# changed cam follower



## k9l3 (Jan 5, 2014)

Changed my cam follower today although old one looks perfect to me i still changed it anyway


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## Iceblue (Jul 20, 2018)

Apparently you could/should have left it in there as it is mated to the cam.


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## kerwinrobertson (Sep 3, 2018)

The hard black coating is wearing off, when that goes it chews through the metal pretty quickly. 
Best change it for peace of mind.


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## mlfox (May 25, 2016)

2009 TTS, 100,900 miles, original cam follower / tappet. Changed out today.


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## Barr_end (Oct 19, 2016)

If any silver exposed from the harden black coating being worn off means replacement. 
It's far from perfect, for the sake for £30 to save a £2000 bill it's well worth regularly replacing


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## Romani44 (Jun 14, 2018)

mlfox said:


> 2009 TTS, 100,900 miles, original cam follower / tappet. Changed out today.


WOW!

After that amount of mileage you would have thought it would be in a lot worse shape. I am glad, as I am at 88k and planning to fit new follower in a week or so.


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## repsol (May 1, 2015)

I'm totally confused with all this cam follower replacement. Mines a 2011 tfsi and was planning on replacing it when I had the inlet manifold walnut blasted last year whilst at R TEC.
However they told me it doesn't have one , they were adamant despite me saying tps list it. They even rang them telling them they were wrong!
My cars now done 142000 although the new engine has now done about 48000.


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## C00P5TT5 (Jul 10, 2016)

Who at rtech did you speak to?... They even show the wearing on the site?


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## repsol (May 1, 2015)

The main bloke can't remember his name. Even told me engine isn't a tfsi but fsi?


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## Barr_end (Oct 19, 2016)

repsol said:


> I'm totally confused with all this cam follower replacement. Mines a 2011 tfsi and was planning on replacing it when I had the inlet manifold walnut blasted last year whilst at R TEC.
> However they told me it doesn't have one , they were adamant despite me saying tps list it. They even rang them telling them they were wrong!
> My cars now done 142000 although the new engine has now done about 48000.


It's an EA113 engine that has the cam follower, 2007-2010 'basic' 2.0L TFSI will be BWJ engine code 200bhp prefacelift, OR the TTS 2008-2014 with a CDL TFSI engine.

You have an EA888 as you have a facelift car. One of the many changes cambelt > to camchain, etc etc, was to change the cam follower to a cam roller.

R-tec are very professional and wouldn't advise on anything that they aren't sure on and in this case they are spot on even with the comment quoted below..



repsol said:


> The main bloke can't remember his name. Even told me engine isn't a tfsi but fsi?


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## QS Luke (Jul 13, 2013)

Iceblue said:


> Apparently you could/should have left it in there as it is mated to the cam.


That's not true.


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## kerwinrobertson (Sep 3, 2018)

QS Luke said:


> Iceblue said:
> 
> 
> > Apparently you could/should have left it in there as it is mated to the cam.
> ...


Once they are worn away it's true to an extent, but it's new cam by that point anyway :lol: :lol: :lol:


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## QS Luke (Jul 13, 2013)

kerwinrobertson said:


> QS Luke said:
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> > Iceblue said:
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The pertinent point you have inadvertently made there is to make sure the follower is replaced before it gets to the state of any of those pictured above.


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## kerwinrobertson (Sep 3, 2018)

Yup, better change a cheap part than change a camshaft. This image (from R-Tech) is a very good reference.


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## Knight-tts (Jan 29, 2019)

Anyone got any links to a genuine replacement kit for the TTS or do they fit the whole range? Do you need new bolts as well?


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## kerwinrobertson (Sep 3, 2018)

https://www.awesomegti.com/shop-by-car/ ... ement-kit/


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## Knight-tts (Jan 29, 2019)

kerwinrobertson said:


> https://www.awesomegti.com/shop-by-car/volkswagen/eos/2-0tfsi-ea113-fuel-pump-cam-follower-replacement-kit/


Thankyou 8)


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## Iceblue (Jul 20, 2018)

QS Luke said:


> Iceblue said:
> 
> 
> > Apparently you could/should have left it in there as it is mated to the cam.
> ...


