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Author Topic: Cam follower question  (Read 2663 times)

Offline TheBALDpuma

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Cam follower question
« on: November 13, 2019, 01:36:29 pm »
Just booked my car in for a service and for the can follower to be replaced (106,000 miles now and I don't think it's been done before, definitely not in the 57k I've put on it)

Just to be totally clear... Is it the follower on the fuel pump that is the item to replace? Yeah I don't know what I'm doing! Haha.

Offline bobby_fodge

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Re: Cam follower question
« Reply #1 on: November 13, 2019, 01:48:11 pm »
yes, it fits over the piston of the high pressure fuel pump which is in the engine bay.

Offline TheBALDpuma

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Re: Cam follower question
« Reply #2 on: November 13, 2019, 02:08:58 pm »
Sweet. When I went in and asked the garage to replace my cam follower they told me I have many and it's a big job, unless I mean the one on the pump. Because I hadn't specifically heard the fuel pump mentioned before I just wanted to check!

They're a VAG specialist and they said they haven't had this be a common problem, but the forum has scared me into it enough to get it replaced. Part plus an hour's labour feels fine for peace of mind!

Offline bobby_fodge

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Re: Cam follower question
« Reply #3 on: November 13, 2019, 02:40:37 pm »
Ask to see your current cam follower once swapped. You should see some difference between it and the new one.

Offline coolhandluke

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Re: Cam follower question
« Reply #4 on: November 13, 2019, 05:33:50 pm »
Post a picture of it up if you can, be interested in seeing it.

Offline TheBALDpuma

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Re: Cam follower question
« Reply #5 on: November 13, 2019, 08:09:08 pm »
Ah yeah that'll be interesting, I'll ask them to hold onto it!

Offline pudding

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Re: Cam follower question
« Reply #6 on: November 15, 2019, 11:12:49 am »
Sweet. When I went in and asked the garage to replace my cam follower they told me I have many and it's a big job, unless I mean the one on the pump. Because I hadn't specifically heard the fuel pump mentioned before I just wanted to check!

They're a VAG specialist and they said they haven't had this be a common problem, but the forum has scared me into it enough to get it replaced. Part plus an hour's labour feels fine for peace of mind!

He's talking about the intake and exhaust camshaft followers, which is indeed a big job.  Make sure you say it's just the fuel pump follower you want doing or you'll get a huge bill  :grin:

The horror stories surrounding the follower are down to negligence and/or ignorance, so it's not something to worry about if you're diligent with cars.


2007 ED30 | 2009 TDI 140 | 2016 BMW 330D

Offline TheBALDpuma

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Re: Cam follower question
« Reply #7 on: November 15, 2019, 03:21:57 pm »
Sweet. When I went in and asked the garage to replace my cam follower they told me I have many and it's a big job, unless I mean the one on the pump. Because I hadn't specifically heard the fuel pump mentioned before I just wanted to check!

They're a VAG specialist and they said they haven't had this be a common problem, but the forum has scared me into it enough to get it replaced. Part plus an hour's labour feels fine for peace of mind!


He's talking about the intake and exhaust camshaft followers, which is indeed a big job.  Make sure you say it's just the fuel pump follower you want doing or you'll get a huge bill  :grin:

The horror stories surrounding the follower are down to negligence and/or ignorance, so it's not something to worry about if you're diligent with cars.

So you don't think it worth doing as a preventative measure?

Offline pudding

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Re: Cam follower question
« Reply #8 on: November 15, 2019, 04:30:25 pm »
Sweet. When I went in and asked the garage to replace my cam follower they told me I have many and it's a big job, unless I mean the one on the pump. Because I hadn't specifically heard the fuel pump mentioned before I just wanted to check!

They're a VAG specialist and they said they haven't had this be a common problem, but the forum has scared me into it enough to get it replaced. Part plus an hour's labour feels fine for peace of mind!


He's talking about the intake and exhaust camshaft followers, which is indeed a big job.  Make sure you say it's just the fuel pump follower you want doing or you'll get a huge bill  :grin:

The horror stories surrounding the follower are down to negligence and/or ignorance, so it's not something to worry about if you're diligent with cars.

So you don't think it worth doing as a preventative measure?

Sorry, ignorance can be misconstrued as an offensive word sometimes.....but it's not intended so.  Absolutely replace it if you're not sure it's been done in the last 106K miles.




2007 ED30 | 2009 TDI 140 | 2016 BMW 330D

Offline TheBALDpuma

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Re: Cam follower question
« Reply #9 on: November 15, 2019, 09:49:17 pm »
No offence taken at all, I am ignorant to anything much more complicated than an oil change  :grin:


Offline TheBALDpuma

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Re: Cam follower question
« Reply #10 on: November 21, 2019, 02:21:48 pm »
Cam follower replaced today.  It pretty much like brand new, haha. That's at 106k. Just slight scorings on the shaft bit.

Offline coolhandluke

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Re: Cam follower question
« Reply #11 on: November 21, 2019, 04:17:49 pm »
Cam follower replaced today.  It pretty much like brand new, haha. That's at 106k. Just slight scorings on the shaft bit.

Thanks for the update. Good to know 👍

Offline pudding

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Re: Cam follower question
« Reply #12 on: November 22, 2019, 11:41:42 am »
Cam follower replaced today.  It pretty much like brand new, haha. That's at 106k. Just slight scorings on the shaft bit.

I reckon someone's replaced it before and not documented it  :wink:  It's very unusual for a follower to last that long!


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Offline TheBALDpuma

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Re: Cam follower question
« Reply #13 on: November 22, 2019, 11:56:24 am »
Cam follower replaced today.  It pretty much like brand new, haha. That's at 106k. Just slight scorings on the shaft bit.

I reckon someone's replaced it before and not documented it  :wink:  It's very unusual for a follower to last that long!

Maybe, but I've had the car since 49k miles, so I know it hasn't been replaced in 57k.

Offline pudding

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Re: Cam follower question
« Reply #14 on: November 22, 2019, 12:03:58 pm »
Cam follower replaced today.  It pretty much like brand new, haha. That's at 106k. Just slight scorings on the shaft bit.

I reckon someone's replaced it before and not documented it  :wink:  It's very unusual for a follower to last that long!

Maybe, but I've had the car since 49k miles, so I know it hasn't been replaced in 57k.

Wow, that is very impressive in that case!  There's no reason why a follower can't last that long with regular oil changes and some mechanical sympathy, but it's rare!

Remaps and/or uprated pumps is what kills them off quickly though.


2007 ED30 | 2009 TDI 140 | 2016 BMW 330D