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Variocam Inspection, your thoughts Please
#1

Ive just inspected the variocam on my 94 968 Cab (100000 miles), and since there were no service records from any work done on the head or variocam, i bought the timing chain, and pads, to overhaul it, fearing the worse, i did it this week end and this is what ive found.
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#2

Does pic 5 show some unusual cam tooth wear or is that just a reflection of some kind?



Harvey



quote=Vedder,Apr 25 2005, 01:37 AM]

Ive just inspected the variocam on my 94 968 Cab (100000 miles), and since there were no service records from any work done on the head or variocam, i bought the timing chain, and pads, to overhaul it, fearing the worse, i did it this week end and this is what ive found.

[right][post="3714"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post][/right]

[/quote]
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#3

Everything looks fantastic. As a matter of fact, it looks new. Note the slight oil oxidation color of the head casting surfaces and the much lighter, natural cast color of the variocam and cam shafts. I am guessing that they have been replaced. The cam lobes also look new with no wear patterns yet.
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#4

Those are some high-res pictures, Vedder. Most everything looks great, as far as I can tell from the shots. Along with Harvey, I also noticed that tooth at the 12 o'clock position in picture 5. Vedder, you might want to check that and make sure it was just the angle and not truly worn. If it is worn, you will want to turn your crankshaft over by hand and make sure no other teeth are worn. In fact, do that anyway; since you have the cover off, you might as well inspect every last tooth. <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/smile.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />
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#5

[quote name='Vedder' date='Apr 25 2005, 01:37 AM']Ive just inspected the variocam on my 94 968 Cab (100000 miles), and since there were no service records from any work done on the head or variocam, i bought the timing chain, and pads, to overhaul it, fearing the worse, i did it this week end and this is what ive found.

[right][post="3714"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post][/right][/quote]





Wow what a lucky duck it looks fantastic! BTW what camera did you use those are great images.
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#6

Im very glad, with what ive found, ive looked again to pic 5 and that is reflection on teeth with the oil.

I was very worried about the variocam, and camshafts, after reading some horror stories over the internet, but everything is well.

The camera i used is a SONY 4.1 Megapixels, it takes awsome pics.

Thanx for your replies, i have more pics if you guys want them.

Cheers
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#7

[quote name='Vedder' date='Apr 26 2005, 04:09 AM']Im very glad, with what ive found, ive looked again to pic 5 and that is reflection on teeth with the oil.

I was very worried about the variocam, and camshafts, after reading some horror stories over the internet, but everything is well.

The camera i used is a SONY 4.1 Megapixels, it takes awsome pics.

Thanx for your replies, i have more pics if you guys want them.

Cheers

[right][post="3757"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post][/right][/quote]



That's excellent news, Vedder! <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/smile.gif" class="smilie" alt="" /> Yes, your camera does take outstanding pictures! Feel free to share more with us--of the engine and of the exterior. <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/smile.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />
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#8

Vedder,



Inside your cam cover looks so much like what I found on my 67K mile 968 that I recently bought (with no service records) that I'm also wondering if the "innards" weren't replaced earlier. In fact, the cam teeth on my cams show less wear than in the above posted pics. I just received a new cam chain...so I'll be using the caliper to make verious measurements to see if I can detect any measurable wear between the chain on the car and the new one. Great pics. I need a camera like that! I don't want to replace the chain and pads if they're virtually new. However, taking the cam cover off is so easy that it won't hurt to inspect it every few thousand miles or so.



Harvey
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#9

[quote name='Harvey' date='Apr 26 2005, 02:32 PM']Vedder,



Inside your cam cover looks so much like what I found on my 67K mile 968 that I recently bought (with no service records) that I'm also wondering if the "innards" weren't replaced earlier.  In fact, the cam teeth on my cams show less wear than in the above posted pics.  I just received a new cam chain...so I'll be using the caliper to make verious measurements to see if I can detect any measurable wear between the chain on the car and the new one. Great pics.  I need a camera like that!  I don't want to replace the chain and pads if they're virtually new.  However, taking the cam cover off is so easy that it won't hurt to inspect it every few thousand miles or so.