Yes it is if there is nothing wrong with it. I agree if its on the way out then it should be changed. A few months ago like you I thought I would get it changed for peace of mind. My indie queried the request when he asked me if there was any issue with the car and I said no it is running perfectly. I told him I had read on here that it is a part that needs to be monitored given it has a history of failure/early wear and the consequences are potentially catastrophic. He, like another on here, said I should check it and replace all the seals etc but if it was in good order to leave it as it is better mated to the cam than a new one, so I did.


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## QS Luke (Jul 13, 2013)

Knight-tts said:


> Anyone got any links to a genuine replacement kit for the TTS or do they fit the whole range? Do you need new bolts as well?


Around £40 from Audi with new bolts and a seal.


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## QS Luke (Jul 13, 2013)

Iceblue said:


> QS Luke said:
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> > Iceblue said:
> ...


Ok well that's crazy logic. Having built many engines with flat tappet cams (essentially what this is) I have a fair amount of experience with what makes followers/cam lobes go bad.
Changing the follower only when it starts to show signs of wear- or worse- is risky stuff it's so cheap you might as well just bang a new one in each year along with plugs.


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## Iceblue (Jul 20, 2018)

Ok well that's crazy logic. Having built many engines with flat tappet cams (essentially what this is) I have a fair amount of experience with what makes followers/cam lobes go bad.
Changing the follower only when it starts to show signs of wear- or worse- is risky stuff it's so cheap you might as well just bang a new one in each year along with plugs.[/quote]

Apparently I am not the only one with crazy logic - see this https://www.ttforum.co.uk/forum/viewtop ... &t=1879535. Nevertheless, I respect your experience and would be interested as others on here would, about your views on why these fail?


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## SwissJetPilot (Apr 27, 2014)

Worth a read as this covers the cam follower too -

How to: Audi TT Mk2 (8J) 2.0 TFSI High Pressure Fuel Pump
https://www.ttforum.co.uk/forum/viewtop ... &t=1912967

FYI - there's a lot of maintenance Audi isn't talking about and doesn't even list in their published maintenance schedules. The cam follower and Haldex oil filter are just two of them.

The first clue that something should actually be changed is when VAG use the term "lifetime". In German, that translates to "Lebensdauer" which in Audi-speak actually means, "We'll make a ton of money off you when you don't replace it". Just sayin' :roll:

Audi service technicians, (the word "mechanic" has been dropped from their vocabulary) haven't a clue because they only know what they read in the manuals (...I am simply following orders, mein herr!), which means they only know how to scan a code and replace a part if it's in the parts diagram.

Listen to the guys in here who know from experience what should be serviced and replaced. Ignore us at your own peril.


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## Jasonl (Mar 31, 2018)

I will continue to check mine every year if worn it will be changed add a tad of cam lube and in she goes


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## leec (Oct 7, 2018)

Do all models have the cam follower

I have a 2014 TTRS Plus which has the 2.5 engine.

Cheers
Lee


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## Flashy (Nov 8, 2019)

What sort of mileage are you looking reaching before checking the cam follower?


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## Pedro_Surplus (Oct 19, 2019)

I´m shure few people know what this cam follower is. I myself had to duckduckgo for it and found out that it is what drives the high pressure fuel pump.


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## Iceblue (Jul 20, 2018)

Flashy said:


> What sort of mileage are you looking reaching before checking the cam follower?


If the car is new to you I would just get it done for peace of mind along with the other parts noted on here that have a tendency to fail or lead to issues when they start to breakdown. It is relatively cheap and can be done by the home mechanic if you are one.


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## kerwinrobertson (Sep 3, 2018)

Iceblue said:


> QS Luke said:
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> > Iceblue said:
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Any wear to the hard black coating, change the follower. Once that wears away its softer metal underneath, failure soon after. What would you rather change, a £40 part every so often or a new camshaft / top end rebuild?


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## Flashy (Nov 8, 2019)

Is the cam follower on all Mk2 TT models?


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## Barr_end (Oct 19, 2016)

leec said:


> Do all models have the cam follower
> 
> I have a 2014 TTRS Plus which has the 2.5 engine.
> 
> ...


I'm 99% sure that the 2.5 5 pot TFSI uses a cam roller instead of a follower.
However be worth ringing a reputable tuning/parts company - Awesome GTI, AKS Tuning, R-tech etc.



