Cam Dowel.

[maddos]

Hi all.

Been a while.

Just wondering if anyone else has encountered the locking dowel in end of cam coming free.

Mine has just done for a second time. Last time had to rebuild head due to bent valves and I'm guessing when I look into it tomorrow will be repeating.

I even loctited the little bugger in last time. Can't remember the number but was pink.

[dat2kman]

Have you left the eccentric fuel pump actuator ring off?

If so, put it back on, or a large hardened steel washer.

Its supposed to hold the sprocket in in place.

[Enzo]

Hi, If the cam bolt comes loose this will cause the pin to fail. I would suggest that you have a problem with the bolt rather than the pin. The pin is only for locating the sprocket. Kameari make a bolt that supposedly with not come loose. But a standard bolt does the trick in thousands of other Datsuns. As Jason suggests make sure you have the fuel pump eccentric drive or a large washer to spread the load and use the correct bolt tension.

David

[maddos]

Has the large washer under the bolt still. The actual cam gear hasn't moved, it's the dowel which is usually stuck solid in the cam has migrated forward to the point where it is still inside the gear (can't fall out due to washer) but is no longer engaging the cam.

[44014]

Your missing the point. The bolt holds the sprocket in position on the cam, Not the dowel.

The dowel is used for locating the cam shaft sprocket. you should be able to remove the dowel after the cam bolt is torqued and have no effect on the cam gear spinning on the camshaft.

 

Cheers Doug

[maddos]

Oh. Well if that's the case I have misunderstood. Wouldn't have thought the bolt tension alone would have been up to the task. The washer isn't the large eccentric one either so that may not be helping matters.

[KatoKid]

I came here expecting a thread about a guy called Cam Dowel

[maddos]

Haha could be my alias.

Just removed the bolt and really had to swing off it so it wasn't loose.

Did only have a spring washer under it though.

[44014]

Oh. Well if that's the case I have misunderstood. Wouldn't have thought the bolt tension alone would have been up to the task. The washer isn't the large eccentric one either so that may not be helping matters.

They have a large washer that goes on in between the bolt head and the eccentric fuel pump cam, The fuel pump cam is very thick as it has a washer welded into it as well as the cam thickness. You need to fit another washer as thick as the cam to make sure you are not bottoming out in the camshaft and applying the correct torque to the cam bolt or refit the fuel pump cam.

[maddos]

I have an electric fuel pump fitted as I have an L28 with EFI fitted. I know the one you're talking about though on the original L26. I think that's quite possibly the most likely scenario with it bottoming out.

In any case the head is coming is coming off right now as I can see I have a few bent valves going by the slack under some rocker arms.

So when it goes back together this time, will add those extra washers and hopefully I'll get more than 6000 Klm or so before I have to pull it apart again. ?

[Cozza]

Bugger!

An expensive lesson maybe.

[maddos]

Looking like it.

Second time it's happened. Because was blaming dowel, didn't even think about needing exrtra washer.

Oh well. Looks like head had a minor leak from jacket into no. 3 anyway.