How to install camshaft

[Lone Fight]

I just had my timing belt tensioner break on me so I had to have the head rebuilt, I sent the head in with the cam's still bolted on. The machine shop sent the cams, bearing caps, and the spring caps back in a box. Does it matter which cam goes where (I think I figured out which one fits where best) and the spring caps can I just throw them on anywhere? Oh yeah I'm working on a 2004 chevy Aveo 1.6 dual overhead cam

[xintersecty]

For the money you spent they should have assembled back like you gave it to them.

I just did this.

I used lube and put on the lifters and on the bearings/holders.
1) install lifters
2) install the seals on the cams
3) place the cams on the lifters/mounts
4) install the end mount and rest of the mounts hand tight
5) tap the seals flush with the back of the end mounts (sorry don't what else to call them)

Manual says 12 foot pounds

tightening order
Far left side is the cam gears
exhaust side
1 3 5 7 9

2 4 6 8 10
intake side

ease each one down 1 through 10 and at the very end go to torque. I had one go too tight and I need to replace it as it stretched.

[WyrTwister]

Yes , I am pretty sure it matters which can goes where .

Were the caps numbered and indicate which way they went ? Not sure if it has to be , but I would have numbered and marked everything just the way it was . I do not know if these were assembled then line bored ?

Seems pretty sloppy on the part of the machine shop .

God bless
Wyr

[yqtwill]

One cam is for the intake and the other is for exhaust. They should have marks showing that. The gears are also marked for the appropriate camshafts. Good luck with your project. I just finished installing a new head on my '04 Aveo for the same reason.

[06T200]

Well that's kind of lame. Why didn't they just bench assemble it??

I did not degree check the cams in mine when I redid the head, (I letter punched each cam E and I respectively) but I could not find any difference from the intake cam to the exhaust cam, the locating dowels and the lobe phasing was identical by eye, all markings were the same, and only one part number #96182606 listed for both cams - so all evidence would indicate they are the same bump stick.

What does matter is matching the bucket lifters to the original lobes as they wear in together, and always are matched back up to the mating lobes, unless lifters are replaced. The cam caps must be mated to the correct journals as well - so the cams will spin.

I would mock both cams up in the head with no lifters, torque down the caps to spec and just make sure both cams spin free in the head. This is assuming the machinist did not index the caps for you and mark them. When I took mine apart I number punched everything I could so there would be no guesswork going back together, I have no idea why your shop did not do this, or at least assemble the entire head. That is lame to send it out like that as to shift the liability on you if the assembly is wrong. When parts wear in together, they should always be re-mated together on reassembly. The consequence is increased wear on parts as they wear in to the new different mating part.

Sorry your machinist put you in this spot, if you have any doubt, take it back to them and ask THEM to assemble it, and stand behind their work!

[06T200]

and the spring caps can I just throw them on anywhere? Oh yeah I'm working on a 2004 chevy Aveo 1.6 dual overhead cam

What you call spring caps are known as bucket lifters, and it does matter where they go in practice. It seems like you were left with no choice if they were not marked, or boxed up to keep them in order. Shops usually only do this when you are installing NEW/reground cams and lifters. So they messed up big time IMO.

[06T200]

One last thing, you may want to make sure none of the lifters were collapsed during the valve crunch that bent the valves. On mine I had a few that were stuck in a collapsed state and needed to be replaced. If you miss some, the downside is the lifters may clatter on startup, or may have a constant tick if they don't work as they should. FYI

[xintersecty]

One last thing, you may want to make sure none of the lifters were collapsed during the valve crunch that bent the valves. On mine I had a few that were stuck in a collapsed state and needed to be replaced. If you miss some, the downside is the lifters may clatter on startup, or may have a constant tick if they don't work as they should. FYI

I got lucky with my lifters and I did not replace mine however I did pay attention to order.