Harvey

[right][post="3788"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post][/right][/quote]

I have a stock pca racecar. At our last race at Road Atlanta a few weeks ago we noticed a chain smacking "chang, chang, chang noise coming from the variocam when the car would idle while the engine was still hot. Even when I got the car home, Once the car would idle for about ten minutes, a increasingly noisy chain banging sound would come from the vario cam area. When the throttle was depressed and oil pressure fed through the system, the noise would temporarily go away. What are the chances that my variocam "oil fed tensioners" have gone bad. Have anyone else actually heard of VARIO CAM GONE BAD
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#10

I think too your cams got exchanged not too long ago for new ones....

Here are the pictures of my variocam at 63K (if I can make it work).....look how different the color is.

        [attachment=498:attachment

]
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#11

Pitou,



I hope that you're not saying that your cams and pads need replacing right away. They look to be in pretty dang good shape, don't you think? How many more miles left on them do you think before you replace?



Harvey
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#12

[quote name='Pitou' date='Apr 30 2005, 10:36 AM']I think too your cams got exchanged not too long ago for new ones....

Here are the pictures of my variocam at 63K (if I can make it work).....look how different the color is.

[Image: attachment.php?thumbnail=402][Image: attachment.php?thumbnail=403][attachment=498:attachment

]

[right][post="3995"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post][/right][/quote]

Color would be a result of which oil you use. There are some whom have used sythetic the whole time, and their cams look pristine.
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#13

[quote name='rustech' date='May 2 2005, 04:47 PM']Color would be a result of which oil you use.  There are some whom have used sythetic the whole time, and their cams look pristine.

[right][post="4064"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post][/right][/quote]



You are right about the different oils, but my car always had synthetic...just not mobile 1.

But if you look at the variocam of Vedder you can notice that the casing has a different color than the cams....those cams look pretty new to me. No oxid color while other parts do....



Harvey,

yes I'm very, very happy with the outcome of my variocam inspection. I will do regular checks from now on, like every 15k-20k miles. My mechanic told me that as long as the pads don't show more than 1 mm wear and the chain is within tolerances the variocam should be fine.
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#14

[quote name='Pitou' date='May 2 2005, 11:11 AM']You are right about the different oils, but my car always had synthetic...just not mobile 1.

But if you look at the variocam of Vedder you can notice that the casing has a different color than the cams....those cams look pretty new to me. No oxid color while other parts do....[/quote]



Since the cams are moving parts and the casing is not, it makes sense that the cams would look cleaner. I recall mine did too.
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#15

I don't know about that one....the oil is moving itself...touching parts defenitely would have a different colour.....

As you can see, my moving (original) cams are darker than the housing....
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#16

I don't know about that one...maybe someone took yours apart and rebuilt it with junkyard cams? Mine WERE cleaner than the housing.



Confucious say, moving parts have more contact and "friction" with oil than splattered housing.



Which oil are you using so I know which to avoid? Take a look at how clean Dave Greimann's inards are. Wow, the power of good oil.



Note: Darker yes (texture, material), cleaner no.



Vedder Cams
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#17

Oh yea, here is that picture. I surmise that the cleanliness is due to a diet of synthetic it's entire life.



[Image: mycams.jpg]
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#18

...what's this hick - hack about?

Important is that Vedder's cams look new...whether they are new or not.

Mine don't look too bad either.

The synthetic oil I used before switching to Mobil 1 is a renowned european brand.

Obviously it did a good job as well.

Regardless the color....I'm not a racist....may the variocam god with all of you and keep your cams safe and healthy.

No need to feel offended by different opinions....Rustech



And no....my cams are not from the junkyard.
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