Replacing the cam (Type IV)

spiffy · Post by **spiffy** » Tue Feb 20, 2007 2:28 pm

Been thinking about head temps and efficiency lately and I was wondering the best method for and the best cam (raby? webcam?) for replacement.

Oh yeah...I want to keep all the other internals the same (except for new lifters of course).

Westy78 · Post by **Westy78** » Tue Feb 20, 2007 6:10 pm

spiffy wrote:Been thinking about head temps and efficiency lately and I was wondering the best method for and the best cam (raby? webcam?) for replacement.

Oh yeah...I want to keep all the other internals the same (except for new lifters of course).

I think either of those cams would be good. 'Course I'd go with a Raby cam with matched lifters just because of the known results. The price is about the same. If you're going as far as changing the cam you might as well install new bearings and maybe re-ring the pistons since the case is going to be split anyway. Going that far into the case and not replacing the internals is a waste of time in my opinion.

spiffy · Post by **spiffy** » Wed Feb 21, 2007 8:20 am

Jeesh, my dumb chevy brain neglected to remember about splitting the case.

I guess I'll have to wait for a good reason!

bottomend · Post by **bottomend** » Wed Feb 21, 2007 1:46 pm

Another decent source of cam stuff is European MotorWorks in LA. They sell thier own grinds on Webcam blanks. They are mated to Scat lifters and might be a bit more affordable.

hambone · Post by **hambone** » Wed Feb 21, 2007 1:50 pm

I think your engine may be running hotter due to the auto trans. Fine on the hiway but once you get into the mountains you're not in the optimum RPM zone for efficient cooling.

spiffy · Post by **spiffy** » Wed Feb 21, 2007 2:26 pm

hambone wrote:I think your engine may be running hotter due to the auto trans. Fine on the hiway but once you get into the mountains you're not in the optimum RPM zone for efficient cooling.

I hear ya' ... wish I had an overdrive button!

DurocShark · Post by **DurocShark** » Wed Feb 21, 2007 5:59 pm

bottomend wrote:Another decent source of cam stuff is European MotorWorks in LA. They sell thier own grinds on Webcam blanks. They are mated to Scat lifters and might be a bit more affordable.

Don't suppose they have a link? Maybe dyno graphs? (I know, dream on...)

zblair · Post by **zblair** » Wed Feb 21, 2007 6:21 pm

I found this Y'all:

European Motorworks | Parts for Type 4 Engines and other VW Parts
Welcome to European Motorworks. We specialize in engine and fuel parts for vw type 4, type 1 and water-cooled engines. ...
www.europeanmotorworks.com/ - 6k - Cached - Similar pages

There are separate links for Type 1 thorugh Type 4 but only the Type 4 links work.

Contact Us (se habla español)

European Motorworks
13224 Prairie Avenue
Hawthorne, California 90250

Telephone (310) 644-8038
(800) 722-8678 in U.S.
Fax (310) 644-8042

Hours:
8 am - 5 pm PST, Monday through Friday
9 am - 2 pm PST, Saturday

chitwnvw · Post by **chitwnvw** » Wed Feb 21, 2007 8:16 pm

What's with those p&c sets? 102mm-105mm.

Post by **Amskeptic** » Wed Feb 21, 2007 10:07 pm

hambone wrote:I think your engine may be running hotter due to the auto trans. Fine on the hiway but once you get into the mountains you're not in the optimum RPM zone for efficient cooling.

Ahhh sorry, the VW engineers have that all well sorted out with the automatic. That sucker knows exactly when to downshift.

Spiffy, I had the embarrassment of stomping the Squareback from L.A. to Austin at 70-75 MPH with a completely plugged oil cooler. The car was gracious enough to run cool. I do not understand why some engines threaten to run hot and others run cool, particularly phj's bus in 2003 with all of those missing flaps and tins and seals.
Start with cleanliness, move on to tins and seals, comprerssion test, timing at idle and timing curve to max for both centrifugal and vacuum, fuel mixture, and you have done all the logical things except that sticking ebrake cable.
Colin

spiffy · Post by **spiffy** » Thu Feb 22, 2007 9:12 am

Thanks Colin, not sure if you remember me tearing my hair out over all those items last year or not. Anyway, I feel comfortable with what the engine is doing now thanks to everybody's help...but I think everyone wonders...is there one more tweak to be found somewhere...all part of the fun.

hambone · Post by **hambone** » Thu Feb 22, 2007 10:19 am

I must admit I've never driven a bus with auto. My only experience has been with cars or trucks with auto, and in the harsher conditions and steep grades of forest service roads it just doesn't seem to cut it. It's a delicate ballet of shifting, downshifting, laffing at white knuckles....the auto trans just seems to get confused "you want me to do WHAT?? come on man we were just in 3rd". Maybe VW had overcame this issue.

DurocShark · Post by **DurocShark** » Thu Feb 22, 2007 10:34 am

hambone wrote:I must admit I've never driven a bus with auto. My only experience has been with cars or trucks with auto, and in the harsher conditions and steep grades of forest service roads it just doesn't seem to cut it. It's a delicate ballet of shifting, downshifting, laffing at white knuckles....the auto trans just seems to get confused "you want me to do WHAT?? come on man we were just in 3rd". Maybe VW had overcame this issue.

Try doing it in a Ford Exploder with a 5 speed auto... Talk about gear hunting...

vwlover77 · Post by **vwlover77** » Thu Feb 22, 2007 10:45 am

I had a '79 Bus with an automatic. Whereas most 4-cylinder engines with automatics hunt for the right gear all the time, the VW auto took full advantage of the torque multiplication of the converter and the torque of the 2-liter engine. It would NOT downshift from 3rd to 2nd unless absolutely necessary, and having done so, would not upshift again until the time was right. A downshift to first hardly ever happened unless traveling at low speed and firmly placing foot to the floor and holding it there. Then, it would rev to near the redline and smoothly transition to second.

Plus, it was just downright snappy from a stop with a nicely designed first gear ratio, torque multiplication, and a smooth quick shift to second....

Can you tell that I liked it???

DurocShark · Post by **DurocShark** » Thu Feb 22, 2007 10:50 am

vwlover77 wrote: Can you tell that I liked it???

I had no clue... ;)

I've always wanted an auto. Mostly so the wife could drive it.

Itinerant Air-Cooled

Itinerant Air-Cooled

Replacing the cam (Type IV)

Replacing the cam (Type IV)

Re: Replacing the cam (Type IV)