logs of my fuel maps.

Also, I believe shrick has developed a set of cams for the 2.0T but don't think it adresses the follower issue. I'm not sure that there could be an aftermarket solution. A solid follower isn't possible with the design of the fuel pump, the harder B cams are just as prone to failure from what I've seen. So really the only solution is the TSI. Is it my understanding though that current MY TT's are still running TFSI?

Joe, 3k miles and I'm starting to get fuel cuts. None of the local dealers have a follower in stock.Hope yall have one. You'll be hearing from me this week. Oil changes are going to get expensive if they're paired with followers.

On the ligher side when I was looking for a follower that was in stock, one dealership (won't say who), told me " you only have 1 fuel pump, and its in your fuel tank." So I explained it to him and how it worked and he responded "Is this a diesel?"

[Gibson19]

Okay I don't know how to multi-quote but here goes.

The signs, mostly fuel cuts, and fuel related codes. I wouldn't put all my faith in that though. As JT said, his was TRASHED and he never threw codes or had fuel cuts. Its easy to check so the best way to know is to pull it out and check it out. Heres how http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=3750088



Thanks... Will definitely need to check that out down the road...

[djwhiplash2001]

On the ligher side when I was looking for a follower that was in stock, one dealership (won't say who), told me " you only have 1 fuel pump, and its in your fuel tank." So I explained it to him and how it worked and he responded "Is this a diesel?"

Lol did you fire them

[the travler]

ive got 31k on a 06 APR stage 2 with no HPFP...

you guys scared me, thanks.

is this something i can put in or recommended for the pros?

[djwhiplash2001]

If you can change your own oil, you can do this.

[kcfoxie]

Welcome to the world of the BRM TDI, folks.
http://i48.tinypic.com/24g59qb.jpg