cam journals

[CopperCollar]

I have a couple of heads another member was kind enough to send me.

I don't have them yet but I understand the cam journals do not match or are not original to the head I should say.

I figure I can set the cams in and plastic gauge the journals to see where clearances are and if they are acceptable I can bolt it up and run it.

This is something I wouldn't normally do as I believe in matching wear parts but it's something I want to explore.

Best case is it works, worst case.... journals get lined bored and cams get built up and ground for proper clearance.

What do you guys think?

Mike

[daves79x]

Mike:

Honda themselves acknowledged changing caps is acceptable by offering the tach drive cap as a separate part number (many were broken by owners/mechanics that didn't read the shop manual). If the line boring was so unique to each head, then they wouldn't have offered that. Your approach of plastigauging the replacements is sound and will work fine if the clearances are good.

Dave

[CopperCollar]

Sounds good Dave.

I'll give it a shot and see how out comes out.

Mike

[EMS]

Mike:

Honda themselves acknowledged changing caps is acceptable by offering the tach drive cap as a separate part number (many were broken by owners/mechanics that didn't read the shop manual). If the line boring was so unique to each head, then they wouldn't have offered that. Your approach of plastigauging the replacements is sound and will work fine if the clearances are good.

Dave

That was the ONLY one they ever offered, and only about 2 years into production. I think there was still a concern on Honda's side. Plastigauging, however, is an acceptable way to go. I have done it on a couple of caps that had the threads of the valve cover bolts stripped.