i didn't even think about the effects on the cam. Good call. thanks

 

the spring in the fuel pump needs to be just as good as the spring for the valve as well. good at high RPMs and not too stiff. that could help minimize the wear.

 

guys I have been looking around for an OEM cam follower online and cant seem to find one. do you know where I can get one at?

 

I buy all my parts from ECS tuning that are related to stock. Some items have free shipping. If you have a VW or Audi dealer near you I don't think you will save much money buying online vs convenience of stopping by your local dealer.

 

Sadly it's a pretty common problem.

http://www.purems.com/news/?p=53

 

ouch, it look like that one got teh busted

 

Just replaced mine for the first time at 130K. It was pretty worn out and had small chips taken out of the top of it. All good now.

 

You were extremely lucky waiting so long. I would have expected a hole in it.

 

It would be interesting to see all of the variables that can shorten the life of the cam follower. How hard you drive, and the type of oil are couple of variables I can think of. I also wonder if the number of cold starts per mile driven can have a significant effect. The more cold starts, the more wear. Since oil does not flow through the engine immediately during a cold start, it could leave the follower bone dry for an instant with lots of friction, and leave it susceptible to damage over time. Add to that, those of us who live in a very cold climate, where oil naturally does not flow quite as well. It is said that most engine wear happens at start up.

 

the miles on my car are all highway in 6th gear. That's why i think i was ok changing my follower at 130k. I would otherwise recommend that. I dodged a bullet there.