1.8T PERFORMANCE
CAMSHAFT & HEAD UPGRADES
Complete reference for 1.8T 20V head modifications — camshafts, valve train, and head gaskets with specs and build guidelines.
CAMSHAFTS
The 1.8T 20V head uses a chain-driven exhaust cam with belt-driven intake cam. All cams listed below are designed for the 20V head found in AWP, AUQ, AGU, AEB, ATW, and AMB engines. Duration is measured at 1mm lift. Always verify compatibility with your specific engine code.
SCHRICK
German-engineered. The gold standard for 1.8T street and track camshafts. CNC-ground from proprietary billet with hardened lobes.
| PROFILE | DURATION | LIFT | POWER RANGE | NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 264° | 264° intake / 256° exhaust | 10.8mm / 10.0mm | 3,500 – 7,200 RPM | Best all-around street cam. Smooth idle, excellent mid-range. No spring upgrade needed on stock turbo. |
| 272° | 272° intake / 264° exhaust | 11.0mm / 10.8mm | 3,800 – 7,800 RPM | Aggressive street / track cam. Slightly lumpy idle. Upgraded springs recommended at high boost. |
| 280° | 280° intake / 272° exhaust | 11.2mm / 11.0mm | 4,200 – 8,200+ RPM | Race profile. Rough idle, poor low-end. Upgraded springs and retainers mandatory. Mechanical lifters strongly recommended. |
CAT CAMS
Belgian-made performance camshafts. Known for aggressive profiles and competitive pricing. Popular in European tuning market.
| PART # | DURATION | LIFT | POWER RANGE | NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1013808 | 268° intake / 260° exhaust | 10.9mm / 10.2mm | 3,500 – 7,400 RPM | Mild street cam with OEM-like idle. Drop-in on stock springs. |
| 1013816 | 272° intake / 264° exhaust | 11.0mm / 10.8mm | 3,800 – 7,800 RPM | Popular street/strip profile. Comparable to Schrick 272. |
| 1013824 | 280° intake / 272° exhaust | 11.4mm / 11.0mm | 4,200 – 8,500+ RPM | Full race. Higher lift than Schrick 280. Mechanical lifters mandatory. Requires spring upgrade. |
TECHTONICS TUNING
USA-based VW specialists since 1987. Offer a range of reground and new-billet cams for 1.8T applications.
| PROFILE | DURATION | LIFT | POWER RANGE | NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 264° | 264° symmetric | 10.6mm | 3,200 – 7,000 RPM | Entry-level upgrade. Retains smooth idle. Works with OEM springs. |
| 272° | 272° symmetric | 10.9mm | 3,600 – 7,500 RPM | Good mid-range gain. Pairs well with K04 turbo setups. |
| 280° | 280° symmetric | 11.2mm | 4,000 – 8,000+ RPM | Aggressive race cam. Requires full valve train upgrade. |
STK PERFORMANCE
Budget-friendly option with competitive specs. CNC-ground billets with good availability.
| PROFILE | DURATION | LIFT | NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|
| 268° | 268° intake / 260° exhaust | 10.8mm / 10.2mm | Affordable street upgrade. Drop-in compatible. |
| 276° | 276° intake / 268° exhaust | 11.0mm / 10.8mm | Mid-level performance. Upgraded springs recommended above 25 psi. |
VALVE SPRINGS
OEM springs are rated for ~10.0mm lift and approximately 7,200 RPM with stock cams. Any cam with higher lift or intended use above 7,500 RPM requires upgraded springs to prevent valve float. Titanium retainers reduce reciprocating mass and allow higher safe RPM.
