Have ej25 with spun bearing. Metal shavings in oil pan. Should I take the heads apart to check for metal shavings in cam bearing before reusing heads, or can the heads just be cleaned with soapy water before re use.

I usually take them apart and clean them real well. My local machine shop also does a really nice clean up job on them but that's when the heads are in getting a resurface.

 

If it has variable valve timing (2006 and newer), the blocks that house the solenoids need to be removed from the heads. There are tiny screens inside of them which hold a lot of metal.

I usually take them apart and clean them real well. My local machine shop also does a really nice clean up job on them but that's when the heads are in getting a resurface.

 

If it has variable valve timing (2006 and newer), the blocks that house the solenoids need to be removed from the heads. There are tiny screens inside of them which hold a lot of metal.

Yes its VVT.  Thanks for the advise.

When you remove the VVT blocks (4 - 10mm bolts), you will see the screen on the inside. It's made of plastic with a mesh screen so be careful. I use a pair of needle nose pliers and grab it by one of the tabs that stick up. Clean it out with brake cleaner, some compressed air and you're ready to go.

Yes, carefully inspect the surface that the cams ride on. It's aluminum, and if shavings got in there, it can chew up the head and cause all kinds of problems.

Any time you're dealing with an engine that has spun a bearing it is a good idea to open it up and clean things out.

Yes, carefully inspect the surface that the cams ride on. It's aluminum, and if shavings got in there, it can ch

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ew up the head and cause all kinds of problems.

The surface the cams ride on look and feel smooth. I can see some imperfections with a magnifying glass. Can the surface be touched up with anything, like emory cloth?

 

Just came back from machine shop. No damage to cam surface area. Says I could clean cam suface area up with green pad. Put heads in tub with a little dawn dishwashing detergent and water then rinse and blow dry.

Edited November 29, 20169 yr by steve56

I inherited at Legacy outback with blown head gasket. The heads were already removed which means the cams were removed... now I have to reinstall but have no idea what cap was on what bearing. I know which ones go on right and left head but nothing more than that. Is position of cap on the bearing it came off of critical?

 

If SOHC, flush out the rocker shafts.  Lots of metal tends to collect there.