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Author Topic: How-To "change the cam follower"  (Read 22210 times)

Offline vRS Carl

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Re: How-To "change the cam follower"
« Reply #15 on: August 10, 2010, 04:20:50 pm »
Why would you need to set the engine at tdc for changing the cam ??

That i dont understand??

Great write up Carl.  :happy2:


It's to take the pressure off the piston in the Pump. So that when you are putting it all back together you don't overly stress the piston and potentially bend it.

Offline muckipup

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Re: How-To "change the cam follower"
« Reply #16 on: August 12, 2010, 10:33:50 am »
I think it is good practice but personally, I found it a bit of a hassle and had difficulty in seeing the arrows in the lighting conditions that I was working in anyway.

As Carl says, setting TDC it is about reducing tension on the piston spring of the HPFP which is pressed against the cam lobe.  Whenever folks talk about TDC, there is some sensitivity because we know how important it is to get this right when adjusting timing. However, this is a much simpler science than timing....

The lobe is a triangular shaped thing with rounded corners if you get my drift. So when a peak of this lobe is pointing at the piston, the spring is compressed.  However, if you can imagine the picture, you would be unlucky if the engine stopped with the piston on a 'peak' simply through probability (even a 20 -30 degree rotation from this point in either direction would mean an exponential drop-off in spring tension). Even if you were a bit unlucky, my personal opinion is that it is not so important when taking the HPFP off as long as you undo the three retaining bolts together and a little bit at a time.
 
OK, putting the pump back on may be a bit more important but by this time you can look through the hole and, with a light to assist if needed, see the cam lobe and see if you are on a peak or a trough.  If a peak, simply rock the car in gear (as you would do to find TDC anyway) until the lobe moves to a trough point and stick the HPFP back on (again I would recommend tightening the three bolts a little bit each at a time).

On saying that, I have done this three times now and have not experienced the engine coming to a halt at a high point / peak in the lobe cycle yet.
« Last Edit: August 12, 2010, 10:35:41 am by muckipup »

Offline Cupra R

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Re: How-To "change the cam follower"
« Reply #17 on: August 12, 2010, 10:58:15 am »
Does anyone know of a correct torque figure for the three retaing screw's?

I have a nasty habit of over tightening and stripping/shearing bolts off  :ashamed:

A torque wrench is a good friend of mine  :smiley:

Offline monte

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Re: How-To "change the cam follower"
« Reply #18 on: August 12, 2010, 12:58:58 pm »
I think it is good practice but personally, I found it a bit of a hassle and had difficulty in seeing the arrows in the lighting conditions that I was working in anyway.

As Carl says, setting TDC it is about reducing tension on the piston spring of the HPFP which is pressed against the cam lobe.  Whenever folks talk about TDC, there is some sensitivity because we know how important it is to get this right when adjusting timing. However, this is a much simpler science than timing....

The lobe is a triangular shaped thing with rounded corners if you get my drift. So when a peak of this lobe is pointing at the piston, the spring is compressed.  However, if you can imagine the picture, you would be unlucky if the engine stopped with the piston on a 'peak' simply through probability (even a 20 -30 degree rotation from this point in either direction would mean an exponential drop-off in spring tension). Even if you were a bit unlucky, my personal opinion is that it is not so important when taking the HPFP off as long as you undo the three retaining bolts together and a little bit at a time.
 
OK, putting the pump back on may be a bit more important but by this time you can look through the hole and, with a light to assist if needed, see the cam lobe and see if you are on a peak or a trough.  If a peak, simply rock the car in gear (as you would do to find TDC anyway) until the lobe moves to a trough point and stick the HPFP back on (again I would recommend tightening the three bolts a little bit each at a time).

On saying that, I have done this three times now and have not experienced the engine coming to a halt at a high point / peak in the lobe cycle yet.

Thank you Muckipup  :happy2: Some really good advice there  :notworthy: I will be attempting this on Saturday, and you have pretty much put my mind at rest.

Oh and as Cupra R said, what is the recommended torque for the 3 pump bolts? (even though I am sure my torque wrench is too big to be of any use)  :ashamed:

Offline muckipup

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Re: How-To "change the cam follower"
« Reply #19 on: August 12, 2010, 01:27:54 pm »
I haven't a clue about the torque to be applied but don't think that you need to worry about it too much. I only used the smallest of the 3 socket wrenches in my set (thus not too much leverage) and just tightened enough to feel comfortable in myself that the HPFP was clamped down enough. You are dealing with long, thin bolts with torx heads so you don't want to go anywhere near the force that would shear the bolt or strip the torx head or leave yourself with an issue when it comes to replacing the cam follower the next time - just 'nice and firm' does it!  :happy2:

When you loosen them to take it off, you'll see it doesn't need too much force and will give you an idea of the max. force with which to tighten them.

