Clearance issues with installing 7a cam cover

[momento1]

anybody had internal clearance issues installing a 7a cam cover after installing 7a cams?

my workshop guy said he had to go back to the aby cam cover as it was touching on something after he installed the 7a cams???

is this probable?

[K Simmonds]

Err, no, not really probable at all, a 7A cam cover should cover 7A cams, unless it's been machined down for some reason and I can't think of a good one. Did he say what was fouling?

[momento1]

thats what i thought..

No the cam cover hasnt had any skimming from what i can tell.
He wasnt sure if it was the cam retainer or not...

No big deal for now anyways because i want to get the cam cover painted before i install but i would have thought its a straight swap...

hmmm fustrating

[K Simmonds]

That is odd, if your fitting it to an ABY/ADU you have to modify the oil breather system a little, and it really needs machining to accept coil packs, I guess you probably already know that though. It should fit otherwise and clear everything on the underside.

[momento1]

yes exactly
have to machine out the holes slightly to accept the coilpacks and run and external breather pipe. so i am aware of that, but of course thats not the issue...

it is a weird one.
Im going to have to pull it off myself later and mark up where the clearance problem is...

[K Simmonds]

Yep you've got it, as you say best bet is to have a look yourself, who knows, maybe he was rushing and tried to put it on backwards or something, you have to be pretty retarded to try that though.

Doesn't make sense

[A1QSHIP]

If the cam caps were installed backwards could this cause a problem?

[K Simmonds]

If the cam caps were installed backwards could this cause a problem?

Possibly, cam caps must be in their correct positions and the the right way around, otherwise the shafts won't be at all happy.

[UrS4boy]

Cam Cap Orientation and Tighenting Procedure

anybody had internal clearance issues installing a 7a cam cover after installing 7a cams?

7A cams have more lift and duration than any other 20V Inline 5 Audi engine. That said, the lift increase is not that HUGE.

Intake

AAN, ABY, 3B_ Opens 3° ATDC, closes 25° ABDC, duration 202°, lift 8,3mm
ADU__________Opens 13° ATDC, closes 35° ABDC, duration 202°, lift 8,3mm?
NM __________Opens 0° ATDC, closes 32° ABDC, duration 212°, lift 9,6mm?
7A___________Opens 6° ATDC, closes 38° ABDC, duration 212°, lift 9,6mm

Exhaust

AAN, ABY, 3B_ Opens 42° BBDC, closes 9° BTDC, duration 213°, lift 8,6mm
ADU__________ Opens 24° BBDC, closes 1° ATDC, duration 205°, lift 9,5mm
NM __________ Opens 35° BBDC, closes 3° BTDC, duration 212°, lift 9,6mm
7A___________ Opens 42° BBDC, closes 3° BTDC, duration 219°, lift 10,5mm


If you don't get the cam caps on in the right orientation or if you tighten them incorrectly, then you can easily break a cam cap. Since the caps and the head are rifle-bored as a unique unit, if you break a cap, you are in for a world hurt (spelled $$$$).

When you stand on the exhaust side of the head, the numbers are upside down. From the inlet side, they are right side up, as per the diagram below. If you flip a cam cap, end for end, it will be misaligned, potentially causing it to crack and break.