Cam caps!!!
 

....jesus helicoils aint that easy to install are they? :cry: ..Specially as i am simple :DD: .....needed 5 done.....The middle cam cap (YB) exhaust side the studs are slightly higher than the rest all in though and nuts torqued to 20ft/lb it wont matter will it?

Can you tell me the cam caps aint under massive stress are they?....I am sure all is ok but you cant do them too tight as the cam will where the cap?

Explain please.

Re: Cam caps!!!
 

It wont matter if the studs are slightly higher providing the nut is still free to move up and down the thread at its lowest point when installed.

The caps arent under much strain.

Best thing you could do with them installed (without the cams in) is to use a small dial gauge to check for ovality.

rule of thumb though:
providing they are visisbly making a circle still they will be fine, dont panic

Just so i understand...if you over tighten the cam caps what would happen?...Especially the first one that goes over the front cam seal?...(Previously everything was over tightened hence the need for helicoils)

i think it would,

A, distort the cap cap as they are made of soft material.

B, Promote wear on the cam cap.

C, cause the cam to be tight ,especially when the engine is hot

D, make the cam seal wear out faster, as it may hold the seal to tight against the cam,

sorry to hi jack but on the same topic, why are the two holes in each cap different sizes. from memory they are 8mm + 8.5mm and this allows some movement of the cap, its almost like they use the cam for cap location!

The most likely outcome is stripping the thread (like yours has done) potentially you could see distortion in the cap too, but it would have to be very tight for that and i would expect it to damage the thread first.

..yes they only go on one way plus all the studs from factory are at different heights and dont look str8..i guess this is part of the heat/cool down thing.

the caps are line bored, and numbered in sequence so they hopefully shouldnt be put on the wrong way.

...just so paranoid that a stud will snap or a nut comes off...helicoiling is an arse..i had to tap the studs lightly to line up with the cam cap...I locktited them in and on all the nuts so hopefully no issues...If they aint under much load then i guess not much can go wrong..even if over tightened etc!

torque them up then you cant overtighten them

..they are properly torqued now..i am just trying to understand the caps full role on my engine!

Thanks to Chip :eek: :eek:

Ive never heard of a stud or nut on a cam cap failing during use when correctly torqued, its only normally when people either assemble or dis-assemble that they get a problem.

If they did start coming loose, i would expect you to hear a rattle like a lifter was shagged as the clearance would be too big suddenly, i guess if you were really unlucky the cam itself could snap too, but even that rarely result in any bottom end damage

Oh get a room you two!! :blabla:

Thats strange...as the only reason i changed the followers is because of a top end rattle...and found studs turning!

Where is ginge (Bigbal) when you need help with cam caps. :cool:

I gave him some decent info a while ago. ;)

I did exactly the same on Sat Phil, had to tap the studs as the caps were catching the studs,but the way i looked at it was they all seemed to line up perfect from sight & once they're torqued down to the Ford settings all will be good!


Ps believe me i've been over & over this subject!! ;) Proper drama queen & i'm as simple as you! :cry: :top:

Quite possible they were turning due to stripping the threads when they were installed, then because they had turned they allowed the cam to move, which may have caused your rattle.

Perfectly possible there is nothing wrong with the lifters.

did you guys drill the head, then tap it, then fit the helicoil?

If so did you use a pillar drill?

There isnt any other way to fit a helicoil is there? :?

Can see where you are going with the pillar drill comment in terms of how "snugly" the caps fit the studs :top:

im going down the having to tap the studs to fit the cam caps ,must have drilled or tapped the hole on the piss

err pillar drill :?

That'll be a resound no then! :cry:

see! :cry:

if you had put the head on a level pillar drill ,and then drilled the hole dead straight it should have worked out fine, obviously you would still have room for error with the tapping, but drilling with a shonky black and decker hand drill isnt very accurate!

should be ok though :cry: :cry:

Totally agree mate.

as i say they all fitted, just very snuggly! :cry:

Oh well its done now, so have to live & learn.................. Oh and hope for the best!! :oops:

..i just a trusty Bosch drill whats a pillar :? ..All it said on my helicoil kit was use an 8mm drill bit!

On a pillar drill you would get a hole that more accurately followed the original path through the head, your studs ARE on the piss if you did it with a hand drill, its just a matter of how much by.
Hopefully not enough to matter at all :top:

you must have seen a pillar drill, a drill mounted on a level base upright with a handle on the side so whatever you drill is perfectly inline with the drill bit, no drilling on the piss

Yes, you will hear a rattle that increase with the rpm. :)

Had mine helicoiled and the rattle came back a few months later so the second time I had bigger bolts fitted intstead.

Thats a good idea ,drill the caps and tap the head to use bigger diameter studs,

I hardly had to tap them TBH...

...cant be recommended to drill the cam cap holes bigger surely?

..only had to do 3 holes in the end for cam caps..seal caps i guess are not as critical.

within reason it would be fine, obviously not 10mm bigger :cry: :cry:

Then guess what value to torque them to, lol

i have even made my own studs before, with a larger thread at one end so you dont need to use a helicoil, but they need to be just right or they can make the caps sit off the head a tad. :top:

Pretty sure thats what other people have done on here,IIRC you use CVH studs :?

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