I am putting back together my 2.5 (blown HG). The problem I am having is the front cam caps are not sitting on the head flush, there is a gap. I have not tried to wrench them down yet in fear of stripping the head. What is the trick for getting those cam's to sit deeper? Pic inclosed. Thank You for any help

Is it only the front ones that won't 'seat' or is is all of them for each cam including the ones under the valve cover?

 

I don't recall having any issues. Unless on those front ones somehow you forgot to remove the old RTV in the corners.

 

Dave

All of them have gaps, both cams. Does wrenching them down in order press the valves down thus closing the gap?

I recall 'some' resistance since the cam seals are new but nothing major.

 

But I've only done 3 or 4 2.5's.

 

Just to be clear - you're having trouble with all 4 cams (both heads) or 2 cams(one head) and all the caps for the cam(s) in question. It's not that the ones under the valve cover are o.k. and only the front cap is the problem.

 

I'll be running out and probably unavailable for a while. My GF's daughter's house burnt down on monday. We're still cleaning up and getting the temporary place in shape. My current duty is to install a few of those free standing clothes line things. After much laundering some smell is still in some clothes and blankets. I think they will break these things and won't even let the cement set up. But you know how it is. Sometimes it's best to just let them screw up.

 

Dave

I have only tried the passenger side at this time. It is every cam cap, 6 in total that are not 100% flush with the head. I am assuming that I need to crank them down and that will depress the lifter and make it all fit.

You need to have the cams in so that the heel of the cam is towards the lifter. In other words the lifter isn't being lifted.

I am going to rotate the crank shaft in the correct position and then I should be able to push the cam's down thus depressing the lifters.

Just read through it again, and it sounds like you just need to tighten the bolts to depress the springs. If the cam is turned so a lobe is pushing on the rocker, it won't sit down all the way (obviously), so you can either turn the cam, or just crank it down.

 

-Dave

It seems like to me both the cams and crank would need to be timed correctly before tightening the cams down if this is an interference motor.

 

And no matter how you have the cams timed, there will always be some valves that will be holding the cams up. Those cam towers need to be tightened first so the cams will go down level.

 

I sure would consult the fsm before assembling this motor.

^^^No

 

Put the crankshaft on the timing mark. Set the cams in so no lobes are pushing on lifters. Then the cams will sit all the way down. Then tighten the cam caps. Then turn the cams to the timing marks and put the belt on.

 

You won't bend valves just turning the cams with the engine off. I have built 30+ EJ dohc engines, trust me you can spin them 360 degrees.

^^^No

 

Put the crankshaft on the timing mark. Set the cams in so no lobes are pushing on lifters. Then the cams will sit all the way down. Then tighten the cam caps. Then turn the cams to the timing marks and put the belt on.

 

You won't bend valves just turning the cams with the engine off. I have built 30+ EJ dohc engines, trust me you can spin them 360 degrees.

Thanks that's good to know. Does that apply to the 2.5 sohc engines too?

Thanks that's good to know. Does that apply to the 2.5 sohc engines too?

 

I don't know, I have never messed with one of them. I do a lot with older EJ25 dohc, WRX EJ20 and older 2.2's. I have never had a newer 2.5 SOHC apart.

You won't bend valves just turning the cams with the engine off. I have built 30+ EJ dohc engines, trust me you can spin them 360 degrees.

 

Then you've been lucky , there is a caution in the manual as to which way to rotate the cam gear for alignment so that valve damage does not occur

It is mentioned in the article below

 

http://endwrench.com/images/pdfs/2.5Timing.pdf

 

SEA#3

You won't bend valves just turning the cams with the engine off. I have built 30+ EJ dohc engines, trust me you can spin them 360 degrees.

 

Then you've been lucky , there is a caution in the manual as to which way to rotate the cam gear for alignment so that valve damage does not occur

It is mentioned in the article below

 

http://endwrench.com/images/pdfs/2.5Timing.pdf

 

SEA#3

 

You can spin the cams around 10 times and you won't bend the valves. Trust me I have built many of these engines, it's not luck.

^^^No

 

Put the crankshaft on the timing mark. Set the cams in so no lobes are pushing on lifters. Then the cams will sit all the way down. Then tighten the cam caps. Then turn the cams to the timing marks and put the belt on.

 

You won't bend valves just turning the cams with the engine off. I have built 30+ EJ dohc engines, trust me you can spin them 360 degrees.

 

he's right. just make sure the crank is on the timing mark. I just did this job 5 weeks ago.

 

I'm curious, did you have the heads inspected, pres. teted, machined or just putting in a gasket? I say this because although my heads were ok the shop did a good cleaning job and a valve adjustment.

I had the heads machined along with a valve job. My issues is the lifters slash buckets are in the way of the cam sitting all the way down so the cam caps are flush to the head. If I put pressure on the cam I can push the lifters down. I will have to push the cam down whiling tighting the caps.

I installed the first cam. The cap went flush and I have a good fit. ONE MORE QUESTION. I think i have the hydraulic bucket lifters. Where does the cam need to be in order for me to check for clearances? Do I need to prime the buckets before I install them back in?