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Hey guys. I post this in my head gasket thread I started but got no response. Ok so as I was disassembling my motor to fix the head gaskets I came across this. These are the end caps that cover the ends of the cams. Notice the one on the left. The cam is fine just this scoring on this cap. Think this can be polished out to the point to where I don't need to get into a major job? New head/ porting/ machining ect?
First off, I am no FI engine building expert. But damage to a end cap, not a cam cover (as in the title for this thread), is not good. At the very least, the scoring on that journal will need to be inspected to determine if it can be polished out. Be sure to bring along the cam, so the engine builder can re-inspect it as well. If possible, get a VQ specialist to examine it.
The damage is significant enough that it makes no sense to put the engine back together without addressing damage to that end cap.
new end cap should be lapped in with the cam and head with lapping compound and plastigauged to check for proper clearance (if it's anything like my bike engine)...ask me how I know....
Last edited by ogiehooker; Dec 8, 2015 at 11:58 AM.
Reason: sp
Ok so today I pulled my heads. Check all angles and so far so good. Manual calls for max .1mm is the limit. All good in that area so seems nothing is worped heads or block. May just been faulty head gasket. I did notice two of the head bolts didn't seem as tight as the others so maybe just wasn't torqued properly idk. I'm still planning on takin the heads to the machine shop and having a professional look at them. Also the end caps to see what direction I need to go in order to fix properly. If anyone can help with a question I have. Is it an issue if the lifters few out when I flipped the head over and I don't know exactly what valve they went on? Idk what I was thinking when I flipped it over. I guess I thought they weren't going to go anywhere. Thanks guys!!!
That's the cam journal. That needs to be micro-polished. Not enough clearance there will damage the cam. Too much clearance will lower the oil pressure. That channel is an oil journal. That cap (and the other cam caps) are only sold as part of the head because they're machined to fit.
Yes, it matters. You started this thread asking for advice on "cam cover damage". In the second post, I suggested you get it inspected/assessed by a competent engine builder. Good thing you did, it avoided a lot of time and money wasted. And you're welcome!
If nothing else, this thread serves as a good pictorial reminder of what serious and permanent engine damage to the top end of a VQ looks like.
Good luck on finding some good heads to replace these.
True. Didn't look at it that way. So after noticing the cap had damage i noticed some scoring on the head. Took to the shop and quick look they knew Rt away I needed a bed one. This is all a learning process to me. Like you said oil pressure will drop. After looking at cam that I thought was damaged the guy polished end real quick and showed me that cam was damaged also. I'm now on the hunt for a good head. Found a few on eBay. The ones I think look the best don't have the cam caps on them. Smh. Did find one tho complete, but looks like a lot of miles of unchanged oil. This is starting to be a nightmare
I definitely advise not getting just caps. The way Nissan makes the heads... They cast the parts separately then machine the top of the head and the bottoms of the caps. The caps are then bolted to the head and the cam journals are bored out and polished. This means the caps and head are a matched set. After they're bored and before they're unbolted, the caps are stamped with numbers denoting their location on the head. Not only are the caps matched to the head, but they need to always be installed in the same spot.
Need advice on cam cover damage
