Engine is 96 JDM Prelude VTEC, got it from sohfast about 6 months ago. I just need to know if this is something that needs to be replaced right away, or is it just a low risk crack, which can replaced with a new part later, about a week? Thanks.



These are pics of this part:

 

You can't replace that part. The only thing that looks really bad is where the Cam seal is. Just replace that Cam seal and you should be fine.

 

thats the cam that drives the distributer right? it looks like it took a nasty shock and cracked it, its almost looks liek someone might have tried to install the ditributer 180 degrees out of phase, where the distributer wouldn't slide in all the way, so they tried to force it with the blots,

i think you should be ok, but i would check and see if you cam is riding toward that side, if you cam is pushing on that peice, that would cause wear, and could cause it to crack, try and figure out if you cam is staying where it is supposed to be, sure doesn't look like it to me

you can't just replace one cam cap, they all have to be done, and machine into spec of the current camshaft to meet clearance requirements stipulated by the manual.

check the cam and why its riding over, once you figure that out, i think you should be ok, atleast you didn't crack a bearing journal

 

That is an interesting crack. That groove matches a ring on the intake cam and prevents it from sliding right and left. It looks like the intake cam was hit on the cam gear end, which partially stretched/cracked that groove as the cam was pushed towards the tranny side of the engine. I would check the cam to make sure it's not bent, and I would check the head and cam caps on the timing belt side for dammage too.

Now in theory, there is almost no load on the cam going right or left. That ring of aluminum is not completely sheared off, so it may be possible to just use the cap as is. That is up to you, based on how strong you think the remaining aluminum is. If you know someone who is good with welding aluminum, it may be possible to try and push the cracked ring of aluminum back to its original position (back towards the timing belt) and weld a small bead on the back of it to reinforce it. If you do this, test fit everything to make sure the cam is not binding. Either way, I would take out the alignment dowels and sand it lightly on a flat surface (like a surface plate with 400 grit paper) to make sure it is not warped and will sit flat against the head. Good luck, and keep us posted...

edit: Acutally, looking closer at the third picture, I think you can use the part as is. The crack looks like it's only at the corners where the cap meets the head. So it was probably cracked during installation, like it was intsalled at an angle. If this is the case, I would make sure those cracked corners are not going to come loose inside the engine, sand it flat and put it together. If just the corners are cracked, there is still plenty of meat left in the rest of the ring to keep the cam from sliding right/left.

 

GUDE did the same **** to my cam cap when they did my head. Long story short, I had to get a new head. You cannot mix and match cam caps... if you do it is recommended you have a machine shop check all the clearances of the 'new' caps to make sure they are within specs. Each cam cap is specific to the head.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by prelittlelude &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">thats the cam that drives the distributer right? it looks like it took a nasty shock and cracked it, its almost looks liek someone might have tried to install the ditributer 180 degrees out of phase, where the distributer wouldn't slide in all the way, so they tried to force it with the blots,
</TD></TR></TABLE>

uh... did that.. the cap cracked but it still one piece. i called honda, and they said u cant replace them. i would jb weld before i decide to buy a new head to fix a damn cam cap. so i cant get a used cam cap and put it on?? what do u mean by clearance issues..

so yea.. now im runing my car with a broke end cam cap.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by prelittlelude &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">thats the cam that drives the distributer right? </TD></TR></TABLE>
No, it's actually the part that's attached to the VTEC solenoid valve. I'm assuming it's my fault most likely, since this is the first time i've gone this far into my engine. I probably just tightened it wrongly. I would like to find a welder to be able to heat that up and then put a strengthening bead on the back, but that'll be hard to find.

 

If that crack is just on the corners of that ring (as it looks in the third picture), I think you are ok. I was saying you might want to weld it if that whole ring was nearly sheared off...

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by bluecb7 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
No, it's actually the part that's attached to the VTEC solenoid valve. I'm assuming it's my fault most likely, since this is the first time i've gone this far into my engine. I probably just tightened it wrongly. I would like to find a welder to be able to heat that up and then put a strengthening bead on the back, but that'll be hard to find. </TD></TR></TABLE>

um neither of the cams touch or connect to the vtec solinoid in any way

so how did you crack it, or did you just open the motor up and find this? what exactly did you do

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by prelittlelude &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

um neither of the cams touch or connect to the vtec solinoid in any way

so how did you crack it, or did you just open the motor up and find this? what exactly did you do</TD></TR></TABLE>
I am saying that this cap sits near the vtec solenoid valve, on the intake side. Yes, I know the vtec solenoid valve doesn't touch the cams, but this cap sits atop part of the solenoid valve and one end of the intake cam. Here:

 

i wouldnt recommend having it welded up, heating up the cam cap can warp the piece and might screw up the clearances. And honda doesnt sell cam caps, the only way to buy it from honda is with a new head.

Teh reason for this is because the cam caps are linebored, basically meaning, they bore straight through and then cut off the caps, so each cap is specific to its repsective head.

If you wanna use another set of caps, you would have to take the head to a machine shop and let them check that the clearances will still be fine with the new cap, depending on how off it is, you might be able to line hone it to get a better cleranace.

And i wouldnt bother JB welding its a waste of time on that.