Re: adjustable cam gear

["Mawster Chadwick" <chadwick@mail.cadvision.com>]

> So can anybody tell me if I can just put one of my diesel cam gears on
> an 8v engine?  The diesel cranks have a tapered end with a keyway, but
> the pulleys don't have a keyway.  I've never had the gear off an 8v cam,
> so I don't know if the end is tapered.  It seems to me if this would
> work that there is yet another good high performance use for diesel
> parts!  (Along with bigger clutches, bigger cv's, and heavier duty motor
> mounts)
> 
> Thanks for your time guys!
> 
> John
> 
> '87 16v Scirocco
> '86 GTi <--- for sale
> '85 Jetta diesel
> '82 diesel pickup
> '69 baja Beetle
> parts cars - '80 Rabbit diesel, '86 GTi, '88 16v GTi
> website - http://www.prod.net/jvanvuren/vw.htm

IMHO IMHO IMHO IMHO IMHO IMHO IMHO IMHO IMHO IMHO IMHO 
To answer your question, the 8V camshaft IS tapered at the end, the woodruff 
key will sit at a slight angle when it's seated in between the shaft and 
sprocket.  If you're thinking about putting a diesel sprocket on your 8v 
engine, count the teeth, they MUST be the same as the one on the Ignition 
timing sprocket.  Otherwise, you will be fucked.  I wouldn't try it, though, 
unless the diesel is keyed for a woodruff key.  Hmm.  If the keyslot is either 
advanced or retarded from the original, this would make for a valve timing 
adjustment.  If the valves get opened sooner (advanced), you will have better 
high-end power, if they open later(retarded), better low-end oomph.  You 
probably won't get any HP change, but will shift your "Power-Band" either up or 
down the RPM scale.

Compare the 2 sprockets, if the keyhole in the diesel is clockwise from the 
stock one, you will have advanced valve timing.  Counterclockwise from the 
stock keyhole will give you retarded timing (ask Corky Thatcher) :)  I wouldn't 
do it if the difference is more than about 5 degrees.

Note, I don't think you can crash your valves into the pistons on a stock 8v 
motor.  I put my valve cam sprocket on backwards, and the engine complained and 
wheezed and backfired, but when I put it on properly, everything worked fine 
(whew!!).  No smashed valves/destroyed pistons.  I praised the lord, then 
proceeded to change my soiled trousers.

Disclaimer: I am not a professional Mechanic.  This is all of course from my 
experience and dead-reckoning.  
IMHO IMHO IMHO IMHO IMHO IMHO IMHO IMHO IMHO IMHO IMHO 
Chad Ptasinski
1985 8V Scirocco
"http://www.cadvision.com/Home_Pages/accounts/chadwick/"
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