Cam adjuster leak?

[jibbajoe0129]

It's confirmed.
N10451409 is the correct part number, and the correct torque spec is 9 NM and not the old 4 NM +45deg turn.

For any of you that used N10751201, I suggest you replace them sooner than later.

im going through this right now and just snapped one of the screws for the cam adjuster magnet. they are 100% aluminum screws, non-magnetic. they look like the N10751201. this is on my 2015 GTI. all 6 screws that came off, 3 from each adjuster, none were magnetic when i put them in my mag-tray with other screws. and it snapped way too easily to be anything other than aluminum.

it seems intentional. there are loads of these screws all over the engine but all the others are magnetic (i tried, because i didnt want to wait for new screws to be delivered after breaking one). it is a big magnet after all...

 

[seanmcd1]

Mine is doing it around that area and on the oil pan around that sensor in the middle of the pan. 82K miles. It's time to do some maintenance I guess.

 

[autovelocity]

im going through this right now and just snapped one of the screws for the cam adjuster magnet. they are 100% aluminum screws, non-magnetic. they look like the N10751201. this is on my 2015 GTI. all 6 screws that came off, 3 from each adjuster, none were magnetic when i put them in my mag-tray with other screws. and it snapped way too easily to be anything other than aluminum.

it seems intentional. there are loads of these screws all over the engine but all the others are magnetic (i tried, because i didnt want to wait for new screws to be delivered after breaking one). it is a big magnet after all...

It sounds like those cam magnet bolts were changed in the past with the incorrect parts as well. Are you the original owner?

One bolt broke for me as well, but since this is 100% the dealership fault for selling me the incorrect bolts, they agreed to replace the camshaft bridge for free.
Don't bother drilling out the aluminum screws as it will only make a bigger mess.

This has been a total shit show!

Broken bolt.

Tried to drill and extract, but then the extractor broke inside the stud and then I had to drill out the broken stud/extractor with another pure carbide drill bit. Either way, it's a useless attempt.

 

[Jachas]

It's confirmed.
N10451409 is the correct part number, and the correct torque spec is 9 NM and not the old 4 NM +45deg turn.

For any of you that used N10751201, I suggest you replace them sooner than later.

Well, I checked for mine NAR A3 with CNSB and ETKA shows me N10751201, then I checked CNSA/CNSB in VW's ETKA and same thing, N10751201. So i checked CXBA,CXBB,CNTA,CXCA,CXCB and CXDA. In all ETKA shows N10751201. These engines are for NAR. So I tried some EU engine codes like CHHA,CHHB,CJXB,CJXC, CJXE,CJXG and CYFB, here ETKA shows N10451409.

So I checked cam bridges for some of this engines. NAR's CXCA,CXCB, CXDA uses 06K103144D bridge, EU's CJXB,CJXC, CJXE,CJXG, CYFB uses 06L103144F superseded by 06L103144K, so I think the difference in bolts comes from different cam bridges (and maybe shorter/longer threads in cam bridge?) and can be summarized in

NAR spec engine = Alu N10751201
EU spec engine = Steel N10451409

Either way, ELSA says that these bolts are one time use only (which especially makes sense on alu bolts) and:
Steel are torqued 9NM
Alu 4 Nm + 45°

 

[autovelocity]

Well, I checked for mine NAR A3 with CNSB and ETKA shows me N10751201, then I checked CNSA/CNSB in VW's ETKA and same thing, N10751201. So i checked CXBA,CXBB,CNTA,CXCA,CXCB and CXDA. In all ETKA shows N10751201. These engines are for NAR. So I tried some EU engine codes like CHHA,CHHB,CJXB,CJXC, CJXE,CJXG and CYFB, here ETKA shows N10451409.

So I checked cam bridges for some of this engines. NAR's CXCA,CXCB, CXDA uses 06K103144D bridge, EU's CJXB,CJXC, CJXE,CJXG, CYFB uses 06L103144F superseded by 06L103144K, so I think the difference in bolts comes from different cam bridges (and maybe shorter/longer threads in cam bridge?) and can be summarized in

NAR spec engine = Alu N10751201
EU spec engine = Steel N10451409

Either way, ELSA says that these bolts are one time use only (which especially makes sense on alu bolts) and:
Steel are torqued 9NM
Alu 4 Nm + 45°

Interesting find....

Mine is a DJJA and made in Germany.

 

[Jachas]

From what I can find, DJJA is more like EU spec engine, as no SAI is present. I cannot find info if factory MPI is present, but if that's the case (and you have MPI), then you have EU spec engine, not NAR spec (SAI and no MPI in NAR spec are the most noticeable differences between NAR and EU)



BTW, DJJA have cam bridge 06L103144H superseded by 06L103144K

 

[autovelocity]

The torque specs are confusing, because for example, all the repair manuals I researched show 4 Nm+45deg (but none of those make any differentiation between aluminum or steel bolts), including this DJJA motor, however the dealer print out shows 9 Nm.
That being said, 4 Nm+45deg or 9 Nm is really the same thing because the quarter turn will be roughly 9Nm anyway.

 

[Jachas]

Well, I checked in ELSA torque spec for DJJA and is clearly 9Nm and "Renew after removal", so steel bolt spec. But when I check for CNSA engine (Sales model AU12M1, you can check in ELSA/ErWin same car) same chapter says:
❏ Steel bolts: 9 Nm
❏ Aluminium bolts: 4 Nm + 45°
❏ Renew

 

[cobramanic]

FYI, the these are one-time-use bolts, but likely not due to torquing them to yield (which would take at least 18 to 20 NM). It's because they come pre-coated with thread lock which gets compromised after the bolt has been used and removed. The regular heat from the engine dries it out and basically cures it. This is why you get the feeling of it "breaking" loose when you take out the bolt.

 

[Jachas]

FYI, the these are one-time-use bolts, but likely not due to torquing them to yield (which would take at least 18 to 20 NM). It's because they come pre-coated with thread lock which gets compromised after the bolt has been used and removed. The regular heat from the engine dries it out and basically cures it. This is why you get the feeling of it "breaking" loose when you take out the bolt.

Yes and no. Steel ones yes, they are factory coated with thread lock, but alu ones are not coated and both have "renew" in documentation

 

[BudgetPhoenix]

Mine was leaking a bit so I recently replaced the inner o-ring on the exhaust side. Did the trick. No other leaks so I didnt want to mess with doing the outer gasket and pulling the upper timing cover etc yet. Used new steel bolts, but it was still leaking out near the upper bolt after doing the correct torque, so I snugged them down just a touch more and that stopped it.