Cam question

Kanzan · Post by **Kanzan** » Thu Sep 10, 2009 2:23 pm

Tried to find an answer using the search feature, no luck. A friend recently bought a 1982 Rabbit 2 door diesel. It has been non operable for several years. The PO told him it has a blown head gasket. When he removed the valve cover to see what kind of head bolts he has, he found the cam is broken in two pieces. Broken between cylinder 3 and 4. So the first three cylinders had an operating cam, and number four didn't. What in the world would cause a cam to come apart? I have an old 1.6na head in my barn. It sat uncoverd, outside for several years, the cam is rusty. Can this cam be cleaned up and used? What is the best way to clean it? Or will the rust ruin his lifters? Thanks, Kanzan

odie · Post by **odie** » Thu Sep 10, 2009 3:35 pm

if the cam is pitted you will have to polish it or have it ground until it's smooth. I think it would have to be re-ground to maintain the correct profile since griding the cam will reduce it's size.

it you use it with rust pitts you are gonna have a very short life span on anything it touches.

bscutt · Post by **bscutt** » Thu Sep 10, 2009 5:37 pm

if it's only slightly rusty it might clean up with crocus cloth wet with a little oil but as odie said if it's pitted, it's probably not worth your trouble. You might be better off going over to vwvortex and search the classifieds if no one here has one they want to part with cheap.

If the cam broke I'd have to wonder if the timing had jumped and caused valve to piston interference so you should go over that head carefully and make sure you don't have any bent valves