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I'm trying to rebuild my early 1999 996.1 (5-chain) variocam actuators, and received a seals kit from Hartage. In disassembling the thing I lost the spring under the piston. The spring an piston are illustrated on page 15-135 of th 996 Engine factory service manual (below) but none of these individual parts seem noted in the "996 Katalog" parts document. Does anyone know of or have the part nos for the plunger (#3) or the spring (#4)? I've been googlin' for hours.
Similarly, I was hoping to find an exploded diagram of these actuators which illustrates which exact seals go in which positions. Hartage has a pdf they share with the kit, but I'd like to see an actual diagram from Porsche if that exists. Has anyone seen something like this?
(I know they're intended to be replaced not disassembled, and that this a very difficult job... please don't point that out)
Those parts are not availible, never have been availible....I used to have a few old ones I sold/gave parts off of when people lost a spring or something, but now that they can be rebuilt they are too valuable to "part-.out"........You may have to find the ones you lost........Good Luck !!!
A bit off topic, but do you have a guide for Variocam rebuild?
Also does this means you don't have to buy news ones if your cam deviation is out of whack?
The variocam actuator either works or it doesnt. Its not adjustable so its on or off. The cam deviations being out of spec is caused by wear on the pads and chains.
The rebuild kit means u dont have to buy a $1100 actuator if it fails but u may have to do all the other work for fix the deviations.
The variocam actuator either works or it doesnt. Its not adjustable so its on or off. The cam deviations being out of spec is caused by wear on the pads and chains.
The rebuild kit means u dont have to buy a $1100 actuator if it fails but u may have to do all the other work for fix the deviations.
Thank you for the info, that helps a lot.
I presume I would be getting a code if the Variocam actuator was not working?
Contact Lee Jenkins at Hartage for the rebuild instructions and (£125) bag of replacement seals. I'd won't post his document here unless he blesses that.
The orings inside them can disintegrate and be injested by the small plunger - one or more of the seals was chewed to pieces, causing the whole thing to bind up. In my case that's what happened on track, and my car threw a dozen codes about misfires and cam position. Orings aren't able to last 25 years, so its really not a surprise... some of them were very brittle. Also, getting these things apart without damaging the aluminum bodies / inner sealing surfaces is a challenge.
De Jeeper, if you've got a spring that you'd part with, PM me please & thanks.
De Jeeper sent me a spring from his boneyard and we're back in business. I measured the spring and will try to recommend an equivalent part here for "the greater good" of the community.
Spring ends are "closed and ground" so they won't erode the seats when installed. It doesn't seem to be stainless, so I'm guessing "music wire" which is fatique resistant.
De Jeeper sent me a spring from his boneyard and we're back in business. I measured the spring and will try to recommend an equivalent part here for "the greater good" of the community.
Spring ends are "closed and ground" so they won't erode the seats when installed. It doesn't seem to be stainless, so I'm guessing "music wire" which is fatique resistant.
If any mechanical engineer wants to tell me why I'm wrong, I'd happily take the correction.
If you have means to measure the length of the spring when it carries a known weight you can calculate the spring stiffness and input that instead of making an assumption regarding the material and find an even closer match to the factory spring.
Edit: Thanks for sharing the spring data!
Last edited by hardtailer; Mar 25, 2024 at 03:49 PM.
Contact Lee Jenkins at Hartage for the rebuild instructions and (£125) bag of replacement seals. I'd won't post his document here unless he blesses that.
The orings inside them can disintegrate and be injested by the small plunger - one or more of the seals was chewed to pieces, causing the whole thing to bind up. In my case that's what happened on track, and my car threw a dozen codes about misfires and cam position. Orings aren't able to last 25 years, so its really not a surprise... some of them were very brittle. Also, getting these things apart without damaging the aluminum bodies / inner sealing surfaces is a challenge.
De Jeeper, if you've got a spring that you'd part with, PM me please & thanks.
would you care to share how you removed the plunger past the large retaining ring? I’m battling a variocam issue seems identical to yours and I’d like to inspect those seals. Thank you
Bob, I wrecked one of my actuators while learning. I bought a spare off eBay and rebuilt that one instead once I’d figured it out. Try putting it back together and repeating the disassembly till you’re more comfortable with it.
I pushed the piston down about 1/8 inch past the circlip, and pushed the clip straight down with a flat blade screw driver (touching only the clip), then rotating it to a position behind the clip, and let the clip spring force slide it back up but over the screwdriver.
See below:
Piston position Push clip down, then rotate screwdriver & lay flat against aluminum. Don’t let its sharp corner dig into the wall.
Bob, I wrecked one of my actuators while learning. I bought a spare off eBay and rebuilt that one instead once I’d figured it out. Try putting it back together and repeating the disassembly till you’re more comfortable with it.
I pushed the piston down about 1/8 inch past the circlip, and pushed the clip straight down with a flat blade screw driver (touching only the clip), then rotating it to a position behind the clip, and let the clip spring force slide it back up but over the screwdriver.
See below:
Piston position Push clip down, then rotate screwdriver & lay flat against aluminum. Don’t let its sharp corner dig into the wall.
does the inside plunger that the wear pad snaps on just slide out? Mine seems stuck and I’m afraid to put it in the press.
Variocam rebuild part numbers?
