Yes, thats what I mean chief, as it would cause it to nip up. :thumbs:

i get what your saying now.you mean that the journal in the cap could be slightly offset i.e. slightly more to the right or left compared to another one.i was talking about the acual depth/circumference off the jounal in the cap matching the cam.i agree with what you are saying now we are talking about the same thing.i done a couple of years as an engineer machining cylinder heads and so on.

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Originally posted by sri power
the same with cams then.as they will have there tolerances to fit correctly.so if they do how can you swap them from head to head.my point is that the tolerance you are stating on the cam caps must match the cams for them to run smoothly.i'm not syaing that swapping caps is a good idea just that it can be done.and theres not as much difference as every one makes out.

[Edited on 23-01-2008 by sri power]

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the same with cams then.as they will have there tolerances to fit correctly.so if they do how can you swap them from head to head.my point is that the tolerance you are stating on the cam caps must match the cams for them to run smoothly.i'm not syaing that swapping caps is a good idea just that it can be done.and theres not as much difference as every one makes out.

[Edited on 23-01-2008 by sri power]

What you are missing is that the caps are basically 'halved', ie. the cap is fastened to the head, line bored and then removed, hence why they are numbered etc. So if when each head is line bored you will get manufacturing tolerances depending on how true it runs, by then mixing and matching parts you are then installing further tolerance issues.

so how can the caps differ so much yet you can swap cams from head to head?i agree there might be some difference but not much.and cams have everything to do with it as it's the caps that hold them in and if they are so different then you would not be able to swap cams from head to head.

Thats because if you have the original caps they are line bored to a specific size. If you swap the caps about you may end up with it not being matched, essentially having an offset hole. It has nothing to do with the cams though.

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Originally posted by LETGSI16V

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Originally posted by sri power
yeah a proper engine builders would check the tolerances of the cam jounals against the cam caps.then machine them if need be.obviously if the too loose theres not much they can do.there wont be a lot of difference between caps anyway.as people swap cams over all the time.if you buy a set of reground cams for instance they will not be exactly machined to fit your head but will be fine.

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Sorry but I do not see what changing cams has to do with cam caps?

Yes you may have a slight amount of play on the studs when you put the cap on but it centres on the journals before it is tightened down.

The caps are line bored specifically to the head, it isn't ideal but as pointed out people have done it in the past. Personally for the risk involved of it 'nipping' I would get a head which is fitted with the original caps (saying that you have no guarantee!)

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thanks for help anyway mate.

Thats the best bet, they are far more able to assess it than people on the internet are TBH!

i have absolutly no clue how to do that lol ill have to take it to the place thats curruntly rebuilding my head and see what they'v got to say about it

Depends on the 'slop' on those 2 or 3 to be honest. Maybe stick them on with a cam in place, make a location mark, take them off, remove the cams and then refit lining up the location mark (use a scribe etc) and then use an internal vernier and take as many measurements as possible to check how true it is?

i only have 2 or 3 missing so if i use all the original ones and the 2 or 3 off the other head do you think that would be orite?

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Originally posted by sri power
yeah a proper engine builders would check the tolerances of the cam jounals against the cam caps.then machine them if need be.obviously if the too loose theres not much they can do.there wont be a lot of difference between caps anyway.as people swap cams over all the time.if you buy a set of reground cams for instance they will not be exactly machined to fit your head but will be fine.

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ok thanks mate

yeah a proper engine builders would check the tolerances of the cam jounals against the cam caps.then machine them if need be.obviously if the too loose theres not much they can do.there wont be a lot of difference between caps anyway.as people swap cams over all the time.if you buy a set of reground cams for instance they will not be exactly machined to fit your head but will be fine.

so if i get it done properly then it will deffinatly be ok to do?

it's not ideal but has been done before.if you are going to do it yourself andnot take it to a proper engine builders when putting them on keep checking that the cam turns ok everytime you tighten a cap down fully.best to do it with the lifters out of the head.no gurantee the caps fit the journals correctly though.if your not sure get it done properly.

not supposed to as they are machined to that head

can i use cam caps off my old head on a different head? both redtop heads.