Damn torx cam cap bolts

[defrag010]

yeah... nissan's v8 engineering marvel, and they decide to use those POS itty bitty *** torx head cam caps, and they tighten them down to torque that strikes fear into even the biggets headbolts.

3 snapon sockets broken, half of the damn cam cap bolts stripped the **** out so bad that I'm going to have to drill them out, and for no reason.

You can rest assured that my #1 priority as of now is finding some damn 5 point cam cap bolts that will work in the VH, and if there aren't any, then I will have them made..... because f*** all of that torx bull****. This has happened on all 8 out of 8 heads that I've taken apart, and it's doing nothing but costing more time.

[PopPop]

You have to make sure the holes are totally clean,dry and free of grease and oil etc. Then I apply heat to break the seal and install my sears Torx, 3/8 drive socket and tap it with a hammer. I then use my 3/8 drive breaker bar and they comeout no problem. Year ago I had one strip and have had none since 11 engines later!

[mtcookson]

Impact wrench was the only reliable way I found to get them out. First time through I only ruined one and that was because I didn't use the impact. I use an electric impact though, so the results might be different with an air impact... shouldn't be though.

The one I ruined I had to slot and use a flat head... and I still had to use the impact to get it out. I even tried an impact driver than you hit with a hammer... nothing at all.

[Mettler]

half of the damn cam cap bolts stripped the **** out so bad that I'm going to have to drill them out, and for no reason.

Hahaha QFT!! I feel your pain... This has happened to me on three VH's so far... most of them come out fine, but there's always about 5 or so that decide to be c*nts and strip out. Happened just last night actually, while stripping my new parts motor.

Let me know how you get on finding a replacement cam cap bolt... I was just going to use high tensile socket buttonhead capscrews... allen keys ftw!

[Q45tech]

Performance engine must be at operating temperature [174F] to properly reassemble disassemble.

Note the section in FSM where hot oil bath is used to heat heads to 230--260F for valve guide replacement.

[T45]

I ended up breaking 2 torx bits before buying a nice T30 and using it with my air impact. All came out fine. It seems that they required about 100 ft lb's to remove but only call for 14 ft. lb.'s in the FSM. I suppose the factory used threadlocker or they just seize up in the heads over time.

[Mettler]

Performance engine must be at operating temperature [174F] to properly reassemble disassemble.

Note the section in FSM where hot oil bath is used to heat heads to 230--260F for valve guide replacement.

Heh it'd be nice to be able to do this, but my Koken inhex socket for removing headbolts is slightly too large on the outside diameter to fit past the cams properly when cylinder1 is at TDC. And I don't have a hot oil bath :p

I think I'll get an impact driver.

[Q45tech]

When the Q was launched in 1989, Infiniti supplied a 17 page booklet of all the 85 specialty tools need by dealership to properly work on engine and transmission and VLSD.

The techs refused to spend $17,000 so the dealership bought one of each and the techs shared.

[Raxephon]

Cam cap bolts, (the short ones), from a '91-'96 FWD/RWD KA24DE or a '92-'94 FWD SR20DE.

Those years have the same thread pitch as the VH45DE cam cap bolts, other years than those I cannot guarantee.

The amount of threaded area on the shaft is the same between all motors, for the given years above.

You'll need a 3.5mm washer to make them the same shaft length as the VH cam cap bolts. (The VH cam cap bolts are a little shorter)

They are all 10mm hex head bolts, so no more stripped torx BS.

Thread pitch is 1.0 metric if anyone is curious.






Modified by anlasak at 2:02 PM 6/14/2007

[Mettler]

Legend mate, I was looking for an alternative solution. Good find! Oh... now just gotta make sure they won't interfere with the rocker covers!
Modified by Mettler at 4:13 PM 6/14/2007

[Raxephon]

Legend mate, I was looking for an alternative solution. Good find! Oh... now just gotta make sure they won't interfere with the rocker covers!

Modified by Mettler at 4:13 PM 6/14/2007

Sorry, I didn't mention that in my other post.

They have enough clearance even with the 3.5mm washer.

I've tested the clearances on all the caps on both heads.

Mind you, this is for a VH45DE, I have no idea in regards to the VH41DE as to whether these will work or not.

VH-KA/SR Cam cap Bolt Comparisons:



Valvecover on head with hex head cam cap bolts installed:



EDIT: I'll take picks of the cams/caps/new bolts all installed in a day or 2 when I get to that container. Unfortunately I'm still unpacking.
Modified by anlasak at 5:30 AM 6/15/2007

[defrag010]

analask, YOU DA MAN!!!

[Raxephon]

analask, YOU DA MAN!!!

Its anlasak, why so many members swap the "a" and the "l' I'll never know.

And to add to this, anyone who is using RTV to seal their valve covers will find a 1.5mm gap between the valve cover and head.

I'm using a custom valve cover gasket that measures 1.5mm compressed, unfortunately when I measured without the gasket installed, there is a gap.

There are 3 options as I see it:

#1: Make a gasket for the valve cover equaling 1.5mm or thicker #2: Drill 1.5mm deeper into the existing holes and tap for 1.0 thread (Dangerous due to water/oil passages and the proximity of the existing threads inside the hole to the actual open area you need to pass the drill bit through.)

#3: Shave 1.5mm off the tip off the bolt's threaded end

If anyone has any other suggestions please feel free to post.

[Raxephon]

Okay, I think I have a solution for people with the early RTV valve covers, I decided to go with the, "shave off a bit of the threads on the bolts" method.

It leaves you with only 10mm of threaded shaft to secure the cam caps, but given the fact that they are 12-14 ft/lbs, it shouldn't be an issue.

I went with shaving 3mm off so I could use a 1.5mm washer between the head of the bolt and the cam cap.