Cam Caps WTF....

7mgte1988

7M-Runner
Sep 22, 2008
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Orlando
Has any one ever took there cams out and replaced the cam and then the cam cap bolt tears through the aluminum if so this is not the worst part as i just torqed the head to 90lbs so now i cant move the head or the car...As i already helicoiled three of them already wit the head off the car....Why dont they make the head wit helicoils already inplace:3d_frown:
 

jdub

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What did you torque to?

That's a pretty good sign the head has annealed from an over heat. :(
 

7mgte1988

7M-Runner
Sep 22, 2008
223
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Orlando
jdub;1409989 said:
What did you torque to?

That's a pretty good sign the head has annealed from an over heat. :(

Well the proper torqe is 14lbs but i took my cam off and as i was putting back on the bolt didnot hold so i backed it off and it came out wit the threads..
 

jdub

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Was it at the back of the head? Sounds like an annealed head. Hate to tell you this, but if it is, that head is junk.
 

7mgte1988

7M-Runner
Sep 22, 2008
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Orlando
jdub;1410006 said:
Was it at the back of the head? Sounds like an annealed head. Hate to tell you this, but if it is, that head is junk.

Well it was cap number 5 on exhaust side on the outside..So why would the head be considered junk???what if i just spend a 100bucks on helicoiling the whole thing will that work??
 

jdub

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If the head has been annealed, it's soft. The exhaust studs are not going to hold either. You can do what you like, but no way I would use that head...it should have been hardness tested before it was worked/installed.
 

7mgte1988

7M-Runner
Sep 22, 2008
223
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0
Orlando
jdub;1410310 said:
If the head has been annealed, it's soft. The exhaust studs are not going to hold either. You can do what you like, but no way I would use that head...it should have been hardness tested before it was worked/installed.

Ive had the exhaust studs in before with the head out of the car wit a T4 attach so i guess it may not be to bad....I dont think i was doin the right torqe sequence i just realize..
 

radiod

Supramania Contributor
Dec 13, 2007
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Annealing is the process of atoms pretty much getting looser bonds between eachother due to heat. It makes the metal softer, more pliable, ductile. Unfortunately happens to alluminum at temperatures that you'd expect to get in an engine overheat.

Just something to throw out there...

Has anyone heard of cryogenning metal parts? It's supposed to be the process of cooling metal to almost absolute zero to aline the atoms in as strong a bond as possible. Would that counteract the process of annealing? Would be nice to find a use for these heads other than just throwing them out :(
 

adampecush

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May 11, 2006
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radiod;1410389 said:
Annealing is the process of atoms pretty much getting looser bonds between eachother due to heat. It makes the metal softer, more pliable, ductile. Unfortunately happens to alluminum at temperatures that you'd expect to get in an engine overheat.

Just something to throw out there...

Has anyone heard of cryogenning metal parts? It's supposed to be the process of cooling metal to almost absolute zero to aline the atoms in as strong a bond as possible. Would that counteract the process of annealing? Would be nice to find a use for these heads other than just throwing them out :(

there is a thread in the technical section about this...it sort of ended up going to hell though.

Also, annealing has little to do with atomic bonds. It is the elevated temperature re-organization of a the grain structure to a lower energy state. In simplified terms, this reduces internal stresses in the material - the presence of these internal stresses were what gave the material its strength, so reducing the stresses leads to a reduction in strength.

In my experience, I have yet to see cryo treated aluminum have better properties than non-cryo material. Until somebody proves to me otherwise, its all smoke and mirrors. Same cannot be said about steel/iron though.
 

Keros

Canadian Bacon
Mar 16, 2007
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adampecush;1410539 said:
Also, annealing has little to do with atomic bonds. It is the elevated temperature re-organization of a the grain structure to a lower energy state. In simplified terms, this reduces internal stresses in the material - the presence of these internal stresses were what gave the material its strength, so reducing the stresses leads to a reduction in strength.

In my experience, I have yet to see cryo treated aluminum have better properties than non-cryo material. Until somebody proves to me otherwise, its all smoke and mirrors. Same cannot be said about steel/iron though.

Werd!

Aluminum and steel/iron are VERY different metals, infact, being a metal is about all they have in common!

Cyro treated cast iron is supposed to be badass stuff for certain applications... I've never heard of doing it to aluminum though?

Aluminum 'ages' naturally, and being heated speeds up the process. Aluminum left out in the sun for decades can be extremely brittle, for instance. Anyway, once a sample has been annealed to a 'full soft' state, there's no way to get it back to a hardened state while retaining dimensional stability.

Materials sciences was a looooooong time ago though...
 

IJ.

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adampecush;1410539 said:
there is a thread in the technical section about this...it sort of ended up going to hell though.

Also, annealing has little to do with atomic bonds. It is the elevated temperature re-organization of a the grain structure to a lower energy state. In simplified terms, this reduces internal stresses in the material - the presence of these internal stresses were what gave the material its strength, so reducing the stresses leads to a reduction in strength.

In my experience, I have yet to see cryo treated aluminum have better properties than non-cryo material. Until somebody proves to me otherwise, its all smoke and mirrors. Same cannot be said about steel/iron though.

Anecdotal evidence I know but it does machine "differently" before and after Cryo Adam, seems to be less "sticky" on cutters so you can bump up the DoC and RoC on both. (also found a casting stays cold for a very long time after being treated)
 

supraduper

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Jun 7, 2009
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i am curious. what did you use to torque the bolts with ? 1/4 drive or 3/8

i ask.. b/c 14 ft lbs isnt very much at all and using a 3/8 ratchet, going by feel is going to have bad results...

did you use a 1/4" torque wrench?
 

7mgte1988

7M-Runner
Sep 22, 2008
223
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0
Orlando
supraduper;1410660 said:
i am curious. what did you use to torque the bolts with ? 1/4 drive or 3/8

i ask.. b/c 14 ft lbs isnt very much at all and using a 3/8 ratchet, going by feel is going to have bad results...

did you use a 1/4" torque wrench?

I used an 1/4 torqe wrench as i dont think they ever made a 3/8 one...well if they did ive never seen one...just throw an adapter on the 1/4 and its should be just as good as the 3/8...
 

Jeff Lange

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7mgte1988;1411014 said:
I used an 1/4 torqe wrench as i dont think they ever made a 3/8 one...well if they did ive never seen one...just throw an adapter on the 1/4 and its should be just as good as the 3/8...

What?

1/4 is smaller than 3/8. Most automotive torque wrenches I've seen are either 3/8 or 1/2, but there are definitely some 1/4 ones as well, for lower torque specs.

Jeff
 

7mgte1988

7M-Runner
Sep 22, 2008
223
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0
Orlando
Jeff Lange;1411060 said:
What?

1/4 is smaller than 3/8. Most automotive torque wrenches I've seen are either 3/8 or 1/2, but there are definitely some 1/4 ones as well, for lower torque specs.

Jeff

Yea your right i just glanced at it and it is a 1/2..iam not to good wit da sizes...
 

adampecush

Regular Supramaniac
May 11, 2006
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IJ.;1410657 said:
Anecdotal evidence I know but it does machine "differently" before and after Cryo Adam, seems to be less "sticky" on cutters so you can bump up the DoC and RoC on both. (also found a casting stays cold for a very long time after being treated)

Now you've got me interested. I might have to have some Al scrap I've got laying around cryo treated and have a look at the mechanicals/microstructure.

Interesting that it appears to alter the heat capacity and/or thermal conductivity of the Al.