Golf 5 Gti broken exhaust camshaft

[Radrob620]

Hi guys, tried searching for this thread but now finding anything that's helping me.

My mk5 Gti has had the dreaded rattle coming from camshaft adjuster side but figured I'll brave it until I can buy the whole chain and "vvt gear" kit and change it. But 2 weeks ago it decided to break my exhaust camshaft.

Once stripped I found that the "vvt gear" seemed as if it seized up. Got a new cam and vvt gear but now my questions begin.

1. Is the camshaft adjuster aka vvt gear suppose to turn freely from side to side or is it supposed to not turn at all ? I ask because the New one has some fair play but the old one stays in one position,( doesn't have play)

2. If it's supposed to have some play, how do you get it into the correct timing position when installing it on the camshaft?

It's the first time I'm dealing with this as I'm a semi skilled mechanic, don't want to send it into a workshop as yet until I completely give up.

Please help.
TIA

[PapaJo]

Contact panic here on the forum. He will be the right man to give you advice.

[Radrob620]

Thank you. I'll do so

[panic-mechanic]

Camshaft will only break it is stops for some reason.
So either the cam seized in it's journals or the intake cam maybe stopped. Where did it break? Could you turn it other side of the break and what did the journals look like.
The adjuster will have some play while there is no oil pressure. You don't time the adjuster. It has a pin that locates in the shaft and then the cams are timed using the correct timing tools during installation.

[Radrob620]

Hi Panic, it broke close to the cambelt sprocket, right inbetween the piston 1 and piston 2 roller rockers. Yes it could turn on the other side of the break

[panic-mechanic]

That is very weird unless there was a crack of some sort. I have almost never seem one just snap for no reason.

[Radrob620]

Makes the 2 of us. Now I'm having some boost issues, changed the N75, DV, boost, MAF, and o2 sensors, HPFP, but still having issues, no codes showing up. Unplug battery and reconnect, it boosts perfectly, after maybe 30km or so it just dies, boosts until 3000rpm then flatlines, revs still go up but absolutely no boost. Don't know what to do from here

[Trishen94]

I had a similar issue on my car Check on top of the hpfp there's a sensor my engine cover was loose and just tapped it and it cracked had a hair line crack could only see if I looked closely ...soldered the wires and works perfect now

[Radrob620]

No cracks on the HPFP sensor, got a CAI so there's nothing affecting that area. Possibility that the sensor might just be dead?

[Trishen94]

Log the car and Check ur fuel pressure actual vs requested on both hpfp and lpfp and boost pressure actual vs requested ... u will know exactly where the problem is after that ...i also have a mk5 gti and I know they can be ball busting at times u just feel like selling the car but give it some love lol ...u will get it right... could be ur lpfp is on its way out and when it gets hot it cannot function like it should as u say it's only after 30km or so

[panic-mechanic]

Very often that is due to fuel pressures. So yeah do like thrishen recommended. Log requested vs actual on both low and high pressure and have a good look at the logs.

[Radrob620]

Did the logs, showed that low pressure fuel is low so I changed LPFP and fuel filter. Still went into limp, suspect my intake temps are a bit high cause when the car is cold it runs perfectly. Insulated the intake pipe will test and see results. Will get back to you.

Thanks for all the assistance guys

[Radrob620]

Boost issue solved. My CAI was heating up (as it was not painted) even with heat shield it was carrying too Mich heat. Wrapped it in some heat wrap and car is back to being a beast.

[Trishen94]

Hi buddy What heat wrap did u use and where did u buy it from ? Also wana wrap mine

[Radrob620]

Couldn't find the correct one for intakes on my side of the world so I went for the asbestos exhaust wrap, got it from De Graaf in Witbank. Doesn't look the greatest but did the trick, will hunt for the proper heat wrap next year when I got extra cash again

[PapaJo]

Remember to follow all safety precautions when working with asbestos.

[Radrob620]

@Papajo, yes sir, always