HPFP Cam Follower

**Zoto** · 26-10-2022, 04:24 PM

My son-in-law has just purchased a 2009 TTS (8J) - I believe same engine as MK6 Golf R.
Mileage is low at 56k km, but I've read various forum posts regarding premature wear on the cam follow on the EA113 - CDL engine.

I've discussed with one of the well know VAG indie repairers here in Perth, and he reckons he's yet to change one??

Anyone actually replaced a cam follower which was badly worn??

**Lucas_R** · 26-10-2022, 08:22 PM

For the sake of <$100 for the part and 20-30mins of your time, I would suggest changing it for piece of mind. Your current one might be ok still or it could be badly worn - they seem to vary from one car to another.

If/when it fails it ruins the inlet cam and the hpfp so ends up costing several thousand dollars.

Very very surprised the mechanic you contacted has never changed one.

**h100vw** · 28-10-2022, 09:46 AM

Originally Posted by Lucas_R

If/when it fails it ruins the inlet cam and the hpfp so ends up costing several thousand dollars.

Very very surprised the mechanic you contacted has never changed one.

Is he even a specialist?

A cam costs over a grand at retail. Could be 3k if it gets really bad in there.

OP. get it replaced and sleep better at night.
Gavin

**Zoto** · 31-10-2022, 10:06 AM

He certainly is - great reputation with VAG and Renault in particular.

A real mixed bag out there regarding wear of the follower by owners - all seems to relate to poor heat treating of a batch of camshafts, in combination possibly with LL extended oil intervals/poor lubrication at start (low ambient temps) and a design (cam follower as opposed to roller) being at the limit of achieving reasonable life. Had a similar "first hand" issue with Merc 350 V6 engines and worn balance chain sprocket due to a batch of badly heat treated units.

Maybe not such a problem here in Australia if regular oil changes, CDLB engine (special camshaft) and not modified (increasing load on HPFP). Also changing follower to a third party product with potentially dubious QA/QC may lead to unintended further wear issues. And so the problem perpetuates.

From what I've seen later CDLx engine owners have seen little or no wear after 60+ '000 miles, so maybe I'll wait a little longer before I have a look.

**guile** · 31-10-2022, 07:56 PM

you've asked the question and two people have advised you to change it...

I'll be the third person to advise you to change it, its not worth the risk...

I've changed mine 3 times on a 44k engine. that is defiantly over kill and the motors modified, but each time I've seen the black coating worn off and I wasn't game enough to wait and see if it eventually becomes a hole...

**rgh0** · 01-11-2022, 10:50 AM

The black coating is a phosphate layer that is intended to help the initial bedding in of the follower to the cam lobe. It is meant to wear off

cheers
Rohan

**guile** · 01-11-2022, 06:58 PM

you might be right mate, I'm no expert on the them but apparently its dlc (diamond like coating). it doesn't sound like its meant to wear off to me...

"The camshaft follower is a susceptible component in the 2.0 TFSI (EA113) high pressure fuel pumps due to the enormous loads imposed by the drive of the single camshaft and at the same time the spring of the high pressure fuel pump. We recommend to change the follower every 15.000 - 30.000 km. The DLC coating wears out especially in performance-enhanced vehicles often from 20.000 km. A damaged cam follwer can cause a fatal engine damage! Do not save on this component, the replacement is relatively simple and fast."

**Zoto** · 02-11-2022, 01:09 PM

Still trying to get up to speed on this problem & how wide spread it is. From what I've read seems the excessive wear was certainly an issue in the early EA113 engines with HPFP's and all stemmed from a "soft" camshaft lobe for the HPFP.
In my particular case (2009 TTS) from what I understand (please correct me if I'm wrong) it has an S3 camshaft they haven't experienced these excessive wear issues for a "stock" CDL engine, anyway. Not to say that if these cam's/followers are subject to extra performance demand or poor oil quality/condition, etc that the wear accelerates.

Another forum post I read made some good points -
1. if you have one of the early soft camshaft, that has worn, and subsequently wearing the follower, changing the follower is only a short term fix as its wear will accelerate;
2. The S3/TTS CDL (?) engine cam changed/was always(?) a 4 lobe and may not have the historical wear issues of earlier EA113 engines.

With so many variables (engine sub types, year manf, camshaft types/revisions, etc) it's hard to be sure. Also the question of the follower wearing out - is it due to the cam lobe out of hardness spec? - or due to follower arrangement being a marginal design? Hence why rollers being used know. However I wonder if it's as prevalent in all related VAG models.

Over the next few weeks I'll try and find out what part no. camshaft revision his TTS has installed (if possible?) and what revision is stocked in store currently. Interested to understand it a bit more before I inspect the follower due to the cars low kms.

Appreciate the comments

**Lucas_R** · 02-11-2022, 01:48 PM

The engine (EA113) used in the Audi S3/TTS/Mk6 Golf R is the same and the comment (point #2) about these engines having the later 4 lobe camshaft and roller HPFP is incorrect. The EA113 engine used in the Audi S3/TTS/Mk6 Golf R has a single lobe camshaft and spring loaded HPFP arrangement.

The 4 lobe camshaft and roller HPFP setup was introduced in the 1st generation of the newer engine with engine code EA888. The 4 lobe setup is more reliable and does not require maintenance unless/until something goes wrong.