Remove cam girdle/cover without removing lower timing cover?

[dietcokefiend]

That little bolt is more to prevent warping is my guess. As soon as the cover warms up, its going to have stresses that want to pull and flex the cover around. Its one of the longest spans between bolts with the most amount of "meat" off on its own. If you don't address it you are begging for a nice leak not to mention possibly warping the cover to the point where it might not sit flush in the future.

Was the bolt broken as it was screwed in? Did it bind or was the bolt itself giving up the ghost? I'd probably reach out to some machine shops in the area once that area is buttoned up, and see if they are able to work on it without removing the cover. With the correct jigs, it shouldn't be too hard to get a hole tapped in the center of the broken bolt and then work on removing it.


EDIT: Where those screws replaced? You mention popping off the cover again for this project. How many cycles have they been through? You may want to buy the whole lot and swap them out one by one. If you look at the stalling thread for example, where a few members have had cams replaced, those are all viewed as one time screws by VW.

 

[TrueGTI]

Only thing you forgot was to get the cover black chrome dipped before putting it back on ;-) good job my man! Can't wait to find out how the logs look

 

[Quebster]

Thanks for the input! The bolt felt like it stripped, basically. The torque spec is 8Nm + 90° turn. While I had no problem with the other 21, this one just kept turning without hitting 8Nm until it finally snapped. Maybe there was some gunk in the threads?

Yes, they are one-time-use bolts, but I replaced all 22 with fresh ones. I try to be as by-the-book as I can for the most part.

My plan is to go grab a helicoil kit, M6x1, and completely drill it out with a 1/4 bit and resolve this using that. I’ve been actually meaning to do that for the coil pack screws too so that works. I will resist driving until I get this done, lol. This was literally the very last bolt I was torquing down, what a pain!

Thanks TrueGTI!

 

[Quebster]

Problem solved, dudes. Drilled out a 1/4” hole and inserted a M6x1 helicoil and threw in a bolt with a locking washer. [emoji1360]

I sure am glad one of the bolts under the PCV plate weren’t the ones to break. I’m not sure how I would get it out without getting metal shavings all inside the head [emoji51]

Mission complete!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[TrueGTI]

Good stuff man, I just helicoiled a bearing mount at work yesterday myself ha. Glad it worked out.

 

[dima1978]

Heads up, guys. The anaerobic sealant is being replaced [due to its poor sealing qualities] with a loctite SI 5970 according to a local dealer. I cannot find any info about it but some Audis take silicone sealant under the cam cover. PS This dealer could be full of shit too.

 

[Quebster]

Interesting

 

[dima1978]

Interesting

found a 2.0 diagram
https://www.ilcats.ru/vw/?function=...&group=1&subgroup=103&part=103050&language=en

 

[JerseyDrew77]

I would reach out to Loctite to see if it's true or not.

 

[Hoon]

They change this damn sealant every 6 months.

I used ultra gray when I built my motor, hasn't even wept yet

 

[JerseyDrew77]

They change this damn sealant every 6 months.

I used ultra gray when I built my motor, hasn't even wept yet

How many tubes did you end up using?

 

[Hoon]

How many tubes did you end up using?

Like 1/4 of 1 tube for the valve cover. Just enough to run a decent bead.

Ultra gray is not recommended by VW so use at your own risk

 

[JerseyDrew77]

Like 1/4 of 1 tube for the valve cover. Just enough to run a decent bead.

Ultra gray is not recommended by VW so use at your own risk

I'm guessing because they have their own product and they don't want you to use something that's not theirs and actually works.

 

[Hoon]

I'm guessing because they have their own product and they don't want you to use something that's not theirs and actually works.

$2 vs like $130 or whatever my local dealer quoted for a 1oz tube of the VW stuff.

 

[dima1978]

My local dealer used that black stuff ( Loctite Si 5970) -- it is still leaking. The dealership is basically calling it a non-leaky leak now-- oil sweat. I think, either they are working on my car with their feets (cause using hands is too boring) or the cam cover is warped.
PS on the warranty invoice, there was a lower timing cover but it was never touched -- not a single finger print on it, old silicone too.
Edit: according to a local shop: IF you set TDC, do not toss cams around too much, mark the chain links on cams for safety, do not move the exhaust lobes, and do not force the cover back on -- you will be just fine ( you will fight the valve springs a little bit).