Camshafts which one and where to buy?

[Jarred]

G'day all.

I'm Looking at getting a cam for my 1600 in a few months. probably after a Euro GTi spec cam, or maybe a 260/270 deg jobbie and perhaps stronger valve springs, so I can rev it out a bit more :D Also, would a cam I fit to a 1600 also fit into a later model 1800?

So, does anyone have any experience they'd care to share for the benefit of us all? I've seen some made by autotech for sale, 120 USD and someothers on ebay for similar prices etc. Are there any places that sell cams in Australia, or will I have to take the spec to some one for it to get made locally?

Any brands to go for or not to go for?
Anyone got a cam experience they'd car to share?

Any other experience, advice, as always greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Jarred

[Preen59]

G Grind dude! for what you want it's the best option.. Gives a little lumpy idle (which sounds tough!) but a great blend of torque and horsepower. If it's a daily driver, search no further. VW tried and true.


G'day all.

I'm Looking at getting a cam for my 1600 in a few months. probably after a Euro GTi spec cam, or maybe a 260/270 deg jobbie and perhaps stronger valve springs, so I can rev it out a bit more :D Also, would a cam I fit to a 1600 also fit into a later model 1800?

So, does anyone have any experience they'd care to share for the benefit of us all? I've seen some made by autotech for sale, 120 USD and someothers on ebay for similar prices etc. Are there any places that sell cams in Australia, or will I have to take the spec to some one for it to get made locally?

Any brands to go for or not to go for?
Anyone got a cam experience they'd car to share?

Any other experience, advice, as always greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Jarred

[hgonops]

Take your car to bug racer instead. I am shortly.

[h100vw]

If your current head is a shimmed one, then the cam would not fit the majority of 1800s as they are hydraulic.

Also, fitting a cam in a shimmed head means having to get the clearances sorted out. This involves having access to a load of shims in various sizes.

Autotech cams are good.

Gavin

[Golf Loon]

Take your car to bug racer instead. I am shortly.

He is in Sydney and I`m sure wouldn`t want to work on a Mk1 :?

[Golf Loon]

G Grind is easiest, same as in a Mk2 1.8.

You may need some bits machined off the cam tunnel and definately need it shimmed correctly.

I may have one somewhere, let me know if you want to go this route.

[Jarred]

G Grind is easiest, same as in a Mk2 1.8.

You may need some bits machined off the cam tunnel and definately need it shimmed correctly.

I may have one somewhere, let me know if you want to go this route.


How hard is it to get the bits machined and shimmed etc?

[GoLfMan]

the shims are for you're valve clearences if i remember brightly, the shims are the things the cam lobes push down on, have a look at mine when you come over.
shouldnt be that hard.

i have the specs for a G-Grind cam, so just grab one of our many stock cams, ill grab one too and we'll got get them ground to spec! then you dont have to buggerise around with machining anything

[Golf Loon]

The G Grind is heaps chunkier than a stock 1.6 can and is bigger, so you could not grind down a smaller one to fit ;)

[GoLfMan]

The G Grind is heaps chunkier than a stock 1.6 can and is bigger, so you could not grind down a smaller one to fit ;)

ahh i see! good point then

[Preen59]

The shim goes between the valve and the bucket. The bucket seats neatly into a machined hole above the valve and as the cam lobe rotates it contacts the bucket which is connected to the shim which is on top of the valve and open goes the valve. You shim them to give clearance so that when the valve is shut, the cam lobe does not contact the bucket and hold to valve open, because if that happens, the valve can burn and you lose compression. Obviously you need the right amount of clearance so that you get the maximum lift from your camshaft when open.

There's more to it than that, but that will give you guys the basic idea of what is going on in the top of the head.

Pretty sure the g grind will go straight in without clearancing the head. But don't quote me.


the shims are for you're valve clearences if i remember brightly, the shims are the things the cam lobes push down on, have a look at mine when you come over.
shouldnt be that hard.

i have the specs for a G-Grind cam, so just grab one of our many stock cams, ill grab one too and we'll got get them ground to spec! then you dont have to buggerise around with machining anything

[Jarred]

Pretty sure the g grind will go straight in without clearancing the head. But don't quote me.

ha-ha. I quoted you.

seriously though. who would be able to do all the clearances and shims and stuff for a G-grind? Would I need to take a head/my engine down to them to an engine builder/engineering shop, as this is starting to get out of my leauge... :???:

[twin eng, twin turbs]

I have tried various different cam grinds over the years and it all depends on what your after power band and drivabilty wise. In a 1.6 litre the best factory cam is a "E" grind from the first series 1.6 GTI engines with the heron style head which is flat and dosn't have any combustion chambers in the head. They give a little more top end than a "G" grind from later 1.8 litre engines but still have a good torque band in the low rpm. The shim clearances can be adjusted yourself if you have a selection of shims and feeler gauges. With the engine cold the clearance between the inlet cam lobe and shim is 0.25mm to 0.35mm and the exhaust is 0.30mm to 0.40mm. The autotech 260 is a great all round cam for street and will give more power than both "E" and "G" grind factory cams. You can use your original valve springs they slip straight in as well. Schrick and tectonics are my pick for cam manufacturers. The best cam i have used would be the schrick 272 (big $) and this does require some die grinding to give clearance in the head due to the extra lift. Combined with 40mm twin webbers, 42mm inlet, 35mm exaust valves heavy duty valve springs and massive porting it totally transformed performance making strong power to 7500rpm. 160+ hp :D

[Jarred]

I have tried various different cam grinds over the years and it all depends on what your after power band and drivabilty wise. In a 1.6 litre the best factory cam is a "E" grind from the first series 1.6 GTI engines with the heron style head which is flat and dosn't have any combustion chambers in the head. They give a little more top end than a "G" grind from later 1.8 litre engines but still have a good torque band in the low rpm. The shim clearances can be adjusted yourself if you have a selection of shims and feeler gauges. With the engine cold the clearance between the inlet cam lobe and shim is 0.25mm to 0.35mm and the exhaust is 0.30mm to 0.40mm. The autotech 260 is a great all round cam for street and will give more power than both "E" and "G" grind factory cams. You can use your original valve springs they slip straight in as well. Schrick and tectonics are my pick for cam manufacturers. The best cam i have used would be the schrick 272 (big $) and this does require some die grinding to give clearance in the head due to the extra lift. Combined with 40mm twin webbers, 42mm inlet, 35mm exaust valves heavy duty valve springs and massive porting it totally transformed performance making strong power to 7500rpm. 160+ hp :D

We'll it's for my daily, so I'd like useable tourqe and a top end would be nice,but not crucial. would you recommend the autotech 260 then? DO i need to fiddle with shims to put this one in, or is it more a "plug an play" kind of cam??

[Peter Jones]

You're going to have to set up the shims on any cam you put into a 1600.

Pete

[Preen59]

We'll it's for my daily, so I'd like useable tourqe and a top end would be nice,but not crucial. would you recommend the autotech 260 then? DO i need to fiddle with shims to put this one in, or is it more a "plug an play" kind of cam??

Isn't the autotech 260 a copy of the G grind? Anyway, it would be a good cam to start with. The best thing is to ring the place you want to purchase your cam from and with a rough idea of what you want, ask them some questions and if they have half a brain, they'll steer you in the right direction.

For your level of experience, pick the cam you want and take the head and cam down to a cylinder head shop and say "put this cam in it". It will cost you a bit but if you have no experience and nobody to help you out, it's the safest way.