Please look at my cam and cam journals....

[Wolf_Tm250]

Any time I remove the camshafts and their journals,

they always are in these conditions...












are they in good-average conditions for their age ( 2000 kms old ) or do you think there is a problem somewhere ?

Oil pressure ( picked up in the head ) is good, I have the WRC oil pump, 2 bar at idle and 6 bar at high rpm.

Oil is Motul 10W-40 100%sint.

Engine is a Toyota 3SGTE 2000cc. turbo.

Cam journal clearance could be a bit high... 0.08 mm... could this be the reason of those signs ?

Thanks in advance.

[beth]

I have no experience with that particular engine but all aluminum OHC caps that I have seen look similar. I just touch up the journal with scotchbrite to make sure there is no aluminum deposited there. I make sure the wear is even (which yours seem to be) and not just at opposite corners as they do when the towers are out of line. I always use assembly lube there when going together as some OHCs take a bit to get oil up there even if pre oiled.

[larrycavan]

I agree with Beth.

One thing I notice is the seating surfaces of the cam caps are quite rough and one looks like it's been pried off with a screw driver. If, as you say, your clearances are on the high side and you have room to do so, I would resurface the caps on a flat surface with some fine sand paper. I'd also have look at their matching surface on the head and smooth that.

Also, if they're doweled in place, I'd look closely at the dowels and either sand them or replace them as well as clean up the holes in the caps.

To some it may seem insignificant but I'm always fussy about those things.

Also check the edge of the oil grooves for any sharpness. Remove it as required. Their angled position means the entire cam journal can be affected by a sharp edge there. It could be responsible for the marks on the journals.

I always install cams with assembly lube on the journals after removing them. A lot of motorcycle engines require pulling the cams to swap valve shims so I see a lot of this sort of thing.

I"d probably use a tad bit of Mothers Cream aluminum polish and a T shirt to polish up the bearing surfaces of the caps as well. Not a lot, just a bit on each one.

I'd also hit the cam journals with some Never Dull just to be certain everything was very smoothe.

In all honesty, I see a couple of hours of detail attention that I'd put into them. Most probably wouldn't bother.

JMO

Larry C

[Wolf_Tm250]

I have no experience with that particular engine but all aluminum OHC caps that I have seen look similar. I just touch up the journal with scotchbrite to make sure there is no aluminum deposited there. I make sure the wear is even (which yours seem to be) and not just at opposite corners as they do when the towers are out of line. I always use assembly lube there when going together as some OHCs take a bit to get oil up there even if pre oiled.

Thank you beth!

[Wolf_Tm250]

One thing I notice is the seating surfaces of the cam caps are quite rough and one looks like it's been pried off with a screw driver.

No, it's some grease... the seating surfaces are perfect...

If, as you say, your clearances are on the high side and you have room to do so, I would resurface the caps on a flat surface with some fine sand paper. I'd also have look at their matching surface on the head and smooth that.

This is what I made the last time I checked the valve clearance, that is to say 1000 kms ago...
I didn't remove too much material because I was afraid to ovalize the journal...

Also, if they're doweled in place, I'd look closely at the dowels and either sand them or replace them as well as clean up the holes in the caps.

To some it may seem insignificant but I'm always fussy about those things.

No, the cam caps are bolted on the head.

Also check the edge of the oil grooves for any sharpness. Remove it as required. Their angled position means the entire cam journal can be affected by a sharp edge there. It could be responsible for the marks on the journals.

Ok, done today...

I always install cams with assembly lube on the journals after removing them. A lot of motorcycle engines require pulling the cams to swap valve shims so I see a lot of this sort of thing.

I"d probably use a tad bit of Mothers Cream aluminum polish and a T shirt to polish up the bearing surfaces of the caps as well. Not a lot, just a bit on each one.

I'd also hit the cam journals with some Never Dull just to be certain everything was very smoothe.

In all honesty, I see a couple of hours of detail attention that I'd put into them. Most probably wouldn't bother.

JMO

Larry C

Thank you Larry, all done today...