Offline monte

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Re: How-To "change the cam follower"
« Reply #20 on: August 12, 2010, 01:52:42 pm »
I haven't a clue about the torque to be applied but don't think that you need to worry about it too much. I only used the smallest of the 3 socket wrenches in my set (thus not too much leverage) and just tightened enough to feel comfortable in myself that the HPFP was clamped down enough. You are dealing with long, thin bolts with torx heads so you don't want to go anywhere near the force that would shear the bolt or strip the torx head or leave yourself with an issue when it comes to replacing the cam follower the next time - just 'nice and firm' does it!  :happy2:

When you loosen them to take it off, you'll see it doesn't need too much force and will give you an idea of the max. force with which to tighten them.

Thanks again Buddy  :happy2:

Offline vRS Carl

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Re: How-To "change the cam follower"
« Reply #21 on: August 12, 2010, 06:04:52 pm »
There is no recommended torque settings that i could find.

I just did then hand tight followed by half a turn and that has always been fine :happy2:

Offline bodger00

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Re: How-To "change the cam follower"
« Reply #22 on: August 25, 2010, 08:19:48 pm »
About to do mine and had a search around the net regarding this issue  :surprised:

There is loads of people highly pi**sed about this by the looks of things:

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=235507629582&v=photos#!/group.php?gid=235507629582&v=photos

For those of you getting your head round this (like me) according to the tech description it is:

"Part of the direct fuel injection design relies on a secondary mechanical high pressure fuel pump.
This is in addition to the lower pressure electric pump in the fuel tank.
The hpfp actuating shaft is driven off of a lobe on the end of the intake cam shaft.
The cam follower covers the hpfp actuator and rides on the cam shaft lobe.
Found on the top front of the engine, under the intake,
easy to find with the metal fuel lines running to and from the bottom of the pump."

Ive got a MY06 with approx 40K.

Anyone with similar year/mileage who has done this? What condition was it in?
« Last Edit: August 25, 2010, 09:04:24 pm by bodger00 »

Offline bodger00

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Re: How-To "change the cam follower"
« Reply #23 on: August 27, 2010, 08:18:42 pm »
Advice from APR regarding changing the cam follower:

http://www.goapr.com/support/fsi_fuelpump_installation.pdf

Specifically:

"On a periodic basis, around every ten thousand (10,000) miles, APR  recommends that you inspect the FSI fuel pump, cam follower, and camshaft in
accordance with the factory TSB for abnormal wear. If any wear appears to have worn through the black wear coating on the cam follower, we recommend that
you replace the cam follower. Once this black coating is worn off, the wear rateof the cam follower and lobe is dramatically increased.

Keeping a good cam follower in the car is critical to the long term operation of your vehicle.

The cam follower and camshaft wear rates on even stock vehicles appears to be increased over what even VW/Audi has anticipated. We predict that VW/Audi will
either supersede these components to increase their longevity or they will begin to include this inspection as a part of the routine maintenance of the vehicle."

Offline bodger00

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Re: How-To "change the cam follower"
« Reply #24 on: August 28, 2010, 07:38:13 pm »
Note if you have to metal pipes under the pump its not as easy (see my other post).

http://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,18542.0.html
« Last Edit: August 29, 2010, 06:49:08 pm by bodger00 »

Offline Bogwoppit

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Re: How-To "change the cam follower"
« Reply #25 on: August 30, 2010, 09:16:23 am »
I had my follower changed last week, so I thought I'd post some photos up.
Car has done 30k miles, 56 plate, standard map, standard HPFP, 3 dealer services since new.




Offline SeanyK

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Re: How-To "change the cam follower"
« Reply #26 on: August 31, 2010, 12:08:09 am »
Hope this helps some people, found this;

http://www.kmdtuning.com/store/images/Cam%20follower%20instructions(1).pdf

Gives the torque settings to use.

Offline bodger00

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Re: How-To "change the cam follower"
« Reply #27 on: August 31, 2010, 07:51:36 pm »
Great link thanks  :happy2: - shame I did not have it when I did mine.

Offline Simon_2.0t

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Re: How-To "change the cam follower"
« Reply #28 on: March 20, 2013, 11:39:06 pm »
Will refer to this when I replace mine  :happy2:

Offline bower

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Re: How-To "change the cam follower"
« Reply #29 on: March 30, 2013, 03:06:31 pm »
just changed mine it was pretty easy, im just paranoid i havnt tightened it all back up enough but didnt want to tighten to much in case i broke somat oh and i forgot about the tdc bit too so hopefully nothings broken anyway mine wasnt bad just the paint had gone