Is this cam useable?

[BogusSVO]

In my area, it is $100-$125 per side.

So unless the head has had extensive work done to it, you would be better off with another core head.

 

[coyotes]

it is an OEM rebuild, the previous owner had it shaved down pretty far underneath, but couldn't be arsed to get the cam caps right. I will likely just go with another cylinder head if cams bind.

The previous owner of my spare engine made all sorts of dumb decisions. I am getting it all corrected though and ready to run.

 

[Spyder]

Sounds like the situation I had with my engine.

All my cams journals looked like that. The upper caps on the head were deeply scored and it was due to 2 things.

I even had a rocker seize up and fall out, the cam lobe on the number 1 cylinder exhaust cam was smacking the rocker while it was falling out. One day the engine sounded just like a WRX boxer engine and I didn't know what it was until I pulled the valve cover off, saw the cam lobe and the rocker sitting in the bottom of the head. I couldn't believe it. The engine was supposedly rebuilt by an experienced builder in Salt Lake City. It didn't look like it.

1) Engine was assembled dirty
2) Oil starvation.

Check the oil supply hole on the head where the head bolt runs through and check for depth on it and clearance compared to the head stud.
Link to Jafro. Awesome stuff.

Jafromobile


The head that was on my car was previously line honed and I have been told in the past that is a very poor decision for trying to fix a warped head. It is better to heat cycle a head and straighten it but most people don't do it because of know how or clients don't want to pay for it. So I have been told.

My head was junk and had to rebuild another.

I also had to replace all main and rod bearings. The oil pan was dented and had low clearance for the oil take up tube. Stupid.

More was wrong on my engine that it sounds like on yours I am sure. Sorry for rambling but if I can help save you some useless heart and head aches in the future, so be it.

Now is the time to make sure you have everything that is critical correct. Oil port mods in the head, etc.

The only thing I wish I would have done differently was to leave the balance shafts in the engine. I know that sounds crazy, but I drive the car every day and I miss having a totally smooth engine. My balance shafts were scored on the the journals and didn't pass a fingernail test, so they were tossed and I went with a AMS balance shaft eliminator kit.

Check out some other videos by Jafro, that guy has some good stuff.

Good luck man.

 

[14of2000]

So I just got the cam back and it looks to me like they just cleaned it up. Maybe I was expecting more but this is what it looks like now. Should I send it back or does that look repaired?

 

[BogusSVO]

Can you feel anything with your fingernail? or is it just discolored?

I doubt they just ground it down, with as bad a groove you had, your oil clearance would be huge on that journal.

 

[14of2000]

Nothing really catches my fingernail, but there is still a slight groove in it. Jon from delta said he would pay for shipping both ways, If I paid an extra 25.00 for the cam welding.

 

[toybreaker]

Quoting 14of2000:
So I just got the cam back and it looks to me like they just cleaned it up. Maybe I was expecting more but this is what it looks like now. Should I send it back or does that look repaired?




Pictures only tell part of the tale, but that looks like less than an optimal "repair"


fwiw, I've had more than a few pieces welded / resized over the years, and they *generally* showed some evidence of being worked (like a heat effected zone) adjacent to the area that was serviced

Have you measured it yet?

I'd also check it for run-out while you're at it.


That will tell many tales.

 

[manikbastrd]

Quoting 14of2000:
Nothing really catches my fingernail, but there is still a slight groove in it. Jon from delta said he would pay for shipping both ways, If I paid an extra 25.00 for the cam welding.



If it is straight and true and you can't catch it with your fingernail, it will probably be just fine. If you are worried, you can have it welded and ground, but I suspect that it is fine. It looks like a little discoloration is all...
GL!

 

[BogusSVO]

I hope Delta did more than grind/polish it down.

That section of the journal does have an oil feed to it, so if all Delta did was grind it down the oil clearance will be too large, and rob oil from the other journals up the line.

If you have a set of dial calipers, measure it, and compare it to the other journals. If it is about .001 smaller you should still be fine, but if you are like .005-.010 send it back.

 

[prove_it]

Mike, bring them back to the shop and lets remeasure them now that Bogus gave us a better spec.

I checked them quick for him using a venier caliper. The couple I did measure were the same spec. I'll have to use the Mic and verify so he can post up real info.

 

[BogusSVO]

If you checked a couple and the repaired one was close. bolt it in and go.

 

[prove_it]

It wasn't a real measurement. I just checked em quick, with a caliper. I'll check them with the mic to be sure. Mike is the kinda guy who would do it right one time, than do it wrong a million times.

 

[BogusSVO]

That is engine building for you, Be as anal as you want to be.

Now to go play with a B20....

 

[14of2000]

Thanks guys, I'll bring it to you tomorrow Ryan. Hopefully it's within spec so I don't have to send it back. It's gonna be nice to finally having my car back up and running! I'll let you guys know what we find out.