| BRAND | PART # | SEAT PRESSURE | OPEN PRESSURE | MAX LIFT | RETAINERS | NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SUPERTECH | SPR-TS1015 | ~85 lbs | ~210 lbs | 11.5mm | Ti available (?"SPR-RET" series) | Most popular upgrade. Beehive design reduces mass. Drop-in with stock retainers or upgrade to Ti. |
| FERREA | E11020-16 | ~90 lbs | ~230 lbs | 12.0mm | Ti retainers (sold separately) | Higher pressure for race applications. Excellent for 280°+ cams. Requires Ti retainers at high RPM. |
| IE | IEVSVA1 | ~82 lbs | ~205 lbs | 11.5mm | Includes Ti retainers | Integrated Engineering complete kit. Comes with springs, retainers, and keepers. Excellent value. |
| BAR-TEK | BT-VSPRG-18T | ~88 lbs | ~220 lbs | 12.0mm | Steel retainers included | German-made. Popular in Europe. Good middle ground between street and race. |
VALVES
OEM intake valves are 27.5mm, exhaust 30.0mm. Aftermarket options offer improved flow, lighter weight, and higher heat tolerance. Stainless steel for intake, Inconel for exhaust in high-boost applications. Oversized valves require machine work.
INTAKE VALVES
OEM size: 27.5mm head diameter, 6mm stem. 20 valves total (12 intake, 8 exhaust).
| BRAND | PART # | SIZE | MATERIAL | NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SUPERTECH | ?"RIVW-1815F | 27.5mm (stock) | Stainless Steel | Direct replacement. Improved flow profile. Black Nitride coated. |
| SUPERTECH | RIVW-1815F+1 | 28.5mm (+1mm OS) | Stainless Steel | Oversized. Requires machine work on seats. Significant flow improvement. |
| FERREA | F1265P | 27.5mm (stock) | Super Alloy | Race-grade. Higher temp rating than Supertech. Used in 500+ HP builds. |
| MANLEY | 11104-12 | 27.5mm (stock) | Stainless Steel | Budget race valve. Good quality for the price. Set of 12. |
EXHAUST VALVES
OEM size: 30.0mm head diameter, 6mm stem. 8 exhaust valves in the 20V head.
| BRAND | PART # | SIZE | MATERIAL | NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SUPERTECH | REVW-1815E | 30.0mm (stock) | Inconel | Direct replacement. Inconel for extreme exhaust temps. Essential for high-boost. |
| FERREA | F1266P | 30.0mm (stock) | Inconel 751 | Top-tier race exhaust valve. Handles 1000°C+ EGT. Used in professional builds. |
| MANLEY | 11105-8 | 30.0mm (stock) | Stainless Steel | Budget option. Adequate for street turbo builds under 400 HP. Set of 8. |
ADJUSTABLE CAM GEARS
Adjustable cam gears allow fine-tuning of valve timing events without removing the timing belt. Essential for dialing in aftermarket camshafts. The 1.8T uses a single intake cam gear (exhaust is chain-driven from intake).
| BRAND | PART # | ADJUSTMENT | MATERIAL | NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IE | IEBEVA1 | ± 10° | 6061-T6 Aluminum | Most popular option. Laser-etched degree markings. Anodized black. Intake cam only. |
| TECHTONICS | TT-ACG-18T | ± 8° | Billet Aluminum | USA-made. Vernier-style adjustment. Clear markings. Excellent quality. |
| BAR-TEK | BT-ACMG-18T | ± 12° | 7075 Aluminum | Wider adjustment range. Popular in European market. Includes ARP hardware. |
HEAD GASKETS
The OEM head gasket is a multi-layer steel (MLS) design rated for factory boost levels (~14 psi on AWP). Higher boost levels, especially with upgraded turbos, benefit from aftermarket MLS gaskets with higher clamp load tolerance. ARP head studs (204-4701) are strongly recommended with any aftermarket gasket.