Flashy said:


> What sort of mileage are you looking reaching before checking the cam follower?





Flashy said:


> Is the cam follower on all Mk2 TT models?


There is no set mileage as it's not even seen as a serviceable item by the manufactures.
If the car is new to you or never been checked with your knowledge, I'd be in there ASAP.
From that point on, with a stock car/fuel pump, when changing the oil would be the time period to check it in my opinion.

Not on all Mk2's at all. Only the TFSI variations (Don't think as quoted before on the 2.5 5 pot RS engine though)



kerwinrobertson said:


> Any wear to the hard black coating, change the follower. Once that wears away its softer metal underneath, failure soon after. What would you rather change, a £40 part every so often or a new camshaft / top end rebuild?


Completely agree with Kev.


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## 83kY (Apr 5, 2017)

I will throw in my 2 cents as a person who builds engines and repairs cars every day. At this case when I talk about a cam follower it means that follower for the fuel pump and lifters are the ones moving valves. They kinda mean the same thing but I will try to keep them separated this way here.

Let's say I am changing valve stem seals on a cylinder head, I remove every hydraulic lifter and every valve (and springs and retainers and so on) and keep them organized so they go back into the same place they came out from. The lifters like to stay at the same bore and lick the same cam lobe they did before but if one is worn it will be replaced with a new one or if they are just noisy then they might be rebuild/cleaned throughout. Also lifter faces should not wear, it would indicated that there is something wrong with the lubrication of the cylinder head but this is not the case with the cam followers.

If I remember the cam followers had a oil hole on the bore they run in but the face of the follower which is against the lobe on the cam only relies on splash lubrication, also it is oriented sideways opposed to a lifter moving a valve which is usually at the bottom of the valvetrain chamber of the cylinderhead and is sitting in a small pool of oil all the time. Some cylinder heads even have oil spray bars over the cam which showers the cam lobes with oil all the time.

So they made the cam follower have that black coating which is quite wear resistant. Once the coating wears out the follower and camshaft lobe can start chewing each other. And if the follower is worn then your camshaft lobe is worn (read the whole camshaft is worn because the lobes are a integral part of the shaft). Maybe not to the point where it is critical to get the camshaft replaced but the new follower won't last as long as it could.This is why I would check it on every oil change because it really doesn't take any more than 10-15mins when you know what you are doing. And if it shows any marks of wear on the surface which goes against the camshaft lobe - then replace it.

If the wear is to a point that there is a dimple on the follower then there is some serious wear on the cam lobe. It is crucial to throw in a new follower right away and check it again after a few tanks of gas. The followers cost like a penny compared to anything else. If the follower face is worn to a bowl then it is time to order a new camshaft+follower. If the follower face breaks up then the high-pressure fuelpump plunger will start running against the camshaft and well I think you can get the picture how bad that is.....

The camshaft can wear to a pretty much mangled point where the fuel pump can't raise the needed pressure anymore because the movement is not as long anymore and then there is not enough fuel pressure under the load. More about this on the story I am about to tell in my next post


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## 83kY (Apr 5, 2017)

This is a story I would like to share how I gained most of my knowledge about the "problem".

It was a year or two back, I had not come across this problem myself because I had not owned a car with this problem mostly because I like to stick to the 6 cylinder engines. A friend of mine had a 3C Passat with the BWA 2.0 TFSI engine and it was going into limp mode when accelerating hard and was giving out a code about fuel pressure. I had heard that there was a problem with the cam followers. Removed it and the face of it was like a bowl with sharp edges. Another friend of mine had changed the follower to a new one on his 8P S3 during an oil change and I had the old one around so I threw it in.

Checked the fuel pressure with VCDS while driving and it was a tad better but still went to limp mode. Came back and removed the valve cover and also the follower. Follower had accumulated a dimple already on a 20km drive. Looked at the camshaft lobe for the fuelpump and it is meant to look like a triangle from the side with slightly rounded points. If you look it straight from above it should look pretty much like a rectangle. This one was rounded up in every possible way. It looked more of a circle than a triangle from the side. This meant that the fuel pump movement was 1/2 or 1/3 what is should so it just could not build up enough pressure. I ordered a new camshaft and follower from Tornau Motoren at Germany and also fitted a new chain and tensioner which goes in between the cams. This cured all the problems and the car drove like it should afterwards.


