Audi 2.5tdi v6 camshafts

[Lizard821000]

Hi people , first off wow what a place pretty much anything you want to know you can find just through search !! Amazing place of knowledge

I’m after some advise on which aftermarket cams to go for in my 2.5tdi AKE 180 version, the drivers side are worn after inspection and I have a noisy right bank tapping like lifter/S are stuck ....

I had an independent garage price up the job not had it back yet but they are quoting with febi parts .... Iv been reading lots of horror stories of late that lots of their manufacture is outsourced to China now and standards have dropped ! How true is this?

I’m thinking of maybe supplying my own kit of kolbenschmidt cams and INA everything else as read that’s a good mix

Can people share their advise on the matter please as although the car has been the most reliable motor I’ve owned and never let me down, I’m wanting to fix her before the bomb goes off and maybe costs more to fix

Power is down and 2-3 lobs worn on drives bank I have not inspected passenger bank but tempted to swop the whole top end 4 cams,lifters,rockers, pads etc rather than just drivers bank , or another option, can I do a bank a time? And do the passenger side later to keep costs down for me , it’s a blimey expensive job 🙈

Thanks again love to hear from you all

Shaun

[Crasher]

I have had zero problems with Febi cams, the most important part is to use a ZDDP oil additive with each oil change. The oil check valves under the valley cover MUST be changed as these are usually the reason for the clattering and cam damage at idle.

[Lizard821000]

Hi crasher!

Yes Iv been using Eastwood ZDDP additive for the last year or so but the damage has already been done , are you currently still using febi for this job or know if any better parts I could be using, the retention valves I will replace also as mentioned when the work is done.

I contacted febi directly and asked about warranty and some reassurance on life expectancies....

I was surprised they only offered a 12k or 12 month warranty when purchasing and fitting a complete cam kit but then also told me the cams were hardened and should live the life of the car , so mixed signals I thought.

Thanks for the super fast response too I’m literally going through the motions as we speak as to what path to go down , she sits with only 114k on at the moment and is more
My weekend toy, covering approx 3-4000k a year only

Shaun

[Crasher]

The problem is the oil people are forced into using, people used to say nasty things about PD 1.9 cams but again, it was the oil that was at fault. In the 90’s VAG knew they were going to have nightmares in the future with flat tappet cams which is why they started to bring in roller lifter designs BUT it did not affect all engines, I can’t recall ever having a flat tappet cam failure in a 1.8T or hardly any other petrol engine for that matter, except on the FSI injection pumps until they also went roller follower. The Yank performance cam aftermarket had a terrible time about a decade ago, caused by modern oils. It is the worlds unhealthy obsession with man made CO2, the biggest con ever foisted on mankind..., after religion

[Lizard821000]

Completely agree, after much reading Iv learnt the cams were never at fault but the oil , to keep up with emissions etc all the protective properties been removed lol read lots about it on flat tapper USA forums on older cars etc ....

so I shouldn’t worry about the febi parts dispite all the stories , do you use any other parts for these work crasher? Like kolbenschmidt,INA etc If I get the garage to supply they can offer the 12 month parts and labour which is a benefit to me for less worry , if I take in my own parts I’d be left high and dry if they failed early without a huge headache chasing blame.

What sort of price should the top end swop be? Minus new heads as I hope to god it won’t go that far! Turbo is solid too , so it’s just the guts top end I’m looking to swop. Is it safe doing one side a time if needed? Or do both together?

Really appriciate the advise steve

[Gazwould]

What was the culprit oil spec ?

[Crasher]

I think all approved oils are a problem but it isn’t the oil companies fault, they are forced into it, for the classic market there are some excellent products that would work well in modern engines IF the oil consumption was very very low. The thing is, the problem is now passing, with VAG units where they suffer cam and chain wear issues they are going roller follower and belt, so the problem goes away. Certainly in a re-cammed AKE I would be looking at a classic oil with lots of nice anti wear additives but then again I can’t see the point in rebuilding one with the new emissions zones coming in unless the car will be used outside of them. One point though, I have never had a cam failure on any of my customers cars who follow the service regime I set up. My business partner has a high mileage 4B Allroad with the AKE, we have maintained it since nearly new before he bought it and the cams are perfect.

[Lizard821000]

Who knows mate? I got the car at 104k so god knows how other people have treated it down the line ... did come with stacks of service history too mostly Audi but as said, even the modern oils been eating away at those cams , mine actually look like something is scraping against the lobe, scored centres

dealer has always passed me 5/30 oil 507 spec

it’s a non PD this engine , normally the quantum long life and I change every year

[Lizard821000]

Who knows mate? I got the car at 104k so god knows how other people have treated it down the line ... did come with stacks of service history too mostly Audi but as said, even the modern oils been eating away at those cams , mine actually look like something is scraping against the lobe, scored centres

dealer has always passed me 5/30 oil 507 spec

it’s a non PD this engine , normally the quantum long life and I change every year

[Lizard821000]

I think all approved oils are a problem but it isn’t the oil companies fault, they are forced into it, for the classic market there are some excellent products that would work well in modern engines IF the oil consumption was very very low. The thing is, the problem is now passing, with VAG units where they suffer cam and chain wear issues they are going roller follower and belt, so the problem goes away. Certainly in a re-cammed AKE I would be looking at a classic oil with lots of nice anti wear additives but then again I can’t see the point in rebuilding one with the new emissions zones coming in unless the car will be used outside of them. One point though, I have never had a cam failure on any of my customers cars who follow the service regime I set up. My business partner has a high mileage 4B Allroad with the AKE, we have maintained it since nearly new before he bought it and the cams are perfect.

I hear hear what your saying mate and have considered the BAU? Roller type heads instead, but this is just a toy for me and I live outside these emissions zones , after lots of reading about the matter I understand that rebuilding flat tappet type valve trains can be considered a waste of time , for them to just wear again but if I can get another 50-100k from a new camshaft kit I’d be happy to spend out as the car is a joy to cruise and is stacked with top extras ...

what at are you charging crasher for this sort of work? I’m estimating the kit to be in the 5-600 plus various gaskets and bearings needed ....maybe same agin on labour C12A0963-B586-414E-85D3-5F45E88C0D70.jpg