What Have I Done?

[RB25_Zenki]

Hey guys. This morning I swapping cam caps around and I looked away and dropped a cam washer. i didnt see where it weent. I looked underneath the car, not there. Looked around the cam couldnt find it. I got a magnet stick put it every where around the vam shaft cant find it all. If it was in there should be easy to find because its a decent size washer. Not sure what I should do now? Take the cam out and keep looking.

[Trex]

Jack it up and check in the bumper and engine trays. Mine are always lucky enough to fall and slide down into the bumper lip where it's almost impossible to get out.

[RB25_Zenki]

Ive got a compressor and blew out all the near the rack and crossmember and no luck. It cant he in to many places in the head.

[jiffo]

Inlet or exhaust side?

Inlet side has some wonderful hiding places.

Cam cap washer is quite small, around 12mm outside diameter from memory.

I'd have a break and come back fresh to keep searching.

[RB25_Zenki]

Exhaust side. Ive taken a brake. Ill get the missus to have a look aswell. Another pair of eyes will come in handy.

[Ben C34]

Why were you swapping can caps around? They are specific to the one spot, as that's how they were machined. You can't just go swapping them around.

[RB25_Zenki]

Its a rb25 with 26 covers and i have mines baffles and i was swapping the cam caps to no.2 and 3.

[GTSBoy]

Why were you swapping can caps around? They are specific to the one spot, as that's how they were machined. You can't just go swapping them around.

Its a rb25 with 26 covers and i have mines baffles and i was swapping the cam caps to no.2 and 3.

See the fundamental conflict here?

[RB25_Zenki]

Who cares why i was swapping cam caps or what ever. I just want to know to do.

[r32-25t]

You dont swap the caps, you swap the bolts

But keep looking till you find it

[jiffo]

Mate what Ben is pointing out here is all cam caps are line bored for the particular head they're on.

If you swap any cap, the whole show needs to be re-line bored.

You may think they look like they're going to fit, but it only takes a few thou off and they'll seize to the cam.

Now you may be dead lucky and things actually fit, in which case great.

But be prepared, could be a disaster around the corner.

[RB25_Zenki]

Well where will i put the cam caps? they were on on 6 and 7. and i jus got mines baffles

[Hunky]

Is it not possible to just another 6mm washer ?

[GTSBoy]

Put them back where they came from.

[GTSBoy]

Is it not possible to just another 6mm washer ?

He's worried about where (in the engine!) it might be.

[XKLABA]

When you put on the mines/hi octane baffles you have to move the spray/splash guards to stop oil spraying off the cam lobe into the cam cover breather, just the spray guard not the cam cap

Look on the chassis rail under the AC line, had that happen before, mass PITA

[r32-25t]

Well where will i put the cam caps? they were on on 6 and 7. and i jus got mines baffles

are you talking about the pressed steel splash guards?

If so, change the bolts into a different cam cap and move the splash guards onto them

[RB25_Zenki]

Ive taken the cam out and still cant find it. What should i do?

[Ben C34]

If I dropped a washer into the head, and couldn't find it I would tell myself off sternly, then carry on with life.

The Washer Will Find A Safe Place to live in the sump, hiding in the corner away from the spinning bits.

Then every oil change I would look through the oil with the excitement of a child at Christmas hoping to find the washer, but only to be disappointed time and time again.

I am more worried about the swapped caps rather than the washer. Unless by cap you mean splash guard.

[Missileman]

as above, don't worry about it, buy another washer and move on. If you're paranoid a magnetic sump plug might pick it up in your next oil change,

Edited December 29, 2014 by Missileman