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## SwissJetPilot (Apr 27, 2014)

VAG thought it was enough of an issue that they posted a TSB back in 2007. Nice of them to keep the Mk2 TT owners updated. IMHO $30 is cheap insurance every 25K miles or so.

https://www.ttforum.co.uk/forum/viewtop ... &t=1879535

View attachment TSB - Fuel Pressure Cam Follower Wear.pdf


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## 83kY (Apr 5, 2017)

Those pictures talk more than a thousand words about the issues I posted earlier today. When that lobe develops a wear there is no turning back. Then it will start munching those followers for breakfast.


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## Wolvez (Jun 22, 2018)

If you don't dry start the engine everytime you change the oil and filter the cam follower and cam lobe will never wears out.

The only time both follower and lobe makes several revolution without oil is during startup after oil and filter change. Almost all oil is at the oil pam. The oil filter is empty. If you start the engine it will first fillup the filter then fillup the main bearing then to the turbo before it goes up and squirting on the head.

Pump oil to the filter.


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## Dark Rummy (Oct 25, 2019)

I recently replaced mine on my 2008 TTS.

Mileage 45000.

New seal and bolts also ordered from Audi main dealer in Belfast.

Replacement bolts had wider heads that prevented lower one to be fitted unless the top part of H.P.F.P was removed first.

I didn't do this in case it caused a leak or other issue. Old bolt refitted just fine.

Here's some pictures comparing the old and new cam follower.









Hope this helps in some way.


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## Flashy (Nov 8, 2019)

Wolvez said:


> If you don't dry start the engine everytime you change the oil and filter the cam follower and cam lobe will never wears out.
> 
> Pump oil to the filter.


How's that done?


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## Wolvez (Jun 22, 2018)

Flashy said:


> Wolvez said:
> 
> 
> > If you don't dry start the engine everytime you change the oil and filter the cam follower and cam lobe will never wears out.
> ...


Buy a tool that thread under the oil filter, pump oil to the filter. Or use the starter to pump oil before starting the engine. The turbo spins so fast why the hell will you let it make several revolution without oil?


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## Jasonl (Mar 31, 2018)

I fill the housing with oil when i change oil & filter..


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## Iceblue (Jul 20, 2018)

Jasonl said:


> I fill the housing with oil when i change oil & filter..


Did you use a special tool as suggested by Wolvez and if so do you have a photo of it


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## Wolvez (Jun 22, 2018)




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## SwissJetPilot (Apr 27, 2014)

@ *Wolvez *- So you are basically back-filling the filter housing through the drain tube? Interesting!

Do you know the fill capacity of the oil filter housing with the filter installed?? I'd guessing 250ml based on the displacement and absorption capacity of the filter itself.

Unfortunately the T-40057 drain tube shown above doesn't work on the 3.2-ltr (BUB) engine as the filter cap only has a drain plug. - Why Audi, why? :roll:

At the moment, the only way I can get around this problem is to insert the filter into the cap, fill the cap with as much oil as possible (which is still less than half full) and then carefully screw that into the filter housing without spilling it. I'm hoping by replacing the drain plug with a Stahlbus valve this will allow me to drain and back fill the entire oil filter housing as you've described.

Since the Stahlbus valve uses a compression washer and the drain plug uses and o-ring I have two options; (a) replace the OEM cap with a billet aluminum cap from ESC Tuning and use the stock Stahlbus M14-1.5 valve, or (b) see if Stahlbus can come up with a redesign for M12-1.5 valve with an o-ring for OEM cap.

View attachment 1









Reference - https://www.ttforum.co.uk/forum/viewtop ... &t=237906&


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## Jasonl (Mar 31, 2018)

Iceblue said:


> Jasonl said:
> 
> 
> > I fill the housing with oil when i change oil & filter..
> ...


yes only £14 and i just put the tube in an old 5ltr can when changing oil no mess at all


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## Iceblue (Jul 20, 2018)

Thanks Jason and Wolvez and I am now running out of excuses to do this myself


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