Cam caps

650ed wrote: You should contact the seller and see if he can possibly find the cam caps. The journal for the cam in the cam caps and head are machined together, so using caps from another head may lead to problems. I'm not saying it cannot be done, but if possible always keep the head and caps together.

+1

Even caps from the same motor often won't swap from position to position.

I have 2 motors that were given to me where all of the caps were mixed together and it took a long time to get the caps matched to the head they came from.

I'd hate to think what it would be like matching caps from totally different motors.

You can install them and feel if there is a bump at the mating surface or not, but even if smooth, that won't necessarily mean the hole is round.

That said, I know people here have done it, presumably with success.

I don't think line boring will help since you might have to take off to much material. Does anyone make cams with oversize journals?

Not really worth the effort or cost to pay a machine shop to do this type of work. Buy a head with the caps installed in the proper location to begin with.
A shop that align bores blocks wouldn't necessarily align bore your head. Not the same machine used to do this operation.
Call some of the head shops that advertise here and ask for their advice. They will know exactly what you're up against. Like you stated earlier, you paid $100 for the head. If you can use some of the parts, good for you. If not, sell it as a non complete head to the next guy that can use it as it is.

they machine the bottoms of the caps lou.
which makes the hole oval and then go back in and re-machine the hole hopefully just bareley brushing the head side and taking most of the meat outta the cap.which leaves the hole the same size as before.

hth,

leon

531blackbanshee wrote: they machine the bottoms of the caps lou.
which makes the hole oval and then go back in and re-machine the hole hopefully just bareley brushing the head side and taking most of the meat outta the cap.which leaves the hole the same size as before.

hth,

leon

Ahhh. Thanks Leon.

Seems like a pretty tricky job to pull off.

But what if the cap is not centered left to right (when viewed from side of engine)? That's what I noticed about mismatched caps when I was juggling them.

loudhvx wrote:

531blackbanshee wrote: they machine the bottoms of the caps lou.
which makes the hole oval and then go back in and re-machine the hole hopefully just bareley brushing the head side and taking most of the meat outta the cap.which leaves the hole the same size as before.

hth,

leon

Ahhh. Thanks Leon.

Seems like a pretty tricky job to pull off.

But what if the cap is not centered left to right (when viewed from side of engine)? That's what I noticed about mismatched caps when I was juggling them.

eww,not good lou. :sick:

hopefully they have enough meat in em to cut enough away and still have the needed strength. :pinch:
otherwise get friendly with a machinist and get some custom caps machined. :laugh:

leon

Hmmm...a good friend of mine does machining out of his farm shop. I'll have to seek his advice.

And another question, it's seams like all the j heads go for around ~$200 on eBay, is that about what fair market value is?

531blackbanshee wrote:

loudhvx wrote:

531blackbanshee wrote: they machine the bottoms of the caps lou.
which makes the hole oval and then go back in and re-machine the hole hopefully just bareley brushing the head side and taking most of the meat outta the cap.which leaves the hole the same size as before.
hth,
leon

Ahhh. Thanks Leon.
Seems like a pretty tricky job to pull off.
But what if the cap is not centered left to right (when viewed from side of engine)? That's what I noticed about mismatched caps when I was juggling them.

eww,not good lou. :sick:

hopefully they have enough meat in em to cut enough away and still have the needed strength. :pinch:
otherwise get friendly with a machinist and get some custom caps machined. :laugh:
leon

Well, that was only while I was sorting the caps. I eventually got them matched to their original locations and all was smooth.