| BRAND | PART # | THICKNESS | BORE | TYPE | MAX BOOST | NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ELRING | 150.122 | 1.61mm (OEM) | 81.0mm | MLS (3-layer) | ~20 psi | OEM replacement. German-made. Good to moderate boost with ARP studs. Best value for stock/Stage 1. |
| COMETIC | C4312-040 | 1.02mm (.040") | 82.0mm | MLS (5-layer) | ~35+ psi | High-performance. Thinner design raises compression slightly. 5-layer MLS for extreme clamp. Industry standard for big turbo builds. |
| COMETIC | C4312-051 | 1.30mm (.051") | 82.0mm | MLS (5-layer) | ~35+ psi | Thicker option for lowered compression on big turbo builds. Reduces detonation risk at high boost. |
| ATHENA | 330050R | 1.20mm | 81.5mm | MLS (3-layer) | ~30 psi | Italian-made. Mid-range option between Elring and Cometic. Copper spray coat for improved seal. |
Always use ARP head studs (204-4701) with aftermarket gaskets. OEM stretch bolts cannot be reliably re-torqued and do not provide adequate clamp load for high-boost applications. Torque ARP studs to 75 ft-lbs with ARP moly lube.
BUILD GUIDELINES BY POWER LEVEL
STAGE 1
200 – 260 WHP
Stock K03s turbo, tuned
Getting the most from the factory K03s. Cam upgrade optional but transforms the mid-range character.
HEAD COMPONENTS
- Schrick 264° or CAT Cams 268° (optional)
- OEM valve springs (adequate)
- OEM valves (adequate)
- Elring OEM head gasket
- ARP head studs (recommended)
SUPPORTING MODS
- APR / Unitronic Stage 1 tune
- 3" downpipe (catted or catless)
- Diverter valve upgrade (710N)
- Cold air intake (optional)
- Forge/GFB boost controller (optional)
The 264° Schrick is the single best mod-per-dollar on a stock-turbo 1.8T. Noticeable improvement in mid-range torque and throttle response without sacrificing idle quality.
STAGE 2
270 – 320 WHP
K04-001 or K04-023 turbo upgrade
K04 turbo with supporting head work. This is where cams really start to pay dividends — the larger turbo needs the extra flow.
HEAD COMPONENTS
- Schrick 272° or CAT Cams 272°
- Supertech SPR-TS1015 springs
- OEM valves (adequate at this level)
- IE adjustable cam gear
- Cometic .040" head gasket
- ARP head studs (mandatory)
SUPPORTING MODS
- K04 turbo + manifold
- APR / Unitronic K04 tune
- 3" turbo-back exhaust
- Upgraded FMIC
- 550cc or 630cc injectors
- Walbro 255 fuel pump (in-tank)
STAGE 3
350 – 450+ WHP
GT28RS, GT30R, Precision 5558, BorgWarner EFR
Full build territory. The head becomes the bottleneck — aggressive cams, full valve train, and porting are all on the table. Mechanical lifter conversion recommended for sustained high-RPM use.
HEAD COMPONENTS
- Schrick 280° or CAT Cams 280°
- Ferrea or Supertech springs + Ti retainers
- Supertech +1mm intake valves (ported seats)
- Ferrea Inconel exhaust valves
- Adjustable cam gear
- Cometic .051" head gasket (lower compression)
- ARP head studs (mandatory)
- Port and polish (recommended)
SUPPORTING MODS
- GT/Precision/EFR turbo kit + manifold
- Custom ECU tune (Eurodyne / ME7 flash)
- 1000cc+ injectors
- Walbro 450 or AEM 340 fuel pump
- Large FMIC (minimum 600×300×76mm core)
- Oil catch can
- ARP rod bolts or forged rods
- Upgraded clutch (Southbend Stage 3+)
At 400+ WHP, consider forged internals (rods at minimum). Stock rods are reliable to ~350 WHP with ARP rod bolts, but failures above that are common. The 06A block is good to approximately 500 WHP with proper preparation.
RECOMMENDED
CAM & HEAD PARTS
ARP Head Stud Kit 204-4701
VIEW ON AMAZON
Supertech Valve Spring Kit 1.8T
VIEW ON AMAZON
IE Adjustable Cam Gear 1.8T
VIEW ON AMAZON
Cometic MLS Head Gasket 1.8T
VIEW ON AMAZON